This month's elections brought some devastating defeats for campaigns and issues we believe in. But they also delivered some valuable wins. Candidates we supported down the ballot won huge victories against incredible odds. Across the country we saw these candidates face tough elections and come out strong. Here’s where we stand after this election, including some of the candidates who won their races and will go on to be outstanding public servants.
Our goals for 2024
In 2024, we outlined several key goals that would inform our work. We endorsed and helped elect bold candidates in critical and often overlooked races where our values were under attack. We worked to motivate key voters and get them out to the polls. We shaped the narrative of this election in key down ballot races through email campaigns, digital ads, and more in key states.
Stats you should know
This election was tough. But tough fights are where PeopleFor thrives. The 55 candidates who we endorsed were in some of the hardest federal, state, and local races around the country. 70% of our targeted federal races were rated “toss up” or favored the GOP. Seventy-one percent of our endorsed candidates were non-incumbents; over a third were first time candidates. On Election Day, over a third of all of our target races were decided within a 2% margin. Twenty-three of our endorsed candidates won.
State and local wins
Despite the challenges, we scored victories in our target states. We helped expand the Supreme Court majority in Michigan. We helped keep the executive branch democratic in North Carolina. And we helped defend the Baltimore mayor’s office from the far right. These wins highlight how important down-ballot races are and why we need to stay vigilant about supporting candidates in state and local elections.
Candidates who stand out
The candidates we supported and who won represent the caliber of elected officials we need:
- Angela Alsobrooks is the first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.
- Joe Sheehan is a former school superintendent who flipped his Wisconsin State House seat to blue by 800 votes.
- Mo Green defeated an opponent backed by Moms for Liberty and flipped North Carolina’s superintendent seat blue.
- Kimberly Thomas expanded the Democrat’s majority on Michigan’s Supreme Court 5-2.
- Sean Teare is a progressive prosecutor who won a tight race for District Attorney in Harris County, Texas – the state’s most populous county.
These are just some of the incredible candidates we endorsed who won their seats and will go on to create change in their local areas.
Our thanks and appreciation go out to all of the candidates -- those that won and those that were not successful. It takes courage, grit, and a commitment to service to take on the challenge of running for public office. We owe you a huge debt of gratitude.
We’re ready for the next election
We’re already making plans for the fight ahead. In key races at the state and local level in 2025 and in the 2026 midterms, we’ll continue endorsing and supporting bold candidates, keeping the momentum we’ve established, and pushing forward to a more progressive future. But we can’t do it without your help. We need you to help us support candidates who will deliver that progressive future to cities, states, and the federal government. Becoming a member of People For the American Way is one of the best ways you can help us fight back against far-right extremism and invest in our electoral comeback.
