We need to win the House and the Senate and we need to win BIG! PPAG is excited to partner with Campaign for Blue, a student run PAC fighting to get progressives elected to Congress.

We caught up with JT Eden, President of Campaign for Blue to learn more about their strategy, the candidates they support, and their upcoming fundraiser with Rep Anna Eshoo

Why did you decide to start Campaign for Blue?

JTE: 2020 is critical to the future of our democracy. We need two houses of Congress that will hold the Executive Branch accountable and pass bold, progressive policies to lift Americans out of the many crises we face today.

Young people are frustrated with what they are seeing from their government and are looking for ways to create change. As a result, we were inspired to start Campaign for Blue for the purpose of organizing young people to elect progressive candidates in close Congressional races. 

Who are you supporting? How did you choose those candidates?

JTE: Jaime Harrison: Jaime Harrison is running against Lindsey Graham in South Carolina. Graham is one of the President’s biggest enablers in the Senate. Jaime Harrison will bring an experienced and progressive voice to the US Senate. 

Katie Porter: Rep. Porter’s tough questioning of Trump Administration officials and business executives made her a standout member of the 2018 freshmen class and we are excited to support her re-election.

Hiral Tipirneni: Dr. Tipirneni is running against one of the most corrupt Republicans in the US House. Her perspective as a practicing physician will be invaluable to the Congress, especially during the ongoing Covid-19 health crisis.

TJ Cox: TJ Cox is an incumbent from California who has done great work fighting for Central Valley workers in Congress. 

Our organization created specific criteria to base our candidate selections on. Our members carefully researched which House and Senate candidates upheld these principles and were in tight races that could be swayed by grassroots support. We feel these candidates represent some of the best of what we have in Congress right now, as well as the best of what Congress could be. 

Why is it important to engage young people?

The United States currently has a low voter turnout rate, and a large part of changing that is encouraging our currently young and future voters to vote. By showing them how important it is to vote now, hopefully we can instill a habit into our young people that they will maintain into adulthood. 

We have been engaging our peers around phone banking, text banking, and fundraising. Due to the current pandemic, all campaigns have moved to an online platform, which has allowed us to join in and support them digitally. 

How can people get involved with Campaign for Blue?

A great way to get involved with Campaign for Blue would be to come to our fundraiser event with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and the Peninsula Progressive Action Group. It will be an engaging and informative opportunity to learn more about our goals and actions. You can also join our group by going to campaignforblue.org/support-us, and follow our social media accounts to keep up to date with what Campaign for Blue is currently doing. Feel free to reach us at campaignforblue@gmail.com.