DAPAC focuses on electing progressive representatives and senators to Congress by helping train candidates that pledge to support our core values, helping them build strong bases of grassroots support, and crafting compelling progressive messages that resonate with voters in their home districts. We believe that voters will choose progressive candidates when given a clear choice, so we work hard in recruiting and deliberate seriously in endorsing candidates. All of the candidates we endorse sign a pledge to strongly support and uphold our progressive values.
Ultimately, elections are decided by the voters. As a result, we emphasize strategies that maximize Get Out The Vote efforts. Our candidates get access to our database of progressive activists who can help finance congressional campaigns so that candidates can run effective campaigns free from special interests. Moreover, our training program helps the candidates we endorse campaign wisely and successfully from the bottom-up without having to hire expensive campaign consultants. DAPAC fulfills its mission of electing more progressives to Congress by endorsing truly progressive candidates in targeted districts and showing them how to win seats without compromising their values.
DAPAC focuses on every facet of electoral politics. We are involved in every aspect of the campaign, with special attention on building a strong grassroots base, and crafting a compelling progressive message. We don't believe in "one-size-fits-all" solutions. We match our advice and guidance to the candidate's district, not the other way around. It all comes down to getting out the vote, and that's where experience matters most.
We target the most promising Congressional districts in the nation, using the most up-to-date electoral, demographic and census data available.
We recruit, train and advise candidates, covering all campaign techniques from fundraising and messaging, to field operations.
We provide contact information on potential donors to our endorsed candidates to help them fund their campaigns.
We provide hands on guidance, helping candidates to craft their message and to hire the most talented staffers.
We don't compromise on our values, and neither will our candidates. If these are your values, please make a donation to DAPAC today.
Targeted districts
Help us support our endorsed Progressive Democratic Candidates in 2010
The following is a brief description of our endorsed candidates:
SENATE
Joe Sestak for Senate (PA): Six years ago, we helped recruit Joe Sestak to run for Congress. This year, we again endorsed Joe Sestak despite the fact that Washington DC consultants claimed he had no chance to defeat Alen Specter. Thankfully, the voters of Pennsylvania recognized who the real Democrat was in this Senate race and Joe won by a margin of more than 8%! Joe’s website is
www.joesestak.com.
Paul Hodes for Senate (NH): Paul has been a long time supporter of a ban on off shore drilling. In light of the Gulf Oil Disaster, Paul Hodes is the kind of person we need in the Senate! Paul’s website is
www.paulhodesforsenate.com.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Andrea Miller for Congress (VA-4): Andrea is running to improve our health care system and pay for it by ending the Iraq War. Andrea is also focused on increasing employment opportunities for our war veterans. Andreas website is
www.andreamiller.us.
Beth Krom for Congress (CA-48) Orange Countys 48
th Congressional District has never been won by a Democrat. But despite running in a heavily Republican district, Beth Krom has already won races for the Irvine Mayors office and for the City Council.Her secret is representing people and responsible growth over out-of-control wealthy developers. Beth, a former teacher for the disabled, is running against a nutty leader of the Birthers, John Campbell, who claims that Obama should not be President! We predict Beth will win this Fall and we will do everything we can to help her! Beths website is
www.bethkrom.com
Dan Seals for Congress (IL-10): With a huge increase in the number of unemployed workers in his district, Dan is focused on restoring jobs for working families. Dan’s website is
dansealsforcongress.com.
Ed Potosnak for Congress (NJ-7): Ed has been a teacher, a scientist and small business owner. He has pledged to support DAPAC’s progressive values and he is actively focused to helping Main Street families. His website is
www.edpotosnak.com .
John Waltz for Congress (KY-4): John is a Navy veteran who served in the Iraq and Afganistan Wars. John was ordered to New York to protect the city and harbor after the 911 attack. John has developed an organization that helps rebuild hospitals in war zones and has worked to help veterans receive needed health care benefits. Joe Sestak, another Navy veteran, has also endorsed John’s campaign. His website is
www.johnwaltzforcongress.com.
Rolando Banciella for Congress (FL-18): Rolando was born in Cuba and immigrated to the US before his 10
th Birthday. He currently resides in Miami and has worked in banking and real estate. Rolando is focused on methods to strengthen Social Security. He believes we need to provide mortgage relief for real people rather than bailouts for big banks. Rolando supports DAPAC’s values and is the Democratic Party nominee for his South Florida district. His website is
www.banciella.com.
Marleine Bastien (FL-17)
Marleine has been a social worker and an immigrant advocacy leader in the past where she has helped others and supported the community. Bastien is committed to creating a strong public option for health care. Also, she is a supporter of green jobs, tax credits for small business growth, and technology innovation to help revitalize the economy. She is against more tax breaks for the wealthy. She wants more regulation on banks and lending agencies to prevent any more unethical lending practices that have left people in debt and without their homes. Bastien has committed to support DAPAC's values. Her website is www.votebastien.com.
Howard Katz (CA 49)
Howard Katz believes that Democrats stand for the the “We”, where all Americans benefit from policies not just only a select few. He is a strong supporter of progressive values, such as same sex marriage and reproductive rights. Howard's website can be found at http://www.hkatzforcongress.com/ for more information on his campaign.
DAPAC Supports Medicare for All Pledge!
We at DAPAC believe that the so-called “Health Care Reform” bill does not go nearly far enough either in increasing access to health care or controlling costs. We believe that access to health care is a basic inalienable human right. Without this right, there can be no right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” - rights our nation was founded on.
Our current health care system is the Most Expensive and Least Effective health care system in the world. Thousands of people in our country are needlessly killed every year just because they lost their job and lost their health insurance. Thousands more lose their homes and life savings just to pay for a sudden illness.
The only way to expand coverage to everyone and control costs is through universal health care, also known as a Single Payer system – similar to what is offered in Canada and nearly every other civilized country in the world. We are therefore urging all of our candidates – and all progressive Democrats – to take the “Medicare for All” Pledge created by Dr. Quentin Young. Dr. Young has for many years been one of our nation’s foremost advocates for Universal Health Care. We are proud to support his call for true health care reform. The following is a letter we received from Dr. Young describing the Pledge:
June 25, 2010
Dear Mr. Cramer,
As promised, I am sending the Medicare for All Pledge that candidates can endorse. If they do, they are entitled to support from single payer endorsers, and of course, no support if they don’t.
On your website, you say that candidates must support “publicly funded universal health care.” However, anything less than a single payer system is not universal. Therefore it is misleading to endorse candidates who do not support single payer. I propose that candidates endorsed by DAPAC support a single payer national health care system, often referred to as Medicare for All. Below is a health care pledge I have fashioned for your use.
Pledge to Support Medicare for All:
“I support expanding and improving our nation’s popular Medicare program to include all people in America. Our current patchwork of private profit-driven insurance companies will be replaced with a streamlined financing mechanism that will redirect over $400 billion annually that is currently lost to paperwork and administration. These billions would finance health care for all the nation’s 46 million uninsured. Health care is a human right, and health care coverage should be a public good, not a private commodity. “
Regards, Quentin Young, MD
We at DAPAC believe in the Pledge to Support Medicare for All. We have sent a letter to all of our candidates urging them to also take the Pledge. It is time to stop allowing Wall Street to kill people just so greedy corporate executives can make billions in undeserved profits.
Sincerely,
Tom Cramer, Founder of DAPAC.
