Endorsement Strategy

Endorsement Strategy:

1.  Defeat Trump and his enablers:

• Donald Trump must be denied a second term.
• Mitch McConnell and his Senate Republicans must be put in the minority.
• Build upon our diverse gains in the House and defeat House Republicans who attack our communities and promote hatred — Especially those who promote White Nationalism and xenophobia like Paul Gosar or traffic in antisemitism like Kevin McCarthy and Jim Hagedorn.

 2.  Build a vibrant multiracial democracy:

• Support diverse candidates in swing districts — This congress has more people of color & women than any previous congress. Many represent majority white districts that flipped from red to blue in 2018. We will work to support their re-election, as they embody the promise of a country that has the potential to overcome its history of racism and hatred. 
• Supporting progressive champions — Those who take political risks to demonstrate bold leadership in support of immigrants, racial justice, and economic justice are our closest allies in Congress — and we need more leaders like them. 

  3.  Create lasting change: 

• Move the political conversation in a more progressive direction and encourage progressive policymaking by electing candidates that are aligned with our values; and 
• Redefine what motivates Jewish political giving: Equal Rights for All, Equality of Opportunity, a Welcoming America, and a Thriving Multi-Racial Democracy.
  

How we’ll do it:

The PAC will focus on some of the most critical races and states in the country, in places that have implications up and down the ballot, from Presidential battleground states, key House seats to defend or flip, and states that could determine the balance of power in the Senate. Key states of focus include: AZ, CO, FL, GA, KS, ME, MI, MT, NC, PA, WI 

Tactics:

• Raise money for candidates — Having enough resources is one of the key factors in attracting quality candidates to run and win in November. We will work to raise money early in the cycle to be used in the general election.
• Work on our national narrative — Bend the Arc Jewish Action will look for opportunities to have an outsized impact on the national narrative to demonstrate American Jewish opposition to Trump and Republicans. We did that successfully in 2016 with the “We’ve Seen This Before” campaign, including the viral Grandparents video, and in 2018 with our rapid response to the Pittsburgh massacre.
• Mobilize grassroots — In 2018, Bend the Arc’s moral minyans and members across the country helped to take back the House with 31,662 doors knocked, 60,080 calls made, and 285,385 texts sent — including eight races where our efforts were a significant proportion of the margin of victory. In 2020 our grassroots electoral work is coordinating with campaigns and focusing on voter mobilization efforts that people can take from anywhere they live.

Endorsement Criteria:

Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC supports both current Members of Congress and those challenging incumbents for federal office. Candidates are evaluated based on their track record and positions championing issues including voting rights, criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, economic justice, and immigrant justice. We are especially interested in candidates that are willing to take risks to do what is right, that are effective in championing the right policies, and/or whose races are strategic and important in shifting the balance of power in the House or Senate.

Crowded Primaries: 

Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC generally does not engage in primary races. While some primaries are appealing, the risk of getting involved is often more than the reward. Additionally, different parts of Bend the Arc’s base are on different sides of primaries in some cases. This is especially true when the candidates that are competing against one another agree on the issues most important to Bend the Arc. However, there are occasional instances where engaging in a primary is the correct move for the organization.

Involvement in Non-Federal Races:

Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC only supports candidates for federal office and does not get involved in state and local elections.

Endorsement Process: 

Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC is no longer considering new candidates for endorsement as part of the 2020 election cycle and our process is now closed.