I am pleased to announce that Donna Edwards has announced her candidacy for the Senate.

[elleng]

BREAKING NEWS: Just a few hours ago, Congresswoman Donna Edwards -- a long-time Democracy for America member -- officially announced that she will run for Senate in Maryland in 2016 to replace legendary Senator Barbara Mikulski.

Donna sent us a note this morning: "Thank you to all the PCCC and DFA members who urged me to run. You showed me the type of grassroots support I can count on. I'm in! Together, we will make this a people-powered campaign about bold progressive issues."

This is a big victory for all the grassroots leaders, DFA and PCCC members who showed Donna that they were behind her -- and for everyone who wants to see a more courageous, progressive Senate. Can you pitch in $3 to her campaign right now to give her the resources she needs to win?

Donna Edwards will bring with her a powerful record of pushing for populist progressive ideas, like expanding Social Security. When Donna wins, like Elizabeth Warren, she's going to make history in our upper chamber as an unbridled champion for working families in their fight against the corporate elite.

She will also make history as the first African American woman to ever represent the state of Maryland in the Senate, and only the second to be elected to the Senate nationwide. Electing her would be a huge step in the direction of a more diverse Senate that better reflects the people it represents.

Donna Edwards has the potential to be a great progressive leader in the Senate, but she needs to win a tough primary first. Will you chip in $3 to her campaign now to give her the resources she needs to win?

Sen. Mikulski has been well known for her commitment to making the Senate a better place for women. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Mikulski's successor was an unequivocally progressive woman of color who is committed to growing the Democratic bench and mentoring leaders from all walks of life in running for office?

As co-chair of the DCCC's Red to Blue program, Donna has proven she can inspire and train others to follow in her footsteps, run for office, and govern with progressive values. We need that kind of energy and experience in the Senate.

In 1992, Carol Moseley Braun broke the glass ceiling for black women in the Senate -- but to this day, no one has been able to follow in her footsteps. That needs to change in 2016. The current makeup of the Senate doesn't reflect the true breadth and depth of the vibrant Democratic coalition. We need to make sure that together we push forward proven progressive leaders who look like and understand the experiences of all of our voters.

Today, Donna Edwards announced that she is ready to bring her powerful progressive vision for America to the Senate. Let's show her that DFA will have her back from day one: Pitch in $3 to Donna's primary campaign fund today.

Thanks for working with us to make the Senate a more progressive place!

- Annie

Annie Weinberg, Electoral Director
Democracy for America

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/edwards_senate/?refcode=CDE031015AW

The Washington Post reports:

Democrats are bracing for a fractious primary fight for a rare open Senate seat in Maryland, with two members of Congress from neighboring jurisdictions ready to spar over their liberal credentials and records of helping working families.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a veteran lawmaker, scored a high-powered endorsement from Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) after jumping into the race last week, and on Monday, he won the backing of a slew of politicians in Montgomery County, where his congressional district is centered.

But that show of support has not dissuaded Rep. Donna F. Edwards, of Prince George’s County, who announced her candidacy Tuesday morning in a video message that she is e-mailing to supporters. She has already won promises of help from national progressive and women’s groups. . .

The frenzy of interest, all within a week of Mikulski’s declaration that she would retire in 2016, could mean a debate over Democratic principles that is far more energetic than what has emerged so far among possible Democratic presidential hopefuls — a field that is overwhelmingly dominated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/van-hollen-edwards-primary-battle-could-expose-rifts-in-democratic-party/2015/03/09/2073bec4-c67d-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html

So it may be an uphill battle for Edwards.

Looks like Maryland has a great and unique situation, instead of selecting 'the lesser of 2 evils,' we can choose the better of 2 very goods!

[daleanime]

1. Kick....

[rpannier]

2. Donna is much better

Van Hollen supports the Simpson-Bowles plan that would cut social security benefits and Edwards opposes it

[elleng]

3. Let's challenge him on this,

and see what he says.

[rpannier]

4. These are some of the stories on him and the cat food commission

As part of an event with the Wall Street Journal and corporate leaders, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD) -- a leading Democrat and ranking member of the House Budget Committee -- indicated that he thinks cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits should be part of the upcoming deficit negotiations:

On Capitol Hill, it isn't clear how strenuously Democrats will resist cutting entitlements. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) said he and others were open to changes as long as they were done in a measured way and were part of deal that included tax increases. Mr. Van Hollen also said changing Social Security and increasing the Medicare eligibility age above 65 should be part of negotiations.

"I'm willing to consider all of these ideas as part of an overall plan," Mr. Van Hollen said Tuesday at the Journal's CEO Council.

http://boldprogressives.org/2012/11/chris-van-hollen-indicates-hes-open-to-cutting-social-security-and-medicare-tell-him-no/


From 2013:

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today named three House Democratic Members to serve on a conference committee to complete a final FY 2014 budget agreement. She appointed Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn; Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member on the Budget Committee; and Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee.

First, all three of them voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011. In case you forget, that was the legislation that came out of the manufactured crisis of July 2011. It imposed austerity on the country by capping spending levels and paving the way for sequestration cuts. Anyone who has not been living under a rock for the past few years should have known that the Supercommittee created by the BCA would produce no bipartisan deficit reduction plan, so a vote for the BCA was a vote for sequestration cuts.

He also did not sign the Grayson-Takano letter against benefit cuts
He didn't even do like 6 other congressional reps who didn't sign the letter but promised to oppose the chained CPI


And he didn't sign on to the Cancel the Sequester Act HR 782 sponsored by John Conyers

I don't trust someone like that
He comes across as a DC politician who will go along to get along

[elleng]

5. Thanks. Again, he should be challenged on these matters.

We have a true progressive alternative in Donna Edwards, and we should make the most of it imo.

[qwlauren35]

6. I'm Really Excited about Edwards

I won't deny it, I want to see a black woman in the Senate. I don't think I need her to be so progressive that she can't work across the aisle... sometimes. But progressive is good.

I'm in the process of looking for ways to support her other than sending money, which I have little of. If anyone would like to get together to do some grassroots rallying for her, please let me know.

And of course, her website is [link:http://www.donnaedwardsforsenate.com|.

[elleng]

7. Thanks, qwlauren35.

Last edited Wed Apr 1, 2015, 04:31 PM - Edit history (1)

And thanks especially for providing us with her website.

I'm contributing directly to her, as ActBlue takes a 'share,' and messed up a contribution I'd tried to make earlier. DAMN, I just noticed her website uses ActBlue.

I don't have ideas about other ways to help, but they could probably think of things at her website. They provide the option, 'Join the team.'

[qwlauren35]

8. I'm waiting for the Website to get beefed up.

Right now, it's just a video, a sign in and a donate page. No info on her, her views, her positions, her congressional record. I've had to go to other websites to get the info I want. The best one I've been to is http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/65085/donna-edwards#.VRxfjY1OXIU . I really like the wealth of information they offer, and I am thinking of organizing a flyer based on what's on the website.

At any rate, it's only been 3 weeks. I need to be patient!

[elleng]

9. I agree.

I hope they get it going sooner. They did say this, in their 'Thank you' to me: 'We'll be in touch soon with more news as our campaign
grows in the coming months.'

[qwlauren35]

10. By next Wednesday

I got a call from the campaign staff. They are getting an overwhelming number of people who want to volunteer, so they are setting up a registry. The way it will work is that if you sign up, you'll get an e-mail inviting you to volunteer, with a link to the volunteer page. Their hope is to put together activities that are local for people.

The e-mail is in the works, and they said it will be ready in the next few days. So I'll repost the website then once I know it works.

Lauren

[elleng]

11. Very good to hear, qwlauren35.