Progressive Groups Mobilize to Gain Seats in Congress

In an effort to expand the liberal wing of the Democratic party in Congress, two of the country’s largest progressive political groups announced early 2016 endorsements of left-leaning candidates from Florida and Maryland for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said Monday they are jointly endorsing the three candidates as part of a push to install an “Elizabeth Warren wing” of the Democratic party in Congress. The three endorsements in Florida and Maryland are among the Democrats’ first of the 2016 election cycle.

“These are Democratic-leaning districts where voters want strong representation from the economic-populist Elizabeth Warren wing of American politics—not corporate Democrats,” PCCC co-founders Stephanie Taylor and Adam Green said in a joint statement.

The candidates, Joseline Peña-Melnyk and Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Susannah Randolph of Florida, are staunch progressives and avowed anti-establishment candidates, according to bios circulated by DFA and the PCCC. Randolph says she helped defeat “a bad Democrat who voted against progressive priorities” in Florida and Peña-Melnyk says she “challenged the political king makers.”

Amid disappoint with the Obama years and anger at a Republican-dominated Congress, liberal Democrats have made a concerted push to attract progressive candidates, hosting multi-day training conferences for down-ballot politicians and community leaders to draft candidates who share their brand of liberalism.

Read more: The Left’s Quest to Create Hundreds of Elizabeth Warrens

While the Tea Party swept conservatives into the House of Representatives in 2010, Democrats have yet to see a similar movement. Now, however, progressives are seeking to challenge establishment Democrats in primary races, swing the party to the left and enact policies including debt-free college, Social Security expansion, greater Wall Street regulation and campaign finance reform.

DFA and the PCCC, which each have about 1 million members nationwide, can have an important sway on elections, particularly down-ballot races and Democratic primaries.

They are helping the three candidates—Peña-Melnyk, Raskin and Randolph—fundraise and attract support in their districts, soliciting donations from their members nationwide.

The push for progressive candidates in Congress comes as presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist senator from Vermont, has ridden a wave of liberal discontent and challenged Hillary Clinton in national polls.

“Rebuilding Democratic power in the House isn’t going to be easy or quick,” said DFA executive director Charles Chamberlain in a fundraising letter to members. “But it starts with sending courageous progressive leaders to represent us in Congress.”

Even as progressives push for a bigger voice in the Democratic Party, Democrats are unlikely to regain seats in the House before the next redistricting cycle, as many state district maps favor Republicans.