LANGLEY PARK, MD— As election results are called around the country, CASA in Action celebrates the history makers that crossed the finish line and the CASA in Action members and staff that powered forward these victories.
CASA in Action waged the largest political campaign in the organization’s history, with 179,410 total knocks with 179 canvassers across Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. CASA in Action adopted a layered strategy to reach 120,655 unique voters, including 30 million impressions in TV, radio, and digital ads, along with canvassing, mailers, robocalls, texts and events. Months of work led to the following results across four states.
In Maryland, top of ticket endorsed candidates won their respective races including Wes Moore, grandson of Jamaican and Cuban immigrants, will become Maryland’s first ever Black Governor and Aruna Miller, who as a Lieutenant Governor born in India, will be the first immigrant in history to be elected statewide. Also elected statewide was our new Attorney General Anthony Brown, our first Black AG and the son of immigrants from Jamaica and Sweden. Also elected statewide was Brooke Lierman, also the first woman elected statewide in Maryland history. Maryland literally transformed state government this election and we are finally in a place where a Democratic Governor, paired with Democratic supermajorities in the legislature, can deliver bold reforms like CASA in Action top priority healthcare for all regardless of immigration status.
In Virginia, work to turnout Latino voters proved crucial in the race to hold the US House seat in District 7 against MAGA candidate Yesli Vega. Abigail Spanberger, successfully held her seat winning 52% of votes and ballots in Prince William County- a heavily Latino area- proved crucial in ensuring the incumbent’s seat. In CASA in Action’s 8th cycle in Prince William County (Virginia has an election every year), we capitalized on our deep and long-standing relationship with voters to show that a legislator like Abigail Spanberger who fights for Salvadoran TPS holders is the absolute best candidate to represent one of the largest Salvadoran-American communities in the country.
In Pennsylvania, a heavily contested Governor’s race proved victorious for Attorney General Josh Shapiro against Trump endorsed candidate, Doug Mastriano. Black and brown voters flipped the Senate seat for Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman who defeated opponent Mehmet Oz to retain control of the US Senate for the Democrats. Importantly, both Fetterman and Shapiro outperformed Biden in each county where CASA in Action hit the streets. And even CASA in Action endorsed candidate Shamaine Daniels, ultimately unsuccessful, became the first Democrat in recent history to win York County in a congressional run. CASA in Action’s long term commitment to building South Central PA – integrating year-round organizing and voter engagement – is transforming the region in a way that candidates like Shamaine, an immigrant from Venezuela, are on the cusp of winning. Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster, and York Counties are changing.
In Georgia, CASA in Action ran a critical south Atlanta program to re-elect Senator Raphael Warnock in South Fulton, Clayton, and Henry Counties. CASA in Action launched its program after a congressional term in which we built a strong relationship with Senator Warnock on immigration that connected him to directly impacted members in powerful ways resulting in his commitment to top CASA in Action priorities like TPS for Cameroon and Central America. In each of the three counties, Senator Warnock’s performance outpaced President Biden’s 2020 performance. While this election will likely end in a run-off, CASA in Action is excited to build on our existing capacity to add on DeKalb County and finalize the Senate win.
In addition to the grueling daily work of delivering top-notch communications product and field contacts to voters, CASA in Action members were able to host several exciting events across our footprint that brought candidates out to the community. CASA in Action celebrated Hispanic heritage month with Senator Warnock at our East Point office amid traditional dance and fiery speeches and 200+ CASA in Action members closed Hispanic Heritage Month with a rally at our York office with Josh Shapiro and Giselle Fetterman, John’s wife and an immigrant from Brazil who proudly heralds that the second lady of Pennsylvania is a formerly undocumented immigrant. In Virginia, CASA members joined Abigail Spanberger to launch a 100+ volunteer canvass to outreach to Prince William Latino voters and Maryland closed GOTV weekend with a CASA in Action-hosted Immigrant Power Rally featuring candidates-elect Wes Moore, Aruna Miller, Anthony Brown, and Brooke Lierman.
CASA in Action is not a democratic party organ; it IS a fierce community powerbuilding organization. We fought for candidates who will fight for us. With the likely Georgia run-off victory we will close out the win then get to work together creating justice for our members, and Black and brown communities more broadly.
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By mobilizing Black and brown voters, CASA in Action, and its 125,000+ members, play a powerful role in electing progressive change leaders who can produce the justice our members seek. Follow us at www.casainaction.org