SNAP Notes

Over the next few weeks, we at SNAPPAC will be updating the blog with posts from our fellows. Reporting from  across the nation, they will be reporting on their experiences on the campaign trail. This one is from Amanda Johnson, who is working on the David Segal for Congress campaign in Rhode Island.

On June 22, SNAP had its first win of the season. Elaine Marshall, the current North Carolina Secretary of State, won a run-off election against her challenger Cal Cunningham, a former state senator. The final results, reported by the Associated Press, can be found here, where they show Marshall’s landslide victory of 60%. In Durham county, where the SNAP fellows are located, Marshall beat Cunningham 71% to 29% – a large increase over her eleven-point victory there in the first round.

Over the next few weeks, we at SNAPPAC will be updating the blog with posts from our fellows. Reporting from  across the nation, they will be reporting on their experiences on the campaign trail. The first is from Cody Hooks, who is working on the Elaine Marshall for Senate campaign in North Carolina.

Jim Himes (CT-4)  

Having entered the 2008 congressional race as a long shot, Representative Jim Himes successfully campaigned against and unseated ten-term Republican congressman Christopher Shays in Connecticut’s 4th district and serves as the first Democrat to represent the district in decades. After an impressive first term, Representative Himes will face one of toughest reelections campaigns in 2010.

Born in Lima, Peru, Himes spent his early childhood in Peru and Colombia while his father worked for the nonprofit Ford Foundation and where Himes grew up fluent in English and Spanish. After attending public schools back in the US, Himes entered Harvard College. His academic achievements at Harvard earned him a Rhodes Scholarship, which enabled him to attend Oxford University and further his studies of Latin America.

Himes has a decorated career in public service. After working 12 years at Goldman Sachs and becoming Vice President, Himes left the company in 2003 to help run the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners, where he effectively tackled issues of urban poverty and developed a program to finance the construction of thousands of affordable housing units across New York and the Northeast.

In his freshman term as congressman, Himes has proven to be a progressive leader. Working on the Committee on Financial Services, Himes helped author and pass the House bill on financial regulation and Wall Street reform, which will safeguard the nation’s economy and American families from future abuses and crises. Himes, a strong supporter of healthcare reform, believes that all American are entitled to high-quality healthcare and voted to pass the healthcare reform bill which was later signed into law.

Recognizing the importance of a world-class public education system, Himes is a strong advocate for education reform and plans to fix the No Child Left Behind Act so that struggling schools will be given support rather than punishment. In closing the achievement gap, Himes will push an effort to examine and identify the best practices of successful urban schools and scale these methods across other districts. In expanding access to higher education, he proposes generous higher education tax credits and programs which would guide lower-income students through the college application process.

Tom Perriello (VA-5)

Pulling off one of the most impressive electoral upsets in 2008, Tom Perriello unseated six-term, Republican Congressman Virgil Goode. In his short time in Congress, Perriello has worked tirelessly in support of clean energy to rejuvenate the US economy and to protect the interests of middle and working-class families. In 2010, Representative Perriello will be facing one of the most hotly contested, frontline races in his bid for reelection.

After earning his undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University, Perriello worked for the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Sierra Leone where he helped prosecute warlords and spurred the peace process which led to the end the blood diamonds conflict in the nation. The Congressman has also served as a national security consultant, working in areas such as Afghanistan, Darfur, and Kosovo, and he helped indict and peacefully removed from power Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, who was responsible for numerous atrocities in his country.

Over the course of his career, Perriello has also established several organizations which bring together religious communities in advocating for social causes, such as Faithful America and Catholics for the Common Good, and co-founded the online international community, Avaaz.org, which promotes civic activism on issues such as poverty, climate change, and human rights.

In his first term, Representative Perriello has proven to be a leader in the progressive movement. A fierce advocate for the needs of middle and working-class families, Perriello helped pass the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which included a major middle-class tax cut and made significant investments in public schools, infrastructure, and local communities.

In addition, Perriello has been a champion for education and has fought to make higher education more accessible and affordable for families. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included his proposal to offer a $2,500 tax credit for college and community college education for students.

Moreover, Representative Perriello recognizes the potential for clean-energy to sustainably revitalize the nation’s economy and has made great efforts to ensure that the US becomes a leader in green technology. Perriello voted for the 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act, which has helped create green-collar jobs, made significant investments in energy technology and research, and reduced global warming pollution.

Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)

After narrowly losing one of the most contested congressional elections in 2006, Mary Jo Kilroy earned the House seat in 2008, making her the first Democrat to represent Ohio’s fifteenth district in 42 years. The progressive leader faces a tough reelection race in 2010.

The daughter of a pipfitter, Kilroy grew up in a working class family in Cleveland, Ohio. She worked several jobs to pay her way through college, and eventually earned her undergraduate degree from Cleveland State University and her law degree from Ohio State University.

Before entering Congress, Kilroy already had nearly two decades of experience in public service. After working as partner at a private practice law firm with her husband, Kilroy was elected to Columbus School Board, where she would eventually serve as Vice-President. In 2000, she was elected as Franklin County Commissioner where she was responsible for the Franklin County government $1.3 billion budget, and her success in the position led her to be reelected in 2004.

In Congress, Kilroy has been a staunch advocate for the needs of middle and working-class families. She supported the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which saved 2.4 million jobs and made major investments in education, technology, and infrastructure. In extending access to higher education to all families, she supported the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which greatly increased funding for grants and low-cost loans for students.
Kilroy is also a strong supporter of environmental issues and clean energy, having helped pass the 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act which investment billions into green technologies and helped spur the creation of new, green collar jobs. In light of the recent BP oil spill off the Gulf Coast, Kilroy has pushed legislation to ensure BP is held responsible for the damages and requires them to payback the American taxpayer for all clean up costs and damages.

Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2)

Long-time New Hampshire community activist, attorney, and progressive public policy advocate Ann McLane Kuster has aggressively campaigned for the congressional seat in New Hampshire’s second district.

Born and raised in Concord, NH, Kuster graduated Dartmouth College with a degree in Environmental Policy and earned her law degree from Georgetown University. Working as a partner in her Concord law firm, Kuster is the Director of her firm’s Education and Non-Profit Law Practice Group, where she specializes in education, non-profit, and healthcare policy.

Serving as a legislative advocate, Kuster helped pass legislation which created the UNIQUE 529 College Savings Program, which helps New Hampshire families save for college, and successfully worked with healthcare providers to create the Medication Bridge Program, which distributes free medication to New Hampshire families who cannot afford prescription drugs.

Kuster is a fierce advocate for many progressive issues, including civil rights and environmental issues. Kuster is pro-choice and has publicly spoken out against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the healthcare bill. She opposes the Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and she wants to repeal these federal policies. Kuster is also an advocate for clean energy technology and environmental protections and pledges to push forward legislation promoting these issues.

In encouraging job growth and protecting small businesses, Kuster plans to remove tax loopholes and tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans and to offer tax relief for middle and working-class families who need the support. Moreover, she believes that expanding access to higher education for all American families, improving infrastructure, and increasing broadband coverage will protect long-term American job growth. To help small business, Kuster would like to extend more low-cost loans to small business owners and work to decrease the startup costs for companies.

Elaine Marshall (NC-Senate)

After being elected as North Carolina Secretary of State in 1996 and becoming the first woman to enter executive office in North Carolina history, Elaine Marshall has established a reputation in the state as a fighter for small businesses and middle and working-class families. She has entered the race in North Carolina to unseat Senator Richard Burr and to continue her fight against special interest groups.

The daughter of a farmer and a church organist, Marshall grew up in a working class family. After receiving her bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland and working as a public school teacher and a small business owner, Marshall received her law degree from Campbell University and quickly became a partner at her North Carolina law firm.

Marshall has decades of experience serving in public office. In 1992, she was elected into North Carolina State Senate, and in 1996, she entered as a long shot candidate against NASCAR driver Richard Petty in the race to become North Carolina’s Secretary of State, which she won.

As North Carolina’s Secretary of State, Marshall has fought to protect consumers and investors from financial scams, made extensive efforts to cut costs for small businesses, and helped spur job creation in her state. In the past year and a half, her efforts to fight financial has help recover over $340 million from Wall Street banks for North Carolina investors.

Marshall has been a vocal critic of Senator Burr, whom she claims values the demands of special interest groups over the needs of the American people and who in recent weeks has voted against the Wall Street reform bill which would demand greater accountability from investment firms.

Marshall is a strong, progressive reformer with an extensive set of proposals to push forward America. On Wall Street, Marshall proposes a financial transactions fee on stock transactions to discourage banks from driving up speculation and generating revenue to fund economic recovery efforts. She wants to push forward greater investments in clean energy technology and education to jumpstart the economy and protect long run growth. Marshall is also a strong advocate for civil rights and equality and supports repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act.

Roxanne Conlin (IA-Senate)

Having overcome difficult circumstances in her life to become a strong defender for the public interest, Roxanne Conlin has entered the Iowa Senate race to unseat long time Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley to bring a progressive voice for Iowa to Washington.

Growing up in Iowa in a family living paycheck to paycheck, Conlin, the oldest of six children, worked as a waitress to support her family. At 16, Conlin entered Drake University and worked multiple jobs to pay for her tuition, and by 21, had earned both her bachelor’s and law degree.

Conlin’s decorated career as an attorney has been distinguished with public service and advocacy for the underrepresented. As an Assistant Attorney General for Iowa, Conlin fought corruption and fought race and sex discrimination. In 1977, Conlin was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to be one of the first female United States Attorneys, and in that role she fought organized crime and corruption and prosecuted white collar criminals.

For nearly three decades, Conlin’s private practice,Roxanne Conlin & Associates, has dedicated its efforts to representing individuals who do not have a voice, defending small business owners and victims of discrimination and negligence.

Conlin recognizes that Washington needs strong leadership to push the country forward. Conlin cites Senator Grassley’s previous efforts to deregulate Wall Street as an example of reckless policymaking which left the American economy unprotected and led to financial failure for the average American family. Conlin is a strong supporter of comprehensive Wall Street regulations and increased accountability, as well as extensive measures to promote job growth, such as investment in clean energy and green technologies.

To ensure every child receives a world-class education, Conlin pledges to increase funding for quality public schools and to create incentives for talented, young professionals to become high school teachers. She also plans to expand affordability and access to higher education through specific measures such as increasing the American Opportunity tax credit which has helped many families send their children to college.

David Segal (RI-1)

Having entered politics eight years ago as an activist in his local community, David Segal has risen to become a progressive leader in Rhode Island and is running for Congress because he recognizes the need to find innovative solutions to fix the problems facing American families.

A graduate of Columbia University, Segal has worked as a freelance journalist whose work concerning tax policy, immigration, and other issues has been published in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and several online publications, includingThe Huffington Post.

After his experience advocating for a living wage ordinance in Providence, RI, Segal was elected to Providence City Council in 2002, and as councilor he passed legislation supporting affordable housing and promoting social justice. In 2006, Segal was elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives, where he fought to protect funding for schools and municipalities and passed legislation to create clean energy jobs, promote LGBT rights, and increase affordable housing. He also made great efforts to prevent predatory lending in Rhode Island.

Working with grassroots coalitions, Segal is an ardent supporter of many progressive issues. As shown through his support for a living wage, Segal is a strong advocate for workers’ rights, and in his state of Rhode Island he has worked on the ground and helped local workers in their labor disputes. He also recognizes the vital need to reform the banking industry and pledges to ensure more transparency and accountability from banks to prevent future abuses from these companies.

Segal has great insight into the issues in public education and realizes that comprehensive solutions must include more equitable school funding and progressive taxation policies. Segal is also a strong advocate for LGBT rights and supports equal rights for same-sex partners.

SNAP will be hosting our first Philadelphia fundraiser of this cycle on May 4th, 2010 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the home of Susan Saxe and Moon Smith located at 512 W. Allens Lane in Philadelphia, PA 19119. Please help us in our efforts to support progressive leaders today while training the progressive leaders of tomorrow. RSVP by contacting zoe.greenberg@yale.edu.

In 2008 Jim Himes (D-CT-4) successfully challenged his Republican predecessor — the last Republican representative in New England — and became the first Democrat to represent his district in nearly four decades.

While in office, Representative Himes has been a champion of progressive causes. When big telecommunications corporations attempted to prevent the passage of the The Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009, which would ensure Net Neutrality, Rep. Himes was a strong voice in favor of it. He has also worked to reduce the digital divide and bring the benefits that high-speed internet provides to less privileged areas of America.

In addition, he supports full marriage equality, the inclusive version of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect transgendered Americans as well as gay and lesbian Americans from workplace discrimination, and ending the unfair policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

Lastly, Rep. Himes has worked to increase the accessibility of higher education and the affordability of healthcare by supporting the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, which included an expansion of the Pell Grant awards, among other things.

Last month, Students for a New American Politics (SNAP), a student-run political action committee, held two successful fundraisers — one in New York City and one in New Canaan.

The New York City fundraiser was held by The Nation for the benefit of SNAP at its offices. The magazine and SNAP have had close relations since 2006, when Katrina vanden Heuvel, the publisher of The Nation, discovered the group while visiting Yale University. During the fundraiser, an alumna of SNAP’s summer fellowship program, Aja Worthy-Davis, now a legislative analyst for a member of the New York City Council, spoke about how SNAP’s program provided her with invaluable training and experience. After, SNAP Executive Director and Yale student Rhiannon Bronstein spoke about SNAP’s mission, and Katrina vanden Heuvel urged attendees to donate generously. Shortly after the fundraiser, The Nation ran an article encouraging its readers to donate as well.

Just over a week later, SNAP held a fundraiser in New Canaan at the home of a supporter, featuring prominent Connecticut politicians, including Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) and former Democratic Senate candidate Ned Lamont.

If you would like to donate to SNAP, you can sponsor a SNAP fellow for a week by donating $250 to the cause. You can also follow SNAP on Twitter and become a fan of our Facebook page!

This Wednesday, February 24, between 6PM and 8PM, The Nation and Katrina vanden Heuvel (the publisher of The Nation) are holding a fundraiser in support of Students for a New American Politics (SNAP). The event will be taking place at The Nation’s office in New York City: 33 Irving Place.

SNAP is a political action committee that is dedicated to engaging America’s youth in electing progressive leaders today, and to training the progressive leaders of tomorrow. The lessons we’ve learned since President Obama’s inauguration have taught us the necessity of having a firm majority of progressives in both houses of Congress — it is not enough to have a majority of Democrats.

Furthermore, the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court — the decision in which a small majority of the Court ignored precedent to allow unlimited contributions by corporations directly to political candidates for office — has underscored the need for an active, vibrant and well-funded progressive grassroots movement. Without such a movement, we will be unable to combat the influences of multinational corporations whose primary motivations are profit, not what is best for the American people.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Rhiannon Bronstein by e-mail (rhiannon.bronstein@snappac.org) or by phone (206-778-6404).

SNAP is still reeling from the success of our first fundraiser of the 2010 cycle. We are excited that our mission and our message are continuing to resonate with progressives across the country. Even in the wake of recent setbacks in Massachusetts, we are all heartened to find that progressives’ resolve has only been strengthened.

SNAP would like to thank Linda Seamonson and Jeffrey Mayersohn for hosting the event and all of the members of the host committee for all of their efforts. SNAP is continuing to accept applications for the fellowship program and is excited to begin our endorsement process next month. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Students for a New American Politics (SNAP) is proud to announce that it is now accepting applications for its 2010 Summer Fellowship Program from now until March 31, 2010. In every major election since 2006, SNAP has sent participants in its fellowship program to help campaigns for progressive candidates throughout the United States. In total, SNAP has sent forty students to help with the campaigns of over twenty endorsed candidates.

One student, who worked for the 2008 Al Franken (D-MN) campaign said of the program that “I was given real responsibilities from which I learned valuable skills,” and noted that she worked “directly underneath the Political Director” who asked her to take on a project of her own to help the campaign. Another student worked for the Tom Geoghegan (D-IL-5) campaign as a field organizer where, she said, she “gained invaluable experience” working as a full-time staff member for the campaign.

SNAP encourages all students interested in politics and campaigning to submit their applications for the fellowship program, where they will learn skills valuable campaign skills and meet like-minded individuals from across the country, all while doing their part to make a difference.

You can find the application here.