Win the Era
May 13, 2020


Pete Buttigieg Announces First Slate of Win the Era Endorsements 

These 22 candidates are next generation leaders across every level of government who will bring Americans together and change our politics for the better

SOUTH BEND, IN - Today, Pete Buttigieg announced that Win the Era has endorsed 22 candidates running for office at all levels of government, the leadership PAC's first set of endorsements for the 2020 cycle. Win the Era was established by Buttigieg to support candidates who embody and lift up the values that bring Americans together.

Win the Era’s first round of 2020 endorsements includes candidates tackling the issues facing this and subsequent generations, leaders running pioneering campaigns who will change our politics for the better, and individuals at all levels of government who model the values and spirit that animated the Pete for America campaign. Buttigieg’s endorsements range from statewide federal office holders to municipal officials, in blue states, red states, and swing states.

“In a time of national crisis, there is more need than ever for leaders who will bring people together to build a more equitable, sustainable future and make sure we emerge from this pandemic stronger than before,” said Pete Buttigieg. “It’s not enough for us to just replace the current president - we must do away with the cruelty and division that have defined the Trump era, and elect leaders at every level of government who will build a nation where every American feels a sense of belonging in our future.”

The 22 candidates endorsed by Win the Era are:
 
Gina Ortiz Jones, US House TX-23
Michelle De La Isla, US House KS-2
JA Moore, SC House-15
Sharice Davids, US House KS-3
Jaime Harrison, US Senate, SC
Christine Hunschofsky, FL House-96
Cal Cunningham, US Senate, NC
Kate Schroder , US House OH-1
Josh Shapiro, PA Attorney General
Levar Stoney, Mayor of Richmond, VA
Lamont Robinson, IL House-5
Lauren Underwood, US House IL-14
Jevin Hodge, Maricopa County AZ Board of Supervisors
Roy Cooper, NC Governor
Lucy McBath, US House GA-6
Anthony Brown, US House MD-4
Sandra Jauregui, NV House-41
Annie Kuster, US House NH-2
Malcolm Kenyatta, PA House-181
Yvonne Lewis Holley, NC Lieutenant Governor
Don Beyer, US House VA-8
Sydney Batch, NC House-37

As part of the endorsement process, Win the Era identified candidates and campaigns who embody the following values and characteristics. Win the Era also incorporated endorsement recommendations submitted by members of the Pete for America supporter community across the country. 

Endorsement Criteria
 
Generational leadership: Win the Era will support candidates who represent a successor generation of leadership, and those who advocate and lift up the issues facing this and subsequent generations with a vision for a better future through real structural reform.
 
Building belonging: The Democratic Party comprises Americans of every race, background, sexual orientation, gender identity, belief and ability. These voices are too often lacking in local, state, and national representation. Win the Era will lift up candidates who reflect the values of our party and the breadth of our country.
 
Pioneering campaigns:
Win the Era will pay special attention to Democratic candidates competing and campaigning in typically conservative areas, especially areas with emerging diversity in the electorate not yet reflected in leadership. We remain convinced that there is no such thing as a permanently “red” state, district, or precinct.
 
Substance and policy: Win the Era will seek out candidates and leaders who propose and support meaningful, bold policies to reform what must change in our political and economic system. We are looking for the architects of the kind of 2020s we must create in order for
life to be better in the 2050s. This includes serious democratic reform, major climate action, and economic policies that empower workers, address systemic racism, and deliver real equity in our time.
 
Personal qualities: Win the Era will seek out candidates who model the values and spirit of the Pete for America campaign. This includes a focus on our Rules of the Road: respect, teamwork, belonging, responsibility, boldness, truth, substance, excellence, discipline, and joy. Simply put: People in it for the right reasons, exhibiting empathy and service, will draw our support.

Win the Era will leverage the strength of its national community to support these candidates by introducing them to its members and identifying ways individuals can support these campaigns financially and through organizing efforts. Win the Era will continue to announce additional candidate endorsements in the coming months. 

About Win the Era
Win the Era Leadership PAC and Action Fund are organizations founded by Pete Buttigieg in April 2020 following his historic presidential campaign. The Win the Era Leadership PAC will work to elect leaders at every level of government who embody and lift up the values that bring Americans together and represent the spirit of the Pete for America campaign. 

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Contact:
Rachel Thomas
April 3, 2020 email

Marcus,

I hope you and your family are safe and well. Chasten and I are at home in South Bend, practicing physical distancing, finding ways to share good information and supporting our community in staying safe and healthy. 

Meanwhile, we continue to remain in touch with the extraordinary community that we have built. I know from speaking to many of you that our supporters are eager for ways to continue furthering the values that drove our campaign. In that spirit, today I’m pleased to share with you that we have established Win the Era PAC -- a new way for us to make a positive impact. 

This is a big part of how we’ll continue the work we started with the campaign, and it’s only possible because of your hard work and our shared vision for the country.

Our nation and world are in a period of upheaval right now, which will make it more important than ever to support and elect good leaders this November and into the future. 

In a time of national crisis, there is more need than ever for a politics of belonging, defined not by who we push out, but by how we can call one another to our highest values. 

This is not only a question of replacing the current president and doing away with the division and cruelty that have characterized the Trump era, but also ensuring we have strong leaders at every level of government. In the past few weeks especially, we’ve seen the importance of our institutions and the reality that local and state leadership is extremely important. 

In the future, Win the Era PAC will be rolling out a series of endorsements of candidates who we believe embody our values and deserve your consideration. 

I have encountered extraordinary leaders during my time in office and campaigning, and look forward to supporting many of them. Many of America’s most promising emerging leaders are not always well known, so I’d also love to hear from you, Marcus. Are you supporting a candidate (for any office) who you think we should pay attention to? If so, please click here and tell us why you believe in them.

In particular, we will be seeking out candidates and campaigns who reflect these values and characteristics: 

  • Generational leadership: We will support candidates who represent a successor generation of leadership, and those who advocate and lift up the issues facing this and subsequent generations with a vision for a better future through real structural reform.
  • Building belonging: The Democratic Party comprises Americans of every race, background, sexual orientation, gender identity, belief and ability. These voices are too often lacking in local, state, and national representation. We will lift up candidates who reflect the values of our party and the breadth of our country. 
  • Pioneering campaigns: We will pay special attention to Democratic candidates competing and campaigning in typically conservative areas, especially areas with emerging diversity in the electorate not yet reflected in leadership. We remain convinced that there is no such thing as a permanently “red” state, district, or precinct.
  • Substance and policy: We will seek out candidates and leaders who propose and support meaningful, bold policies to reform what must change in our political and economic system. We are looking for the architects of the kind of 2020s we must create in order for life to be better in the 2050s. This includes serious democratic reform, major climate action, and economic policies that empower workers, address systemic racism, and deliver real equity in our time.
  • Personal qualities: We will seek out candidates who model the values and spirit of the Pete for America campaign. This includes a focus on our Rules of the Road: respect, teamwork, belonging, responsibility, boldness, truth, substance, excellence, discipline, and joy. Simply put: People in it for the right reasons, exhibiting empathy and service, will draw our support.

If you know (or if you are!) a candidate who reflects these qualities, please send us a note by clicking here and filling out this form.

I’m eager to hear from you, and more motivated than ever before to do everything I can to help Democrats win in November. As painful of a time as this is in our country, I also draw great hope from knowing what we can achieve together in the name of what we believe. 

Thank you, 

Pete