2023 Common Power Election Wrap Up
Thank you, Common Power community!
We went boldly into the field in Virginia and Eastern Washington in the general elections this year and we couldn't be more thrilled with the results! Read below for a summary of how our supported candidates fared this election season, what impact we had, and how you got us across the finish line.
Common Power staff pictured at the Virginia Dems Victory Party | Read the news article here
VIRGINIA
History was made last week with the election of a record number of Black and Indian American Democrat candidates elected to the General Assembly in Virginia. Black candidates won three of the key races for the House to boost Democratic efforts to win control of the Virginia House and made history by nominating the first Black speaker, Delegate Don L. Scott.
Read more about our CP-supported candidates below
Michael Feggans (D) for House, District 97 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 52.36% of the vote
Win Margin: 1,178 votes
In one of the most competitive races in Hampton Roads, Feggans, 40, ousted incumbent Del. Karen Greenhalgh, 67. The win gives Democrats a 51-seat majority in the House of Delegates
Ghazala Hashmi (D) for State Senate, District 15 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 62.02% of the vote
Win Margin: 12,971 votes
Indian American Democrats fared well in Virginia, helping flip the House of Delegates to Democratic control, and preserving a blue majority in the state Senate
Phil Hernandez (D) for Virginia House, District 94 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 55.60% of the vote
Win Margin: 1,660 votes
While the 94th district is new this election cycle, voters in this area had traditionally supported Democrats. This election shows the continuation of this history
Schuyler VanValkenburg (D) for Virginia Senate, District 16 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 54.66% of the vote
Win Margin: 7,803 votes
Unseated GOP incumbent in this key seat in VA State Senate helping maintain the Democratic majority
Rodney Willett (D) for Virginia House, District 58 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 54.47% of the vote
Win Margin: 3,050 votes
Willett, a member of the Virginia House since 2020, gives Democrats another House seat as the party wins control of the 100-member chamber
Debra Gardner (D) for Virginia House, District 76 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 63.68% of the vote
Win Margin: 6,356 votes
Helped to preserve a blue majority in the state House of Delegates
Aaron Rouse (D) for Virginia Senate, District 22 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 55.10% of the vote
Win Margin: 5,633 votes
In a tightly contested race, Rouse was able to defeat Republican Kevin Adams for Virginia's newly drawn Senate District 22 race
EASTERN WASHINGTON SLATE
Of the five candidates Common Power supported in the field this year in Eastern Washington, four of them won their elections by very slim margins. The first Democratic mayor was elected to represent Spokane for the first time in 12 years and three new Latinx candidates were elected to the Sunnyside City Council helping to diversify representation there, too. Cheers to CP and our volunteers for helping make up the margin of victory in these important races.
Lisa Brown (D) for Spokane Mayor - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 51.73% of the vote
Win Margin: 2822 Votes
Brown’s win is a huge victory for Spokane! Spokane has had conservative mayors for the last twelve years and Brown now offers the chance to transform city and local government there
Vicky Frausto for Sunnyside City Council District 3 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 53.27% of the vote
Win Margin: 101 votes
Impressive win for Latina candidate Frausto for this vacant seat on the council, to represent her community in Sunnyside, WA.
Keren J. Vazquez for Sunnyside City Council District 5 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 55.18% of the vote
Win Margin: 153 votes
Impressive win for Latina candidate Vazquez who beat the incumbent in this race, to represent her community in Sunnyside, WA.
Jorge Galvan for Sunnyside City Council District 7 - WIN!!!
Declared victory with 60.81% of the vote
Win Margin: 327 votes
Impressive win for Latino candidate Galvan to represent his community in Sunnyside, WA.
Dulce Gutierrez for Yakima City Council, Position 1 - LOSS
Conceded race
Dulce Gutierrez has a proven track record and experience representing the people of Yakima. CP will maintain our relationship with her and look forward to supporting her efforts in the community of Yakima in the future
We want to thank all the candidates for running. It was our pleasure to support their campaigns and we look forward to working with each of them in office and in their communities to secure a stronger and brighter future for us all going forward.
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Stay tuned, CP community, for our end of the year election analysis where we will provide more information on the number of voters contacted this year!
Onward.
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Rodney Willett (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Rodney Willett (D) for House, District 58
Website: https://www.rodwillett.com/meet-rodney
We are excited to announce our “Common Power Candidate of the Day”, Rodney Willett who is running for re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates, District 58. Willett is a dedicated and experienced leader and incumbent committed to making a positive impact on the lives of Virginians. As a delegate representing the 58th District, he is known for his bipartisanship and has helped to pass laws related to early childhood educational opportunities, mental health programs, environmental protection, voting rights, prescription drugs, and gun violence prevention.
Willett attended the College of William and Mary where he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees. As an attorney, he represented local governments in Virginia and was instrumental in establishing and expanding free legal assistance programs while practicing.
Common Power is looking forward to supporting your re-election campaign, Rodney! We will see you in the field in the weeks to come!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel. CP is traveling to Richmond from Tuesday, 10/31 to Wednesday, 11/8
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Schuyler VanValkenburg (D) for State Senate, District 16
Website: https://vanvalkenburg4va.com/
Common Power is thrilled to spotlight Schuyler VanValkenburg, one of the five candidates we’re knocking on doors for in Richmond, VA from October 31 to Election Day on November 7.
VanValkenburg has served as a member of the VA House of Delegates for the past six years. Outside of his career in public service, VanValkenburg worked as a high school civics teacher. His professional experience in the classroom gives him a unique perspective on the issues facing everyday families while maintaining public education has been and will continue to be a top priority.
Strengthening our democracy is another key issue for VanValkenburg. In 2020-2021, he chaired the committee that took Virginia from the second hardest state to vote in to the 11th easiest. In 2021, he worked to pass the Virginia Voting Rights Act. In 2020 VanValkenburg introduced and passed a number of bills increasing access to absentee voting and voter registration.
Thank you, Schuyler VanValkenburg, for your tireless efforts in increasing access to the ballot! We are proud to support your campaign and know you will continue to fight for voting rights in the State Senate. See you in the weeks ahead. Onward!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel. CP is traveling to Richmond from Tuesday, 10/31 to Wednesday, 11/8
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Ghazala Hashmi (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Ghazala Hashmi (D) for State Senate, District 15
Website: https://www.ghazalahashmi.com/
Today Common Power is proud to highlight Virginia State Senator Ghazala Hashmi who is currently running for re-election to the State Senate, District 15.
When Hashmi was first elected to office in 2019, she became the first Muslim and South Asian American to serve in the Virginia state Senate. She is committed to combating climate change, increasing affordable housing, and access to reproductive freedom. Here at CP, we are especially thrilled to see “good governance” as a key issue she commits to leading on and supporting. Hashmi will continue to fight for expanding early voting and no-excuse absentee voting access.
Thank you, Senator Hashmi, for being a champion of voting rights. We wholeheartedly support your campaign and look forward to hitting the doors in Virginia for you this fall!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel. CP is traveling to Richmond from Tuesday, 10/31 to Wednesday, 11/8
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Debra Gardner (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Debra Gardner (D) for House, District 76.
Website: https://debragardnerfordelegate.com/
Debra Gardner is running for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 76 and we’re looking forward to heading out into the field in the next few weeks to support her candidacy in Richmond.
Gardner holds a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work. She has thirty-plus years of public service providing leadership in human services, public safety, and criminal justice services, and has been a tireless advocate for those in need. If elected, she has committed to leading on education, public safety reform, and access to affordable health care. Gardner will push to invest in education by ensuring teachers are paid for the full value of their work, make the local criminal justice system fairer, and provide mental health care capacity and support for her constituents.
Debra not only has a vision, but she has experience too. She served at the chief deputy level of 3 state agencies and has devoted countless hours to organizations that provide aid and services to the community.
Debra is uniquely qualified to represent the 76th District in the House of Delegates. Thanks for your leadership and for running. Representation matters. We will see you soon!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel. CP is traveling to Richmond from Tuesday, 10/31 to Wednesday, 11/8
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate Slate of the Day: Eastern Washington
Common Power is headed to Eastern Washington! Read about our CP Supported Candidate Slate of the Day!
CP Supported Candidate Slate of the Day!
Common Power is excited to announce our support for a dynamic slate of candidates running for various seats in Eastern Washington this year. All of these races will be close which is why CP has stepped up to help get these leaders across the finish line.
Our bilingual Program “Poder Comun” (Common Power in English) is heading into the field to knock on doors and spread the word with Spanish-speaking voters about these important races. Join us! Sign up here and read more about why we’re supporting these awesome candidates below.
Lisa Brown for Spokane Mayor
https://www.lisabrownformayor.com
Former State Democratic Senator Lisa Brown is seeking the Spokane Mayor’s office seat. Spokane has had conservative mayors for the last twelve years with the conservative incumbent winning the election in 2019 by just over a thousand votes. Brown won the primary this year and needs our support to get across the finish line for the general. She offers the chance to transform city and local government in Spokane with her campaign focused on increasing neighborhood safety, creating a thriving Spokane economy, increasing housing supply and home ownership, and addressing homelessness.
Dulce Gutierrez for Yakima City Council, Position 1
Website: https://www.dulceforyakima.com
With only 458 ballots cast in this race for the primary election this year, we are supporting Dulce Gutierrez who has a proven track record and experience representing the people of Yakima. Gutierrez graduated from the University of Washington but returned to Yakima to help improve the neighborhood where she grew up and works to increase Latinx representation in government. She was one of the first Latinas ever elected in Yakima City Council in 2015 and served one term after which she was involved in legal actions seeking to expand voting rights for the Latinx community. She’s decided to run for city council again this year and we are looking forward to going into the field this month to support her.
Sunnyside City Council Slate
Only 988 voters were cast in the primary this year for the Sunnyside City Council elections with three candidates making it through, but only by a very slim margin. These races could come down to a handful of votes in the general.
Vazquez received ~47% of the vote in the primary this year
Galvan received ~50.5% of the vote in the primary this year
Sign up here to get involved with us in our support of the Eastern Washington Candidate Slate! See you in the field!
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Michael Feggans (D
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Michael Feggans (D) for House, District 97
Website: https://michaelfeggans.com/bio/
Follow Michael on X: https://twitter.com/MikeFeggans
Today we are spotlighting Michael Feggans’ candidacy for Virginia state House of Delegates, District 97. Though this district has voted Democratic in recent years by very slim margins, his Republican opponent won the election in 2021 by only 115 votes and is seeking reelection this year. This is a critically important race that could decide whether Democrats take back the majority in the House. This is exactly why Common Power coordinates and supports voter registration drives and canvassing throughout our priority states, including in Virginia.
Michael Feggans is 40 years old and grew up in Virginia Beach. Immediately after graduating high school he enlisted in the Air Force and served for 20 years before retiring. He was one of the first enlisted and active duty Congressional interns assigned to U.S. Senator Warner’s Norfolk office. Feggans’ earned a Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a Master’s degree in Cyber Security from Virginia Tech and was selected to the University of Virginia’s political leadership program. He now works as a small business owner in the technology industry.
On his 18 month campaign trail, Feggan has committed to prioritizing reproductive freedom, funding schools and reducing gun violence for all Virginians. “At the end of the day, we’re going to have to move forward and work to make Virginia better.”, Feggans said. We at Common Power couldn't agree more. We are looking forward to supporting you in the general, Michael! Thank you for running - see you soon!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel in support of Feggans. CP is traveling to VA Beach from Thursday, 10/26 to Monday, 10/30
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Phil Hernandez (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia!
Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day below!
Phil Hernandez (D) for House, District 94
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Website: https://philforvirginia.com/bio/
Today we are highlighting Phil Hernandez, one of the three candidates we’re knocking on doors for in Virginia Beach from October 26 to October 30. Hernandez is running to represent his home, the city of Norfolk, in the newly created House District 94.
Hernandez has a long history of working for change. Currently, Hernandez is the Senior Vice President for Policy and Advocacy for The Commonwealth Institute, a nonprofit organization that fights to advance racial and economic justice. Previously, he served as a Senior Policy Analyst in President Obama’s White House Domestic Policy Council and worked as a civil rights attorney. Hernandez has helped pass laws in Virginia to “increase the minimum wage, lower taxes for families, and support local public schools”.
If elected, Hernandez vows to protect the fundamental right to vote and stand up against any efforts that create barriers to the ballot box. Thank you, Mr. Hernandez, for stepping up to run for the VA House of Delegates! We are looking forward to volunteering for you this month.
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel in support of Hernandez. CP is traveling to VA Beach from Thursday, 10/26 to Monday, 10/30
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
2023 CP Supported Candidate: Aaron Rouse (D)
Common Power is headed to Virginia! Read about our CP Supported Candidate of the Day .
Common Power is headed to Virginia!
Read about our “CP Supported Candidate of the Day” below!
Senator Aaron Rouse (D) for House, District 22.
The 2023 Virginia House of Delegates and Senate election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Website: https://rouseforsenate.com/bio
Our 2023, “Common Power Supported Candidate of the Day” features Senator Aaron Rouse (D) for Virginia’s District 22. Rouse was born and raised in Virginia Beach where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He was then drafted by the Green Bay Packers and also played for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. After retiring from the NFL, Rouse returned home to Virginia Beach to begin his career in public service where he currently resides with his wife, Virginia Beach Councilwoman Jennifer Valentine-Rouse and family.
Aaron was first elected to Virginia's 7th District in a special election last year and won the race by only 696 votes, flipping the 7th Senate District from a Republican to a Democratic seat. The margin of victory in these races is often very tight, which is why we need your engagement in the field and on the phones every year.
Every 10 years, Virginia updates its legislative district boundaries which means Senator Rouse will be running in the newly formed District 22 this fall. This new district makes up about 70% of the old District 7 that he currently represents.
Rouse has committed to continue focusing on the economy, healthcare, and education as his political platform and we are looking forward to heading into the field in support of his candidacy this month!
Ready to get to work? Join us!
Join Team VA on Mobilize.us to learn more and sign up for travel in support of Senator Rouse. CP is traveling to VA Beach from Thursday, 10/26 to Monday, 10/30
Phone bank with our friends at Common Cause here
The Blog is Back! Celebrating CP Supported Candidates
CP Supported Candidates - Where Are They Now?
Common Power Community,
We are excited to announce that we’re bringing back our official Common Power Blog!
Today we are introducing *NEW* updates on where CP-supported candidates are now and looking forward with information on those we plan to support in the future and why. This new program led by the Advocacy Department will be titled as follows: “CP Supported Candidates - Where Are They Now?” and “CP Supported Candidates - Going Into the Field!”.
We recognize and celebrate the incredible work of our CP staff, volunteers, and community members who have traveled, knocked on doors, phone banked, and registered voters with us to help elect strong candidates who in turn introduce and enact pro-democracy and voting justice reform legislation around the country.
Follow along, we’re so excited to have you with us!
In our inaugural blog post, we are proud to highlight three candidates Common Power supported in the 2022 midterm and 2023 special elections. Read below on how voters and leaders like you made an impact.
-Governor Katie Hobbs-
Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona took office in November of 2022 becoming the fifth female governor of Arizona and the first Democrat elected to the position since 2006. Common Power supported Hobbs’ gubernatorial race through multiple trips to Phoenix last year. With an election denier as her opponent, Hobbs’ race showed that democracy was on the ballot. During her campaign and after her election, Hobbs emphasized her commitment to protecting the right to vote. Since taking office Hobbs has upheld this promise by helping to create a Bipartisan Elections Task Force in Arizona as well as:
Vetoing HB2560, an anti-voting bill that threatened the “anonymity and privacy” of voters
Vetoing 20+ election bills. She now holds the record for the most AZ governor vetoes
Because Republicans hold a slim majority in both chambers of the Arizona State Legislature, but not enough to override the governor, Hobbs is a “key player in blocking anti-democratic efforts”.
Thank you, Governor Hobbs, for championing voting rights!
-Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan-
Earlier this year Common Power supported Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan’s special election to represent Virginia's 4th Congressional District. We are proud to contribute to her historic win as the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress. In February, a team of six CP volunteers knocked on nearly 1,300 doors in 3.5 days of canvassing. Representative McClellan was sworn into office on March 7th.
We’ve had the pleasure of meeting with Representative McClellan on every CP trip to VA. McClellan’s strong record of protecting voting rights in the state legislature made supporting her candidacy a no-brainer. The first bill she passed while still in the General Assembly expanded absentee voting. McClellan also played an integral role in passing the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, making Virginia the first Southern state to pass such an act. To pass this incredible legislation McClellan worked closely with a longtime CP partner, New Virginia Majority.
In her brief time in Congress Representative McClellan has already:
Voiced support for increasing voting access to active service members as a member of the Armed Service Committee
Co-sponsored a House Resolution honoring the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom that calls on Congress to fulfill the demands of the March participants, including the right to vote
Joined her Democratic House colleagues to re-introduce John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
Thank you for your leadership on voting access on the state and national stage, Congresswoman McClellan!
-Senator Catherine Cortez Masto-
Common Power staff and volunteers traveled to Nevada last year to support Congresswoman Cortez Masto’s reelection campaign against her opponent (who is a longtime Trump ally). This race narrowly tipped the balance of power of the Senate to Democrats with Cortez Masto winning the election by 0.8% or 7,928 votes. Only about half of registered voters in the state cast a ballot last year. This is exactly why Common Power coordinates and supports voter registration drives throughout our priority states, including Nevada. Want to join us? Click here.
Nevada is a 30% Latino state, with Cortez Masto being the first Latina ever elected to serve in the upper chamber and the first woman to represent the state in Congress since 2016. In 2023 Congresswoman Cortez Masto co-sponsored the CP-supported “Freedom to Vote Act”, a bill that aims to expand Americans’ access to the ballot box and reduce the influence of money in politics. When Common Power commits, travels, and supports progressive, BIPOC, and women candidates in close races to secure stronger representation, we all win.
Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto!
Would you like to learn more and support Common Power’s field efforts in the future? Join us by visiting: https://commonpower.org/in-person