Brand New Congress
Brand New Congress is an American political action committee with the mission to elect hundreds of new progressive congressional representatives in line with the campaign's political platform. Background. Brand New Congress is a volunteer-led American political organization that intends to run hundreds of campaigns for United States Congress with candidates of the organization's choosing by the 2018 midterm elections, regardless of party affiliation. The organization plans to make staffing and fundraising decisions for all its candidates at once. About 20 volunteers from Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign formed the group in April 2016  as Sanders conceded the primary to Hillary Clinton. They planned the organization to support Sanders's platform and carry its supporters' momentum into policymaking. Brand New Congress planned to announce 50 candidates by March 2017 and over 400 by July 2017. Of the 535 total seats in the United States Congress (House and Senate), 468 were up for reelection in 2018. The group ran both Democratic and Republican candidates, depending on regional demographics, as well as independents when an incumbent wins the primary. Brand New Congress requires candidates to align with Sanders's presidential platform, regardless of party affiliation. While  there are large differences in Republican and Democratic policies, Brand New Congress hopes that people will unify under the goal of reforming Congress. The group attended the July 2016 Democratic National Convention to canvass for support in protester sites and throughout the city. By then the group had raised $85,000, about 90% of it in small donations. Its email list contained 20,000 addresses. Brand New Congress began a tour of 100 cities in mid-2016. Founding members of the group were encouraged by the success of the Sanders campaign's grassroots fundraising, which surpassed the Clinton campaign's several times  in monthly income. As of October 2016, the group was accepting nominations for future candidates and openly developing its economic platform. In March 2017, Brand New Congress announced that it had teamed up with Justice Democrats to further its goals. Candidates. 2018. In the 2018 primary season, Brand New Congress officially endorsed 30 candidates: 2020. Brand New Congress endorsed 46 candidates for the Senate and House. Nine House candidates and one Senate candidate made it to the general election (two incumbents, eight newcomers). Both incumbents and two newcomers won. Platform. Their platform contains many progressive priorities, with the following overarching  goals: Summer for Progress. Several progressive organizations, including Our Revolution, Justice Democrats, Democratic Socialists of America, National Nurses United, Working Families Party, and Fight for 15, announced in July 2017 a push to encourage House Democrats to sign on to a #PeoplesPlatform, which consists of supporting "eight bills currently in the House of Representatives that will address the concerns of everyday Americans." These eight bills and the topics they address are: