I am writing to ask help from my fellow Democracy for America members and fellow Deniacs...and anyone else who wants good solid progressives in government. My friend, Josh Skaller, is running for New York City Council (District 39). The primary includes many good candidates, but Josh is not only refusing all corporate, developer and PAC money to avoid the conflicts of interest NYC politics is so known for, but he is still managing to come in a close second in fundraising.
This week Howard Dean and Democracy for America endorsed my friend. This race is our chance to show America that DFA and the Dean revolution are still alive and well...and can win elections. Below I give more info on Josh and these endorsements. Please help us elect an excellent grassroots progressive to the New York City Council.
I have known Josh for several years now. I have worked with him in two grassroots organizations: Democracy for NYC and the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID). At CBID he was elected president during a very difficult period during which the club was divided into two hostile factions. Both factions respected Josh and supported him as president. Josh was able to lead that club out of the difficult period and make it more effective than I have ever seen it.
Jim Dean, Howard Dean's brother and head of DFA, already had this to say about Josh:
"Josh has always fought for fiscal responsibility and the progressive solutions needed to reform city government"
--Jim Dean
Chair of Democracy For America (DFA)
Josh has already been endorsed by the local DFA associated group, Democracy for NYC, as well as civil rights champion Norman Siegel, Senator Eric Adams, one of the State Senators in the district, and Assembly member Jim Brennan, the Assembly member whose district largely overlaps with this City Council district and who is a well known reformer.
This week Howard Dean made the official the DFA endorsement. Here's the video of Howard Dean's endorsement:
Some quotes from that endorsement:
"I lend my endorsement to Josh. We want him to do well. We think he can win. He is a person who does grassroots really, really well.
"We need people who will be independent-minded in the City Council. We need people who will take a fresh look at things. We need people who are on the streets all the time, listening to ordinary people.
"He'll be a great, fresh voice in the City Council."
And here is DFA's official endorsement statement:
Democracy for America, our nation's largest progressive political action community, endorsed Josh Skaller in the New York City Council District 39 race.
Gov. Howard Dean, founder of DFA, appeared with Skaller at a morning press conference at the campaign office of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats. They later greeted subway riders at the F train’s 7th Avenuestop.
"I'm proud to endorse Josh Skaller for the New York City Council," said Gov. Dean. "He's the kind of strong progressive leader we need standing up for our values at the local level. I admire Josh's commitment to meeting voters in Brooklyn one at a time. Josh understands that politics should be about empowering ordinary people to engage in our democracy, whether it's giving small amounts of money or talking to their friends. "
Skaller, the only DFA-endorsed candidate in the race for District 39, is a long-time grassroots activist and has served as a director of the local volunteer DFA group, Democracy for New York City, for the last four years.
"On the New York City Council, Josh Skaller will work with fellow reform-minded leaders to affect real, lasting changes in the way the city conducts its business and relates to its citizens," said Jim Dean, Chair of DFA. "At a time when billionaire Mayor Bloomberg dominates city politics, Josh will use his position to empower like-minded local community groups and organizers and give them a strong voice at City Hall."
Democracy for America is a key endorsement in local races like this one, bringing in donations from progressives and providing volunteers to participate in door-to-door, grassroots outreach. DFA has helped elect 578 progressives to office, from Senator Mark Begich in Alaska to Rep. Donna Edwards in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District.
"Josh knows New York is a place where true progressive leadership is really needed and where it has the potential to take hold and set the tone for the country," said Jim Dean. "Democracy for America is proud to endorse his campaign."
You can learn more about the candidates in this race (as well as the City Council race in an adjacent district) here.
This race really is a prime chance for us all to show the strength of the progressive grassroots. If you live in NYC, please volunteer to help elect Josh Skaller for City Council. And if you don't live in NYC, please give a small contribution to help elect a true community organizer and grassroots progressive to the City Council.