Phillips, who faces a competitive re-election, refuses corporate PAC money
End Citizens United (ECU) today endorsed Rep. Dean Phillips for re-election as part of its first round of endorsements for the 2020 election cycle. Rep. Phillips ran on a platform of reform in 2018, and showed leadership in the passage of the For the People Act (H.R.1).
Phillips, who faces a competitive re-election, has pledged to voters that he will not take corporate PAC money. ECU is committed to ensuring Phillips and this first group of candidates have the resources to win. ECU is endorsing 26 House freshmen who were leaders on reform, and will raise and spend a combined $10 million in small-dollar, grassroots donations to re-elect these members.
“Rep. Phillips is already changing the way Washington works. He’s committed to unrigging the political system and making government responsive to Minnesotans — not corporate donors with big checks,” said ECU President Tiffany Muller. “Even though he’s only been in office for a few months, he’s already delivering on promises by passing the most comprehensive anti-corruption and reform legislation in a generation. Phillips’ commitment to reform and families in the district will make him a top target of mega-donors and special interests hell-bent on protecting the status quo in Washington, but we have his back. ECU is proud to endorse Rep. Phillips and we’re committed to ensuring he’s re-elected.”
The early endorsement will allow ECU to connect Phillips’ campaign with its 6,700 members in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District and activate its 530,000 grassroots donors to help ensure he has the resources to win. ECU raised and spent $44 million in the 2018 election cycle. Its $14.2 million independent expenditure made it the fifth largest issue group spending on the Democratic side, and the only one of the top five spenders to be entirely grassroots-funded. ECU’s members raised $9 million directly for endorsed candidates and state ballot measures. The group also donated nearly $2 million directly to its endorsed campaigns.
ECU is dedicated to getting Big Money out of politics and fixing the rigged system in Washington so it works for all Americans. The group played a pivotal role in helping to pass the For the People Act, a once-in-a-generation anti-corruption and reform bill. ECU also led the movement among candidates to forgo corporate PAC money in their campaigns. Fifty-three members of the 116th Congress are refusing to take corporate PAC money, including 36 new members. The reform group has four million members nationwide, including 6,700 in MN-03, and is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.
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