Rep. Lee, Seven Other Frontliners Endorse Rep. Abigail Spanberger for New Battleground Representative Position in Democratic Leadership
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Rep. Susie Lee's proposal to add a Battleground Leadership Representative to Democratic Leadership passed out of the Democratic Caucus and was adopted into Democratic Caucus Rules for the 118th Congress. Subsequently, Rep. Lee and seven other Members of Congress who represent battleground districts endorsed Rep. Abigail Spanberger for the position of Battleground Leadership Representative.
"To make the intent of this new position a reality, we need a Representative who will unashamedly be the voice of Battlegrounders in the rooms where our agenda is steered and the conversations where strategic decisions are made," the lawmakers wrote. "We also need a Representative who understands that elections are won not by the letter next to your name but by working to understand the needs of our communities and make our message, a Democratic message, accessible to voters who may have never voted for a Democrat before. Finally, we need a Representative who can work collaboratively across the Caucus to build coalitions that advance democratic policies while ensuring we can be competitive – and win – in battleground seats across the country."
"In our opinion, the candidate who best meets these qualifications is Abigail Spanberger. Like many of us, Abigail was elected by a district which had not sent a Democrat to Congress for several decades. Abigail won in a tough environment not by following a cut-and-paste Democratic blueprint, but by reinvesting in communities that had not heard from members of our party or experienced effective representation for years," the lawmakers continued.
Reps. Lee (NV-03), Slotkin (MI-08), Sherrill (NJ-11), Schrier (WA-08), Golden (ME-02), Wexton (VA-10), Kuster (NH-02), and Gottheimer (NJ-05) signed onto the letter endorsing Rep. Spanberger for the Battleground Leadership Representative position.
You can find the full text of the letter here and copied below.
Dear Colleague,
Yesterday, our Caucus voted to pass Rep. Susie Lee's Caucus rules amendment to create a Battleground Leadership Representative position among our Democratic Caucus leadership. With this vote, we have taken a critical, strategic step to strengthen our Caucus's competitiveness, and best position Democrats to win, cycle after cycle, in the toughest races across the country. The Battleground Leadership Representative will soon be elected by Battleground Members, when a quorum of their membership is present and voting.
To fill this position, we firmly believe we need to elect a Representative who is unafraid to share their first-hand, unfiltered perspective, even when it means voicing an opinion that is unpopular with others around the Caucus leadership table. Our diversity of experience is our strength, and our Caucus is stronger when that diversity shines through in the rooms and conversations where it matters. To make the intent of this new position a reality, we need a Representative who will unashamedly be the voice of Battlegrounders in the rooms where our agenda is steered and the conversations where strategic decisions are made. We also need a Representative who understands that elections are won not by the letter next to your name but by working to understand the needs of our communities and make our message, a Democratic message, accessible to voters who may have never voted for a Democrat before. Finally, we need a Representative who can work collaboratively across the Caucus to build coalitions that advance democratic policies while ensuring we can be competitive – and win – in battleground seats across the country.
In our opinion, the candidate who best meets these qualifications is Abigail Spanberger. Like many of us, Abigail was elected by a district which had not sent a Democrat to Congress for several decades. Abigail won in a tough environment not by following a cut-and-paste Democratic blueprint, but by reinvesting in communities that had not heard from members of our party or experienced effective representation for years. Since then, Abigail has twice won reelection in some of the most competitive and expensive races nationally by building a brand of commonsense representation, responsiveness to local issues through targeted federal policy, and a belief that our constituents deserve a Congress and federal government that works for them, not for special interests or to line their own pockets.
In Congress, Abigail has never been shy about voicing concerns, sharing perspectives from on the ground, and suggesting strategy or messaging improvements to Caucus Leadership to ensure we are in the best position to help our constituents, advance effective policies, and compete in the most competitive districts across the country. Abigail has repeatedly shown she is willing to work with anyone – from the most progressive members of our caucus to members of the Freedom Caucus – to deliver good policy for our communities. We believe Abigail would bring that same relentless energy and outcomes-obsessed drive to Caucus Leadership discussions, with her eye set firmly toward building winning coalitions, delivering for our communities, and winning in tough races.
We know that what we see on the ground in Battleground districts represents not an outlier but instead a harbinger of what is to come for future election cycles and messaging nationwide. The future of our Caucus depends on ensuring that those responsible for winning, defending, and expanding our majority each cycle have an advocate who consistently provides Caucus Leadership with perspectives informed by the challenges and realities each of us face in our districts. Abigail is that advocate.
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