Cross-posted at WinningProgressive
With election day only a month away, it is critical that progressives stand up and fight for candidates who are willing to fight for us in Washington. One such candidate is Joe Sestak, who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Admiral Sestak is a 31-year naval officer and current Congressman from suburban Philadelphia who beat Arlen Specter in the Senate primary.
Admiral Sestak is a proud progressive who publicly refers to himself as being from the “progressive wing of the Democratic Party.” His record on the issues bears that description out, as he has long fought for progressive principles. For example, Admiral Sestak:
- Long supported universal health care, in part because he realized the benefits of government provided health insurance when the Navy provided medical care for his daughter’s brain tumor. He voted for President Obama’s health care reform legislation and was a strong proponent of including a public option in the plan.
- Fought to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25.
- Is a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, which will increase workplace democracy by helping protect the right to unionize.
- Is a co-sponsor of legislation to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
- Has a 100% pro-choice voting record and was an original co-sponsor of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
- Is a strong advocate for legislation that supports veterans with health care, education, employment, and aid to their families.
- Was a chief co-sponsor of legislation that reformed student loans and increased Pell Grants by 25%
- Opposes efforts to privatize Social Security
- Supports extending tax relief for the middle class while opposing more tax cuts for the wealthy elite.
Admiral Sestak is also able to communicate progressive values in ways that attract voters who identify themselves as independents. The latest poll has Sestak leading his Republican opponent 41-30% among independents, and Sestak was recently endorsed by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former moderate Republican Senator Chuck Hagel.
Sestak is running against Republican Pat Toomey, a former Wall Street derivatives trader who believes that big businesses should pay no corporate taxes. Mr. Toomey is actively backed by the Club for Growth, a right-wing organization that he used to run, which aggressively flaunts its desire to privatize Social Security. A recent analysis of Mr. Toomey’s voting record when he was in Congress found that he was more right-wing than Rick Santorum, which Pennsylvania’s voters ran out of office just four years ago.
Recent polling shows that the race between Sestak and Toomey is virtually tied, with Toomey leading 45-42%, which is within the margin of error. Now is the time for progressives to step up and help send Joe Sestak to fight for us on health care, increasing the minimum wage, protecting Social Security, and defending the right of workers to organize. To help out, sign up here to volunteer, click here to donate, and go here to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in Pennsylvania.
