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Join NowNew York MoveOn Members Vote to Endorse Zephyr Teachout for U.S. House
80% of Votes Cast by MoveOn Members in New York’s 19th District to Endorse Zephyr Teachout for Congress
NEW YORK — New York members of MoveOn.org Political Action have voted to endorse progressive champion Zephyr Teachout in the U.S. House race in the state’s 19th District with 80% of votes cast in favor of backing Teachout. Fellow Democratic candidates Will Yandik and John Kehoe received 19% and 1% of votes, respectively.
From pioneering small dollar grassroots fundraising on Howard Dean’s Presidential campaign, to challenging New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, to working alongside Lawrence Lessig to get big money out of politics, Zephyr Teachout has been a lifelong champion of fixing our broken, money-driven political system. A leading voice and expert in antitrust and anti-corruption, Teachout has fought tirelessly for average Americans and stood up to big corporations and special interests. Teachout was National Director of the Sunlight Foundation, a co-founder and executive director of The Fair Trial Initiative, and worked as an attorney at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation. Teachout is currently a tenured Associate Professor of Law at Fordham Law School.
“Zephyr literally wrote the book on ending corruption in politics, and she’s dedicated her career to fighting for people against powerful interests ,” said Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action. “Zephyr is exactly the kind of independent voice we need in Congress now more than ever.”
MoveOn has more than 20,000 members in New York’s 19th District.
Here’s what a few MoveOn members in the district had to say about Teachout:
“Zephyr Teachout shares my core values and been on consistently advocating for them: campaign finance reform, banning fracking, small business development, leveling the playing field for middle class Americans.”—Lin S. from New Paltz
“Zephyr combines agricultural roots with a career spent illuminating and battling political corruption, making her the right fit for both the district and the fights ahead in Congress.”—Dana G. from Hyde Park
“Zephyr is a fearless advocate for progressive values. We need more progressive women’s votes and voices in Congress. She is our next Elizabeth Warren!”—Lee J. from Stuyvesant
“I’m a big believer that grassroots power is essential for real change, which is why I’m so excited to have the support of local MoveOn members: together we can win this!” said Zephyr Teachout in response to the endorsement. “At this critical moment in our country’s democracy, the only way to fight corrupt big money and revive our democracy is through millions of people standing up and speaking out.”
This cycle, MoveOn members have also endorsed presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who won 79 percent of votes cast in a national ballot; Senate candidates Russ Feingold (Wisconsin), Tammy Duckworth (Illinois), and Ted Strickland (Ohio); House candidates Lucy Flores (Nevada 4th), Mike Honda (California 17th), and Pramila Jayapal (Washington 7th); and Kim Foxx for Cook County State’s Attorney (Illinois).
In the 2014 election cycle, MoveOn members made over 6.7 million phone calls for endorsed candidates. MoveOn members have also raised millions of dollars—including more than $1 million for Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Senate race in Massachusetts in 2012—mobilized volunteers, and run ads in support of endorsed candidates across the country. MoveOn.org Political Action represents the collective will of MoveOn’s more than 8 million members at the ballot box by helping to elect progressive candidates.