“At the end of the day, Barbara Lee is the movementcandidate,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese told The Nation’s John Nichols in an exclusive interview about our endorsement.
She’s a lifelong organizer who has been in the trenches with working people from Day 1.
Representative Lee has been ranked the most progressive member of the US House, she’s been one of the most effective progressives in the country, and she has stood for what’s right even when she’s had to stand alone.
Many remember Barbara Lee’s lone vote against the War in Afghanistan, and she has been a constant voice for people, peace, and the planet throughout her life and career.
Barbara Lee comes from the working class and she would be the only black woman in the Senate. Her lived experience fuels her fight for single moms, abortion rights, economic justice, and more.
“When I’m elected I’m going to fight like you all are fighting – with this movement behind me – to expand voting rights, push for ambitious climate change policy, put a cap on corporate monopolies, and finally to pass Medicare for All,” she told us Tuesday.
Rep. Lee was an original cosponsor of Medicare for Alland the first to introduce a single payer healthcare bill in California. She was also one of the first climate champions — working to end taxpayer-funded giveaways to Big Oiland pledging to not take money from the fossil fuels industry. In fact, she’s not taking any corporate PAC money!
Barbara has worked closely with Bernie Sanders for many years — and he needs her as a partner in the Senate. Together, they co-founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus and, just recently, introduced a bill to tax the wealthy.
She was among the first to the Fight for $15 and a Union, joining Bernie and Keith Ellison on the picket lines with workers when no one else would stand with them — and she is still fighting alongside labor in California.