My friend, Chris Owens, is running for Congress. Chris is locked in a very hotly contested primary election for Congress in the NY-11 district, and this race is the epitome of the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. Chris is the solid progressive with the support of practically every progressive organization from Democracy for NYC and Impeach PAC to Planned Parenthood PAC and the Sierra Club.
Well Monday, August 28th, Jim Dean, head of Democracy for America, is coming to town to show his support for Chris Owens. It's only fair: Chris and his father, current Congressman Major Owens, were among the very first people to endorse Howard Dean, Jim's brother and founder of Democracy for America. Also, the two local outgrowths of Howard Dean's presidential bid, Democracy for NYC and New Democratic Majority, both have endorsed Chris Owens overwhelmingly. Those who can't please show your support from afar.
Why does this matter? Because this is a major chance for Progressive Democrats to win over the typical weak, frightened Democrats we have seen ceding our nation to Bush.
Chris is the SOLID progressive candidate: environmentalist (endorsed by Sierra Club); pro-choice (former member of the board of NARAL-NY and endorsed by Planned Parenthood PAC and the Brooklyn-Queens chapter of NOW); pro-marriage equality (endorsed by Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn); favors impeachment (endorsed by Impeach PAC); pro-labor (endorsed by National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 41, and TWU, Local 562), etc. I recently included Chris in a diary on "Community Candidates", that is candidates who stand with the community and are active within the community. The Democracy for America blog picked up on that diary! He really is the man who stands with us, right down to getting arrested trying to prevent the closure of a neighborhood firehouse and serving with great distinction on a local school board and fighting to preserve historic buildings in the Weeksville part of Brooklyn. I am asking Daily Kos to help this community candidate win on Sept. 12th.
Chris Owens and his father, current Congressman Major Owens, were among the earliest Howard Dean supporters. Democracy for NYC and New Democratic Majority, both offshoots of the Howard Dean campaign, endorsed Chris Owens for Congress sometime back. DFNYC actually endorsed Chris with a record 96% of the vote! By far Chris has been the candidate in this race who has been endorsed by the most progressive Congress critters, including Bernie Sanders, Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers and Maxine Waters, just to name the best known of them. Chris has taken solidly progressive positions on marriage equality, impeachment, withdrawal from Iraq, and he agrees with his father's solid opposition to the Patriot Act. But most important to me, Chris is an extremely intelligent and articulate voice, a voice for Democratic values that is sorely needed. If we send him to congress he will be nothing, less than a preacher for Democratic values.
Now Democracy for America is sending the big guns. Jim Dean is coming to NYC to go to bat for Chris. From their press release:
Jim Dean for Chris Owens:
A DFNYC & NDM event in the East Village, Mon. Aug 28
Jim Dean, Chair of Democracy for America and brother of Howard Dean, will be our featured speaker at an event next Monday, August 28th, at Cinema Classics/Rafifi in the East Village! The Cinema Classics/Rafifi location has been a frequent meeting place of progressive activists since the Dean days. Democracy for NYC and New Democratic Majority are putting together a fun filled evening!
For up-to-the-minute details click here.
More about Chris Owens:
Chris Owens is the only candidate in the CD 11 race to take a stand against big developer money and Ratner's proposed Atlantic Yards Project. Chris is a strong supporter of verified voting and has been actively involved in the movement against the Iraq War since Day 1. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-California) recently endorsed Chris, stating: "Chris Owens has been the strong voice for an immediate end to U.S. involvement with Iraq and will join the Out of Iraq Caucus here in the House of Representatives," said Waters. "I want fighters beside me here in Washington. I support Chris Owens for Congress because he is a fighter and we need his powerful and progressive voice."
To read more about Chris Owens, click here.
If you can't make the event, you can still show your support for Chris here. This race really matters!