Here are our Fall priorities:

Help Maintain a Democratic Majority in the U.S. House

There are 3 national progressive 2022 priorities: 1) keep the Democratic Senate majority, 2) win state and local elections that are crucial for a fair 2024 presidential vote count, and 3) hold the Democratic House. While California can only contribute money, people power and our successful models in the first two areas, California has an immense opportunity and responsibility to more than ever contribute to a Democratic Congressional majority. And, for the third time in a decade, we will fulfill our responsibility to protect the Republic.

Our analysis points to at least 6 contestable seats concentrated in the Central Valley, Orange County, the Inland Empire, San Diego and Los Angeles. Our grantees are poised to make a  difference in these areas, as they have been for the last decade. They include:

• Central Valley (CA-13: Gray, CA-22: Salas), where CNC Action Fund leads the biggest year-round voter engagement program.
• Orange County (CA-40: Mahmood, CA-45: Chen) where OC Action leads the community-labor voter engagement work.
• Inland Empire (CA-41: Rollins) where Inland Empire United leads the biggest year-round voter engagement program.
• San Diego (CA-49: Levin) where Alliance San Diego Mobilization Fund and Engage San Diego Action Fund lead voter engagement in the region.

Critically, our partners have a $1.75M hard money budget gap to support their efforts to hold the House in 2022. Join CDT and our co-hosts on August 31 at 2pm Pacific (register here) to learn more about the community-based efforts in these important races.

Elect Karen Bass as LA Mayor against anti-choice Rick Caruso

CDT endorsed Karen Bass for LA mayor this Spring and has been working with Communities United for Bass for LA Mayor 2022, the community and labor independent expenditure campaign, to ensure that Bass becomes the next mayor of Los Angeles. Rick Caruso, her opponent in the general election, is a life-long anti-choice Republican billionaire. He spent over $40M in the primary alone and is expected to spend upwards of $100M for the general election. We must do all we can to ensure that one of the nation’s largest cities is not run by someone opposed to the right of child-bearing people to control their bodies. Cities like LA have to be the local vanguards for the country, and safe havens for millions of people. The IE has no contribution limits and is looking to raise $18M to keep Bass competitive with Caruso’s fortune. We can maximize our impact and spending on Karen’s behalf through the IE. Please give what you can, and share this with anyone you think might help in our efforts.

Elect Pamela Price for Alameda County District Attorney

Proven progressive Pamela Price came in first place in the Alameda DA race this Spring and moved onto the general election. The CDT-funded the only independent expenditure campaign supporting her this Spring, and we continue to support the IE for Price in the general. Our goal is $150,000 to ensure she wins.

Build Progressive Power in Sacramento 

The only way we can pass more progressive policies in Sacramento is by electing more progressive champions. CDT with our partner Voices for Progress has endorsed Tina McKinnor in AD 61, Lola Smallwood Cuevas in SD 28, Aisha Wahab (SD-10) and Dave Jones (SD-8), in the June primary and they have each moved onto the general election. We believe they are the candidates in each race that most reflect the people and the values of our state. We supported independent expenditure efforts in several of these races and will continue to do so for the general election. As a reminder CDT asks our members first to max out their contributions to the candidates and then to contribute additional capacity to the IEs as needed.

The Building the California Dream Alliance is the state progressive advocacy table, and its current legislative priorities are here. That includes AB 2223, which will codify the California Future of Abortion Council’s recommendations to ban California from investigating, prosecuting, or incarcerating individuals for ending a pregnancy or experiencing pregnancy loss. AB 2223 is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee upon the legislature reconvening. We need your support to meet the $300,000 budget gap for the Dream Alliance at this crucial time.

We will soon be raising funds to strengthen the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, as more CDT-backed candidates join CDT Assemblymember allies Caucus Chair Ash Kalra, Alex Lee and Tina McKinnor in Sacramento as members.

Strengthen Progressive Infrastructure Statewide

One of the pillars of CDT’s mission is to resource the infrastructure necessary for communities of color to build power across California. We continue to raise funds to provide core operating support for regional power building organizations in San Diego, Orange County, Inland Empire, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, statewide organizations like CA Working Families Party, Courage California, progressive governance groups like Local Progress, Center for Policy Initiatives, Liberation in a Generation, narrative groups like the LA Communications hub, candidate development organizations like Close the Gap, and other crucial component of California’s growing progressive ecosystem. We are working to raise $2 million for these groups.