WASHINGTON – People’s Action announced today their endorsement of governor candidates Cathy Glasson of Iowa, Ben Jealous of Maryland and Chris Giunchigliani of Nevada. All three candidates pledge support for the People’s Action Protest to Power Platform and a bold racial and economic justice agenda.
Earlier, People’s Action also endorsed David Garcia, candidate for governor of Arizona. People’s Action is backing candidates in 2018 for governor, congress, legislature,and municipal offices who will move our country forward and stand for working families.
“These candidates are strong populists who will stand up to corporate power to build an economy that advances racial justice and is owned by all of us, not just the elite,” said Ryan Greenwood, director of Movement Politics for People’s Action. “Our member organizations nationwide are building a movement that relies on people power to defeat concentrated wealth and to elect bold candidates.”
People’s Action has 48 member organizations in 30 states and more than a million people. Our state and community organizations are led by working class people who fighting for economic, climate, racial and gender justice.
This weekend, hundreds of People’s Action members will be knocking on doors in 25 communities nationwide, including in Iowa, Maryland and Nevada, to talk to voters about our values and our candidates.
“In 2017, a people-powered movement kicked off the Resistance by protesting and marching. In 2018, we will electoralize the Resistance by knocking on thousands of doors and talking with voters about the values and issues that really matter. We will move from protest to power,” said Mehrdad Azemun, People’s Action campaigns director.
Progressive Maryland unanimously endorsed Jealous. Both groups are member organizations of People’s Action.
Cathy Glasson
Glasson is an ICU nurse and union organizer running for governor of Iowa. Glasson believes the number one job of governor is to improve the standard of living for the people in her state.
“It’s an honor to receive an endorsement from People’s Action. They are courageous in their fight for social and economic justice across the country,” said Glasson. “People’s Action knows that the way we can improve the lives of more than a million Iowans is by challenging corporate power; by fighting for single payer health care; insisting on a $15 an hour minimum wage, and by putting people and planet first.”
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund endorsed Glasson for governor.
“We’re standing with Cathy Glasson because she stands with us,” said Barb Kalbach, board president of CCI Action Fund. “Glasson isn’t afraid to take bold positions on people-first issues, and she agrees that we need a movement of people taking action on those issues day-in and day-out. Glasson is a true movement candidate.”
Ben Jealous
Jealous is a civil rights leader, educator and past president of the NAACP committed to tackling tough problems facing working families.
“I’m proud to be endorsed by People’s Action and by Progressive Maryland,” said Jealous. “Progressive Maryland a grassroots organization committed to raising the minimum wage to $15, protecting our environment, and expanding opportunity to every Marylander.
“As a lifelong civil rights leader and community organizer, I know that change doesn’t come because of politicians, it comes because working families join together and demand change, the kind of change People’s Action works for by building a national movement of working families,” said Jealous.
Larry Stafford, Jr., executive director of Progressive Maryland call Jealous “a champion of our values.”
As a leader of the NAACP and a long time Maryland leader, we know that he is the best candidate to fight the Trump agenda and build the Maryland that we need,” said Stafford.
Chris Giunchigliani
Giunchigliani has a record of supporting universal health care, clean energy, living wages and good jobs for Nevada. The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) Action Fund, endorsed Giunchigliani.
“Chris G has been a tireless, brilliant, and lifelong champion to create a Nevada that works for everyone, not just the 1 percent donor class that has used Nevada for its own cash register for too long,” said Bob Fulkerson, state director for PLAN Action. “When she is elected, 150 years of male rule ends and a new Nevada begins.”
“I’ve been proud to fight for progressive values my entire career. As governor, I’ll prioritize building an economy that works for everyone, not just the well-connected and privileged few. I’m running to fix our public schools, champion green energy, protect a woman’s right to choose and create more good-paying, family-supporting jobs,” said Giunchigliani
About the candidates:
Cathy Glasson is an ICU nurse and union organizer running for governor of Iowa. Glasson believes the number one job of governor is to improve the standard of living for the people in her state.
She will improve the lives of more than million Iowans with a detailed plan that includes raising the minimum wage to $15 within three years, and index it to inflation: expanding union rights for all employees no matter where they work; pushing for Universal health care coverage for every Iowan.
Ben Jealous is a civil rights leader, community organizer, former investigative journalist and a Rhodes Scholar. He was the youngest president of the NAACP and specializes in building diverse coalitions for change and holding government leaders accountable to the needs of everyday people.
In 2013, Ben was named Marylander of the Year by the Baltimore Sun for his role in leading the effort to abolish the death penalty, helping assure the effort to pass marriage equality was successful, chairing the effort to pass the DREAM Act, and expanding voting rights.
Jealous works for Kapor Capital, an investment firm that invests in companies working to create progressive social change.
Chris Giunchigliani worked as an educator for almost thirty years and is vice chair of the Clark County Commission. Giunchigliani is focused on building an economy that works for everyone and creating an economic environment in which start-ups, small business owners and workers can all succeed.
She’s running for governor to provide equal opportunity for quality education, create more living-wage jobs, to protect our environment with clean energy and promote women’s rights and healthcare for everyone.