March, 17 2022, 12:33pm EDT
Citing New Polling, Sunrise Movement Sends Election Warning to Democratic Party Establishment
WASHINGTON
With the 2022 midterm elections in full swing, Sunrise Movement sent a memo to the DNC, DCCC, and DSCC, warning Democrats that if they want to mobilize young people and win in 2022, candidates must run boldly on climate and the Green New Deal.
Both the new polling conducted by Data for Progress and the recent Texas primaries reinforce that young people overwhelmingly support the Green New Deal, and are willing to organize their communities and turn out for candidates that run on the Green New Deal.
"After two years with a trifecta and little to show for it, Democrats can't run the same game plan and expect young people to turn out for them. Politicians have to earn young people's support," said Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement. "What are we supposed to tell the thousands of young people in our movement who made millions of calls and knocked doors for Joe Biden, but have watched the Democrats drop the ball on climate action again and again? Instead of catering to a handful of billionaires, Democrats can earn our support by delivering on the promises they made to us and by running boldly on the Green New Deal."
"Democrats are treating 2022 like they've already lost. If they continue on their current path, they risk not only losing the generation that gave them their majorities, but any chance they have of keeping those majorities. If they seize the progressive mandate that young people elected them on and deliver, they still have a shot," John Paul Mejia, Sunrise spokesperson added. "Democrats who don't heed our warning, risk the youth vote, youth organizing, and all but ensure a bloodbath in the general election."
The text of the memo is below:
OVERVIEW
Democrats are heading into an election year with a president that has low approval ratings, a Congress that has not passed Build Back Better, and a still-raging pandemic leading to growing frustration among Americans. Importantly, Biden has seen his steepest decline in approval ratings among young people; and if Democratic morale is low, young voters are among the most likely to stay home in 2022. Winning 2022 will be a tough fight for Democrats regardless, but if the party fails to engage and turn out young voters, Democrats might as well give up the gavel now.
The 2020 elections critically showed that when candidates center bold climate policies, they can activate young voters and volunteers, and the results showed that when candidates did that, they won. Recent polling conducted by Sunrise and Data For Progress also backs this up and makes clear that young voters want bold climate legislation.
Drawing on lessons from the 2020 elections, Biden's deteriorating approval ratings during his first year (especially among young people), and Sunrise's new polling, it's clear: if Democrats want to win in 2022, they must run on a strong climate agenda. Young people are a key voting bloc and the future of the Democratic party -- Democrats must recognize this and pivot to a winning message that will re-engage them.
LESSONS FROM 2020: THE YOUTH BLOC
2020 showed the sheer political power of young people -- both in primary and general elections. In congressional Democratic primaries, candidates found success when they centered the Green New Deal--and when Sunrise deployed its army of young people on their behalf. Candidates like Jamaal Bowman and Ed Markey, who both trailed in polls at various points in their races, boldly embraced the GND and won big, powered largely by young voters and organizers.
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Sunrise Movement is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.
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New from @HRW and me: The TX Nat'l Guard has repeatedly fired pepper spray projectiles at arriving asylum-seekers, including women & children.
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