Take a look at everything our movement has accomplished this year.
Friends -
As 2020 will soon come to a close — and what an incredibly challenging year it has been — we wanted to take a moment to celebrate all that you, Bernie, and our movement have accomplished together this year.
PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO CANDIDATES AND CAUSES
- At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we came together to donate $6 million to organizations and charities working on the frontlines of the health and economic crisis.
- Following the police murder of George Floyd, our movement contributed $2 million to grassroots groups fighting for racial and social justice.
- Supporters like you contributed a total of $3.5 million to 60 candidates in 23 different states, which made a huge difference in down-ballot races across the country.
CAMPAIGNING FOR JOE BIDEN
- In the critical weeks leading up to the election, Bernie attended five in-person events to campaign for Joe Biden in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, and joined five virtual livestream events that were hosted by the Biden campaign.
- Hundreds of thousands of people like you tuned in to watch livestream events, including 28 virtual town halls hosted by Bernie, 16 live events with partners, 15 virtual rallies with working people in battleground states and rural America, and five GOTV rallies. The livestreams and clips of these events have reached more than 25 million views.
- Bernie did two taped video recordings for the Biden campaign, one for an Indigenous Peoples' Day event and another for New Hampshire.
ENDORSING CANDIDATES WHO ARE LEADING OUR MOVEMENT NATIONWIDE
- Bernie endorsed 76 candidates ahead of their primary elections, and 57 won or advanced in their primary in 2020 — a 75 percent win percentage.
- During the general election, Bernie endorsed eight statewide ballot initiatives and more than 200 down-ballot general election candidates. More than 150 of those endorsed candidates won.
- Out of 245 endorsed candidates and initiatives up and down the general election ballot, 162 won or advanced to a runoff — a 66 percent win percentage.
SUPPORTING BALLOT INITIATIVES THAT PUT WORKING PEOPLE FIRST
- In November, many progressive ballot initiatives passed across the country that will help meet the needs of working people.
- To name a few, in Florida voters chose to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Colorado voters passed an initiative to provide 12 weeks of paid family leave. And the people of Arizona voted to increase taxes on those making over $250,000 to increase funding for public education.
ORGANIZING AND GETTING OUT THE VOTE
- Since May, Bernie has attended 68 livestream events with progressive partners and movement leaders.
- Bernie delivered three national addresses on the coronavirus crisis, honoring workers on Labor Day, and saving American democracy.
- Over the summer, we held seven Days of Action to make phone calls, send text messages, and get out the vote in 13 different states ahead of their primary elections.
- Since October, volunteers have sent 4,776,107 peer-to-peer text messages to reach out directly to voters.
- Nearly 1,000 volunteers sent out texts as part of our get-out-the-vote efforts leading up to the November election. A portion of those volunteers had conversations with voters in Spanish.
PUTTING FORTH PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE
- The Make Billionaires Pay Act was a proposal led by Bernie as well as Senators Ed Markey and Kirsten Gillibrand. It would tax the $731 billion in wealth gains that 437 billionaires accumulated between March and August of this year, and the funds would be used to cover all out-of-pocket medical expenses for every person in the U.S. for an entire year.
- Shortly after the start of the pandemic, Bernie joined with Senator Markey and Vice President-elect Harris to introduce legislation that would provide $2,000 monthly payments to working people as long as the coronavirus crisis lasts.
- Over the summer, Bernie led 14 senators in introducing the Masks for All Act — lifesaving legislation to manufacture and distribute high-quality, reusable masks to everyone in America.
- Bernie proposed an amendment to cut the Pentagon budget by 10 percent in order to invest in jobs, healthcare, and education. The amendment gained support from half of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
- Together with Senators Mark Warner, Doug Jones, and Richard Blumenthal, Bernie put forth the Paycheck Security Act to cover wages and benefits for employees of businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted by the coronavirus crisis.
- In April, Bernie helped pass historic relief for working people during the early stages of the pandemic that included an unemployment supplement of $600 and direct payments of $1,200 for individuals and $500 for each child.
- This month, Bernie has led the fight to include direct payments in the latest coronavirus relief package and will continue fighting for $2,000 direct payments for working people.
But now, as we reflect on what we have accomplished together during this past year, the truth is that much more needs to be done.
Bernie is leading the fight in Congress to advance the most progressive agenda this country has seen since the 1930s. But he cannot do it alone — it is going to require all of us.
That is why, as we are quickly approaching the final FEC deadline of the year, we are asking you directly:
Can you contribute $2.70 to show you stand with Bernie ahead of tonight's important FEC fundraising deadline? We are aiming for a lot of donations before it ends.
This has been a year with unprecedented challenges, including the coronavirus crisis, the worst economic collapse in a century, the fight for racial justice and an end to police brutality, the ongoing threat of climate change, and a healthcare crisis where millions of our people are either uninsured or underinsured in the middle of a horrific pandemic.
There is an incredible amount of work ahead of us, but we can get it done if we stand together. Thank you for all you've done — and will do — for our movement.
In solidarity,
Team Bernie