Update 633 — 2022 Congressional Endorsements
Primary Winners in AZ, FL, MD, MI, NY, WA, WI
Over the summer, shifting tides have lifted congressional Democratic midterm prospects across the board. Landmark legislative accomplishments, inflation slowing, and outrage from overturning Roe v. Wade have all contributed. Add strong Democratic candidates with great fundraising numbers and you can see the makings of a historic upset. Some of these candidates are featured in today’s update, 20/20 Vision’s endorsements for candidates who won their primaries in July and August.
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. First batch and second batch endorsements are posted in 20/20 Vision’s archive.
Good weekends all,
Dana
U.S. Senate
Mark Kelly – Arizona
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Amount Raised*: Kelly $54.1M / Masters $4.9M
Naval veteran and retired astronaut Mark Kelly’s victory in the 2020 special election marked the first time since the 1950’s that Arizona had two Democratic Senators simultaneously. Now, the frontline Democrat is running for his first full term in a race key to holding the Senate majority.
In 2013, Kelly co-founded GIFFORDS, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence, with his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. In Congress, Senator Kelly has worked tirelessly to deliver for his constituents, championing last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as investments in domestic chip manufacturing. Kelly has also advocated for greater transparency from members of Congress and introduced legislation to ban stock trading by members.
Mandela Barnes — Wisconsin
Race Rating: Toss Up
Total Amount Raised*: Barnes $7M / Johnson $17.7M
Serving as Wisconsin’s 45th Lieutenant Governor, Mandela Barnes is entering the midterm election as the Democratic nominee after his top primary challengers dropped out to endorse his candidacy. Before assuming the role of Lieutenant Governor in 2018, Barnes represented Wisconsin’s 11th Assembly district from 2013 to 2017. Through exceptional grassroots momentum and steady poll growth, Barnes continues to prove he is the best person to flip this Senate seat from red to blue and plans to outcompete two-term Republican incumbent Ron Johnson this November.
Lt. Gov. Barnes has fought for various policies regarding community reinvestment and has led the charge for various bipartisan reforms when it comes to defending democracy. He has long been a champion of rebuilding the working class and has publicly prioritized policies that provide immediate relief to people throughout his home state, including but not limited to middle-class tax cuts.
U.S. House of Representatives
Hillary Scholten — MI-03
Race Rating: Lean Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Scholten $1.2M / Gibbs $479K
A Grand Rapids native and former DOJ lawyer, Hillary Scholten is running to flip Michigan’s 3rd Congressional district. After running for the seat against Peter Meijer in 2020, Scholten is facing better odds with the district becoming bluer after redistricting and Trump-endorsed John Gibbs winning the GOP primary over Meijer.
Scholten’s work with her church and faith-based charities drives her passion to fight inequality and make the economy better for working families. Her experience as an immigration attorney leads her to see immigration as an economic opportunity issue. Scholten’s innovative thinking and commitment to her community will make her a great leader in Congress.
Bridget Fleming — NY-01
Race Rating: Lean Republican
Total Amount Raised*: Fleming $1.4M / LaLota $484K
Bridget Fleming has spent her career standing up for Long Island families. As a Suffolk County Legislator, Fleming has championed public health, responsible economic development, and tax relief, serving as Chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee. Before serving on the Southampton Town Board, Fleming worked for almost a decade as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to protect victims of sex crimes and eliminate fraud in public programs.
Her Republican opponent, Nicholas LaLota, served in the U.S. Navy and is currently the Chief of Staff to the Suffolk County Legislature. In this seat like many other seats, Roe will be on the ballot. Fleming is in favor of codifying Roe while LaLota stands with those who want to ban abortions. A similar stretch of Suffolk County as the current 1st District voted to elect Biden over Trump in 2020 by a narrow 0.2 percent margin.
Maxwell Alejandro Frost — FL-10
Race Rating: Safe Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Frost $1.5M / Wimbish $129K
A progressive organizer turned politician, Maxwell Alejandro Frost is on his way to becoming the first Gen Z member of Congress. After muscling his way through a large primary field, Frost is well positioned to secure a seat in Congress representing the Orlando suburbs, a solidly Democratic area.
Before running for Congress, Frost organized for abortion rights, voting rights, and against gun violence. His efforts helped secure gun violence prevention legislation, five billion dollars in funding for community-based violence prevention programs, and the restoration of voting rights for 1.6 million Floridians who previously had felony convictions. Frost broke through the primary field with a progressive platform focusing on Medicare for All, ending gun violence, pandemic preparedness, climate change, reimagining the justice system, housing, and transit. Frost’s holistic approach to policy paired with his exuberant passion for justice will be a signal addition to Congress.
Honorable Mentions
Chris Van Hollen — Maryland
Race Rating: Safe Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Van Hollen $8.1M / Chaffee N/A
Senator Chris Van Hollen is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate to represent the state of Maryland. Van Hollen, who replaced retired Sen. Barbara Mikulski in 2017, will face Republican Chris Chaffee this fall. The state of Maryland has held a Democratic Senator for the last 35 years and Van Hollen is widely expected to keep pace with the trend.
Sen. Van Hollen’s top priorities range from creating more jobs to increasing educational opportunities for all age groups across the state of Maryland. As a member of the Banking Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Van Hollen has emerged as an important leader on economic policy. He has been coined as a tenacious advocate for working people and has led a number of momentous efforts to return money to the diverse communities he represents.
Jamie Raskin — MD-08
Race Rating: Safe Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Raskin $3.4M / Coll $7K
Representing Maryland’s suburbs around DC, Rep. Jamie Raskin has proven himself a leader on democracy. From his position as Chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to his role on the Select Committee on the January 6th attack, Raskin has fought for a government that represents and is accountable to the people. His membership on the Judiciary, Administration, and Rules Committees also exemplifies his prioritization of this mission.
First elected in 2016, Raskin’s background as a state senator and constitutional law professor informs his innovative thinking on how to better our republic. Rep. Raskin is a critical strategic mind with a bright future in Congress, already a House champion for voting rights and government reform.
Pramila Jayapal — WA-07
Race Rating: Safe Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Jayapal $2.2M / Moon N/A
As Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal has been a champion for a range of progressive issues, including universal healthcare, climate action, and abortion rights. A long-time advocate for civil and human rights, Jayapal’s commitment to equality has led her to take on the Trump administration’s child separation policies and work to create a fairer, more humane immigration system. Jayapal has been a leader on economic issues through her service as a member of the Select Committee for Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, as well as the House Budget and Education and Labor Committees, where she consistently fights for a $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All, and affordable housing.
Jayapal is seeking her fourth term in Congress. Her district is located in Seattle and its surrounding suburbs. As a tireless advocate in the fight against economic inequality, her voice remains a key component of the progressive movement.
Mark Pocan
Race Rating: Likely Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Pocan $771K / Olsen $12K
Representing Wisconsin’s state capital, Madison, and its surrounding suburbs, Pocan has been a fearless progressive leader for working- and middle-class families. The blue district is bound to re-elect Pocan this fall, for good reason. His consistent leadership on healthcare, manufacturing, and LGBTQ+ equality has helped push forward policies that are always in need of deep-rooted support.
Previously serving as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Pocan graciously stepped back from the position in order to allow the caucus to restructure under a more dedicated framework of power. However, Pocan has remained one of the most impassioned voices in the appropriations process and on the Education and Labor Committee. His role as the Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus has made him a critical player in the fight to codify same-sex marriage during the latter part of this Congress.
Hakeem Jeffries — NY-08
Race Rating: Safe Democratic
Total Amount Raised*: Jeffries $4.7M/ Dashevsky $20K
Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus and possible successor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is running for reelection in a district that stretches across southern and central Brooklyn. As the House Democrat’s fifth-highest ranking member, Rep. Jeffries helped deliver a string of legislative victories for Democrats such as the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. His leadership abilities used to galvanize the House Democratic caucus bode well for his potential Speaker nomination.
Jeffries was among the most vocal critics of the New York Court of Appeals throwing out maps drawn by the state legislature and of the initial map offered by the special master. With a D+26 rating, Jeffries is expected to win by a landslide against Republican candidate Yuri Dashevsky, a public relations consultant and interpreter.
*Total campaign receipts according to most recent FEC filings