We are pleased to present our complete slate of congressional endorsements for 2022. Most of our candidates are in margin-of-error-tight races facing incumbent Republicans. We believe our endorsees have the vision and skills to serve as important leaders on national economic and political reform issues in Congress. Our honorable mentions are those leaders in Congress, who are in safe seats.
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
Challengers
Incumbents
Honorable Mentions
U.S. Senate
Race Rating: Likely D
Total Raised: Alsobrooks $7.6 M / Hogan $3 M
Angela Alsobrooks is running to replace Senator Ben Cardin, retiring at the end of this year. Holding onto Maryland is essential to Democrats’ hopes of retaining their narrow majority in the Senate. After winning a tough primary by 12 points, Alsobrooks begins the general election with a lead and momentum. Should Alsobrooks win, she would become the first black Senator from Maryland and would add a seasoned progressive voice to the caucus.
As County Executive, Alsobrooks worked to create or preserve affordable housing, adding 5000 new affordable homes since 2020. She is eager to work with the Senate to pass a permanent Child Tax Credit, a program that lifted millions of children out of poverty and helped parents address the rising cost of living.
Race Rating: Likely D
Total Raised: Tester $36.6 M / Sheehy $10.7 M
Senator Tester is a third-generation Montana dirt farmer, running for a fourth term. From posting his daily schedule on his website to passing ethics reform, he continues to prove himself a champion of transparency. Senator Tester is ranked one of the most effective Senators and has gotten more bills signed into law than any other member of Congress this year.
Tester was an original co-sponsor of the ETHICS Act, which seeks to strengthen restrictions around members of Congress and their spouses trading stocks. Tester is also a leading sponsor of the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act which would establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the USDA.
Holding this Senate seat is critical to maintaining our Democratic majority in the Senate. Recent polling shows Tester in a true toss-up race, but Tester has made a career of narrow victories.
Race Rating: Toss Up
Sherrod has dedicated his life to fighting for Ohioans and the Dignity of Work — a concept inspired by the work and writings of Pope Leo XIII and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s the belief that hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of work you do. Whether you punch a clock or swipe a badge, earn a salary or make tips, are raising children or caring for an aging parent.
Born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, Sherrod saw firsthand how corporations lobbied for tax breaks and bad trade deals that shipped Ohio jobs overseas. He has opposed unfair trade deals that hurt Ohio workers and why he stood up to his own party to lead the opposition against NAFTA. Sherrod believes that when you love your country, you fight for the people who make it work. He’s never been afraid to stand up to corporations and special interests to level the playing field for Ohioans — from standing up to Wall Street to taking on Big Pharma. He has worked with both parties to pass some of the most significant legislation in recent years, and he continues to work across the aisle to hold corporations accountable.
U.S. House of Representatives
Challengers
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Gray $1.6 M / Duarte $2.6 M
In 2022, Adam Gray ran a tough race against Freshman Representative John Duarte, losing by less than 600 votes, the second-closest Congressional race in the country. This race was one of the last races to be called in the 2022 elections and is currently rated a toss-up by Sabato’s Crystal Ball, Cook Political Report, and Inside Elections. Adam has been named to the DCCC’s Red to Blue list for 2024, a sign of just how competitive this race will be. This key flip opportunity is critical to bringing a Democratic Trifecta back to Capitol Hill.
Adam Gray was born and raised in Merced and has represented his hometown in the California State Assembly since 2012 when he ran in response to the Recession. Champion of bipartisan commonsense solutions, he founded the California Problem Solvers Caucus in the State Assembly. Gray worked across the aisle to get nearly $3 billion to build new water storage to ensure California families have access to water. He helped secure $2 million to create the VOLT Institute in Modesto, which provides high-skill job training, helping to grow his district’s economy.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Salas $1.8 M / Valadao $1.8 M
Rudy Salas served five terms as a California State Assemblymember and he is now setting his sights on unseating Representative David Valadao. CA-22 covers most of Kings Country and parts of Tulare and Kern Counties in the San Joaquin Valley. Rudy was born and raised in the Central Valley and became the first Latino Bakersfield City Council Member. In 2022, he challenged Representative Valadao, losing the general by about 3,000 votes. Joe Biden won this district by nearly 13% in 2020 and this seat is a critical flip opportunity for Democrats in California.
In Salas’ time as a California State Assemblymember, he fought to increase workers’ wages and ensure farmworkers were eligible for overtime pay. He will fight to expand job training and apprenticeship programs, invest in broadband infrastructure, and crack down on corporate price abuse to promote economic growth throughout the Central Valley. Salas is enthusiastic about defending the Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing care for seniors.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Salas $1.8 M / Valadao $1.8 M
George Whitesides is a first-time candidate in CA-27 against Representative Mike Garcia who has represented the region since 2020. The district includes much of northern Los Angeles County including Santa Clarita, the Antelope Valley, and the San Fernando Valley. Whitesides worked for the Presidential Transition Team for former President Barack Obama and subsequently served as Chief of Staff for NASA.
As a business leader and former CEO of Virgin Galactic, he has created hundreds of jobs in the district and is enthusiastic about generating good-paying, local jobs. Whitesides is passionate about the use of technology to shape the future from combating wildfires to exploring space and founded our nation’s first organization dedicated to combating the megafire crisis, Megafire Action. Whitesides is strongly pro-choice and will vote to protect Social Security and Medicare in Congress.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Rollins $4.7 M / Calvert $4.3 M
Will Rollins is a former federal prosecutor who focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence. He’s running for Congress to continue fighting back against the threats to our democracy. His opponent, Ken Calvert, was among the extremist Republicans who challenged the 2020 presidential election results. Will first ran against Calvert in the 2022 election and handed Calvert the closest midterm of his 30+ year career. In their 2024 rematch, Will cleared a primary field and has set both district and national fundraising records as he seeks to flip this seat in November and help Democrats retake the House majority.
Rollins recognizes the importance of infrastructure investment to California’s economy and that the cost of housing continues to be an issue both in California and the rest of the country. He knows that expanding housing to allow for a more competitive market is a crucial step toward improving economic outlooks for working-class Americans.
Race Rating: Lean D
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Min $2.2 M / Baugh $2.3 M
California State Senator Dave Min is a first-generation Korean-American who wants to ensure that future generations have a fair shot at the American Dream. CA-47 shifted to contain Orange County including Irvine and Huntington Beach. Endorsed by Representative Katie Porter, who has held the seat since 2019, Min has a long history of delivering on progressive priorities including holding Wall Street accountable as an Enforcement Attorney for the Securities and Exchange Commission. Min is one of the country’s leading experts on banking and housing policy.
As a State Senator, Min is on Committees relating to Appropriations, Banking and Financial Institutions, and Budget and Fiscal Review, among others. Dave Min is an enthusiastic supporter of efforts to stop stock trading by members of Congress.
Race Rating: Likely R
DCCC Endorsed
Total Raised: Bohannan $2.6 M / Miller-Meeks $2.9 M
Christina Bohannan is a law professor, environmental engineer, and former State Representative running as the Democratic nominee in Iowa’s 1st district. Recent polling shows Democrats four points ahead in this district. Her Republican opponent, Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, won this seat by only 6 votes in 2020, and she is uniquely vulnerable in 2024. Miller-Meeks’ primary performance was the weakest in the country this cycle for a Republican incumbent in a targeted seat. She won by only 3,500 votes against an unknown candidate and lost several counties key to her re-election. IA-01 covers the southeastern part of the state including Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington, and Indianola.
Christina knows the struggles families face. She grew up in a trailer in a small town. Neither of her parents graduated high school. When her father got emphysema, his health insurance was canceled, and her family had to choose between paying for his prescription drugs, groceries, and everything else. She personally understands the importance of fighting for affordable prescription drugs, investing in our public schools, and building out the middle class. In Congress, Christina will work to represent all Iowans and restore faith and integrity in our government.
Race Rating: Lean R
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Baccam $1.9 M / Nunn $3.2 M
Lanon Baccam is running to unseat freshman Republican Zach Nunn, who flipped the seat red in 2022. With the ranking of Lean R, Baccam has a shot of bringing Democratic leadership back to Iowa. IA-03 covers the southwestern quadrant from Des Moines to the Missouri border.
Baccam most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of Agriculture (and former Iowa Governor) Tom Vilsack. At the Department, he worked to support veterans, expand pathways to jobs in agriculture including training programs, and helped to implement bipartisan investments like expanding access to high-speed internet in rural America.
In Congress, Baccam hopes to work to fight the rising cost of living from gas and groceries to housing and health care. He’s determined to give a voice to small towns and rural communities through support for small businesses, including family farms.
Race Rating: Likely R
Total Raised: Tranel $2.3 M / Zinke $5.7 M
Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Tranel has dedicated her life to Montana, taking on out-of-state billionaires and corporate monopolies to stop them from ripping off Montanans as an attorney. Her campaign stands on 3 sentiments: fairness, freedom, and accountability. MT-01 consists of the western portion of the state including the cities of Missoula and Bozeman.
Tranel is passionate about protecting American democracy, engaging in authentic bipartisanship, and increasing government transparency. While this is an uphill battle for Tranel, she is used to tough fights, and as a Montana Democrat, she will help bridge party divides to get critical legislation passed.
Race Rating: Lean R
Total Raised: Vargas $2.4 M / Bacon $3.5 M
Tony Vargas likes to get things done. As a Democratic appropriator in the Republican-controlled Nebraska Legislature, Vargas helped to pass over 60 bills into law. He’s passionate about middle-class tax relief, expanding the Child Tax Credit, fiscally responsible budgeting, and expanding worker’s rights. NE-02 includes the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area and Douglas County. President Biden won this seat by 6% in 2020 and the split electoral vote could decide the Presidential election in 2024. This district is one of the 18 won by Biden in 2020 but represented in Congress by a Republican, and a key midwestern potential pick-up.
Flipping this Nebraska seat would bring Democrats closer to reclaiming the House with a solid majority, giving Democrats more power to pass important items like the Child Tax Credit and a middle-class tax cut.
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Raised: Altman $1.7 M / Kean $3.6 M
Sue Altman is seeking to unseat freshman Republican Thomas Kean Jr., who flipped the seat in 2022. NJ-07 is the only competitive race in New Jersey and a prime pick-up opportunity for Democrats to regain the House majority. The district covers all of Hunterdon and Warren Counties, and parts of Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties.
Sue has dedicated her career to fighting corruption in bipartisan fashion, strengthening our democracy, and saving taxpayers money in New Jersey and is not taking a penny of corporate PAC money to fund her campaign. Sue recognizes the crippling cost of living facing NJ-07 families and plans to work to ensure working people have the wages and protections they need to thrive and hold corporations accountable for price gouging and limiting competition.
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Raised: Bynum $1.1 M / Chavez-Deremer $3.2 M
Janelle Bynum is running to unseat first-time Republican Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who has proved herself to be much less moderate than she claimed to be in her first campaign. Bynum, a mother of four who has beaten Republican incumbent Chavez-DeRemer twice in her previous campaigns for Oregon’s State Legislature, understands how crucial small businesses and local economies are. She led the passing of the Oregon CHIPS Act on the state level which was the most pro-business, pro-worker, pro-Oregon collaboration in history. OR-05 includes the Southeast suburbs of Portland through the eastern half of the Willamette Valley and includes Sisters and Bend. The race is a prime pick-up opportunity
In her freshman year, she hopes to continue working to find common ground and build an economy that works for workers and families. Additionally, she will continue to fight for housing affordability and remove red tape for housing construction in Congress.
Race Rating: Likely R
Total Raised: Ehasz $1.4 M / Fitzpatrick $4.1 M
Ashley Ehasz first served her country by joining the army at 17, and should she win would be the first woman graduate of West Point in Congress. PA-01 includes Bucks County, as well as some of Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania.
From childcare and working-class wages to abortion access, Americans are worse off than the generation before them and as the pro-choice candidate in this race, she wants to be a part of correcting America’s path toward progress. Central to Ehasz’s economic platform is affordable housing for Pennsylvanians, stronger labor rights for all Americans, and holding corporations and big banks accountable. She understands the need for a livable wage and equal pay. She is also endorsed by Patriotic Millionaires, End Citizens United, and Emily’s List
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Vallejo $920 K / De La Cruz $3.6 M
Michelle Vallejo first ran to defeat Representative Monica de La Cruz in 2022 to represent the Rio Grande Valley, which runs along the west of Hidalgo County. While Cook Report lists the district as Likely R under new redistricting, Senator Cruz would have lost the district by 12 points in his last election. Central to her campaign is her personal connection to economic hardship. With just two percent of Congress coming from a working-class background, voices like Vallejo’s are crucial for a Congress that looks like the people it represents.
Vallejo’s top policy priorities are affordable, high-quality health care, protecting and expanding social security and Medicare, ensuring workers are fairly compensated for their work, and investing in our future by protecting against climate change and providing affordable education options from college to trade school.
Incumbents
Race Rating: Lean D
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Sorensen $2.8 M / McGraw $525 K
Representative Eric Sorensen is a freshman and the only meteorologist in Congress. He has represented Peoria and stretches from Rockford to Bloomington-Normal since 2023. His passions for science and the environment make him an expert on the effects of climate change.
Representative Sorensen is on the House Committee on Agriculture and uses his position to advocate for farmers, to expand markets for agricultural goods, to ensure crops are insured against extreme weather, and to keep America’s farmers in business for generations to come. Sorensen understands that American farmers are the backbone of the economy. He co-sponsored the Flood Resiliency and Land Stewardship Act which sought to expand the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to fight back against flooding and drought problems.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Davis $2.1 M / Buckhout $1.9 M
Freshman Representative Don Davis is seeking a second term on Capitol Hill after 20 years of public service as a State Senator and mayor of Snow Hill. Representative Davis’ district, which begins east of the Research Triangle Park and includes Wilson and Henderson, is the only seat in the North Carolina delegation that is not rated solidly Democratic or Republican after the most recent redistricting.
Representative Davis, representing the district since 2022, is focused on rebuilding the economy to work better for rural Americans, bringing back good-paying jobs, supporting small businesses, and strengthening North Carolina’s agriculture in the face of extreme weather. These priorities are essential to building an economy that works for Eastern North Carolina. This Congress he co-sponsored the critical Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act of 2023.
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Raised: Vasquez $3 M / Herrell $1.8 M
Gabe Vasquez is running for his first re-election bid after flipping the most competitive Democratic seat blue in 2022. He is a first-generation American with a strong progressive record in Congress, where his priority is building up New Mexico’s workers and small businesses, the backbone of the economy. NM-02 covers the southern half of the state including Las Cruces and part of Albuquerque.
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Vasquez is passionate about fighting for a bipartisan farm bill that works for everyone. Competition is increasingly becoming an issue within the farm bill. Therefore, Vasquez wants the farm bill to support more small and medium-sized producers and has pushed for the Farm Bill Modernization Act, which would allow undocumented farm workers to get the support and dignity they deserve.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Landsman $2.1 M / Sonza $267 K
A former public school teacher and non-profit leader, Freshman Congressman Greg Landsman has spent his career fighting for children and families, having successfully led the Preschool Promise which now provides two years of quality preschool for Cincinnati’s three and four-year-olds. OH-01 includes Cincinnati and all of Warren County.
Congressman Landsman believes in the rights of workers to organize for better wages and benefits. He supports strengthening protections for workers seeking to unionize. As a part of the City Council, Landsman successfully fought for wage increases and hazard pay for first responders. Congressman Landsman has sponsored numerous bills to support working-class children including the Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act of 2023, and the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act of 2023.
Race Rating: Toss Up
DCCC Endorsed
Total Amount Raised: Sykes $2.4 M / Coughlin $460 K
Representative Emilia Sykes is a freshman representative who previously served in the Ohio House of Representatives for eight years. She is now running to represent OH-13, which includes the city of Youngstown and areas east of Akron. Throughout her career, she has fought for middle and working-class families. Currently, Sykes sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee where she uses her position to promote economic prosperity for Ohio and for our nation.
As a freshman Congresswoman, Sykes sponsored the Raise the Wage Act to help wages keep up with inflation. She has continued to support efforts to protect democracy with votes on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. Representative Sykes understands the foundational importance of education in our economy. She co-sponsored the EDUCATORS for America Act and the American Teacher Act to provide students, educators, and schools with the resources they need to provide a robust education to all students.
Race Rating: Lean D
Total Raised: Salinas $2.5 M / Erickson $141 K
Congresswoman Salinas currently serves on the House Agriculture and House Science, Space, and Technology Committees, and the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC), where she focuses on leveling the playing field for Oregon farmers and rural communities and bringing good-paying union jobs to the district. OR-06 consists of Polk and Yamhill Counties, as well as portions of Marion, Clackamas, and Washington Counties. It covers Salem as well as the southwestern suburbs of Portland.
Salinas is a strong labor advocate, coming from a union family, and is dedicated to supporting workers on both the labor side and through creating a more fair tax system where the rich pay their fair share. She is a supporter of the PRO Act and is continuing to fight for overtime pay for those currently not eligible under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Raised: Deluzio $2.3 M / Mercuri $681 K
Chris Deuzio is an Iraq War veteran and one of the only voting rights attorneys in the House. He has worked for the Brennan Center for Justice on Voting Rights and Election Security teams. PA-17 includes all of Beaver County and parts of Allegheny County. In 2022 Deluzio won the seat by 6.8 points.
Congressman Deluzio is passionate about protecting and promoting unions as he works to bring jobs back to Western PA. He introduced legislation to protect the rights of striking workers and is a member of the Labor Caucus. Deluzio understands that consolidation of industries has cost us jobs, stifled competition, hurt consumers and small businesses, and left workers with limited buying power.
Honorable Mentions
Race Rating: Solid D
Total Amount Raised: Waters $576 K / Williams $0.00
Hailing from southern Los Angeles, Representative Maxine Waters has become one of the most well-known Democrats in Congress for her relentless persistence during floor debates and committee hearings. Representing this area of Los Angeles since the early 1990s, Congresswoman Waters has cultivated leadership skills in both herself and colleagues to fight for progressive causes.
Representative Waters now serves as the Chair of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, where she initiated countless key hearings on issues ranging from oversight of the financial system to the housing crisis to student loans to the pandemic recovery. Her tenure as committee chair has brought these crucial issues to the forefront of debate and helped secure the passage of critical legislation out of committee including various sanctions on Russia and the committee’s portion of the American Rescue Plan. Representative Waters sponsored the Strengthening Housing Supply Act of 2024 which sought to support the construction of affordable housing via the Community Development Block Grant.
Race Rating: Solid D
Total Raised: Boyle $1.4 M / Bashir No Data Found
Congressman Boyle is the Ranking Member on the House Budget Committee, where he works to ensure the budget expands opportunities for all Americans. If House Democrats win the majority in November, Boyle would become the committee’s Chairman, the youngest to chair any committee on Capitol Hill. PA-02 includes about half of the City of Philadelphia, representing neighborhoods stretching from the Historic District to Northeast Philadelphia. Boyle has represented Pennsylvania in Congress since 2015.
Boyle co-founded the Blue Collar Caucus, which focuses on addressing income inequality, wage stagnation, job insecurity, offshoring, and reduced career opportunities in manufacturing. Boyle worked with the White House to fund reconstruction after the I-95 collapse in his district. Boyle joined Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal to introduce their Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act, establishing a tax on those with over $50 million that would bring in at least $3 trillion in revenue over 10 years.
Race Rating: Solid D
Total Amount Raised: Doggett $719 K / Sharon No Results
Representative Doggett has served in the US House of Representatives since 1995, championing progressive economic issues while representing much of Austin, Travis County, and southern Williamson County. As Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, Rep. Doggett has fought to lower the cost of prescription drugs and to increase access to affordable healthcare.