We wrapped up the third quarter with the successful close of our $20 million capital raise that has powered our recent growth. We’re grateful to all of you who have made contributions and pledge commitments to American Promise’s expansion. Thanks to you, we are ready to seize the urgent opportunity to drive home the For Our Freedom Amendment.
Please take a look at the highlights in this quarterly update. You’ll find some key proof points about our strategy to solve the crisis of out-of-control money in elections that has done so much damage to our country.
When we launched American Promise a few years ago, we knew that the constitutional amendment the country needs would take focus, sound strategy, good execution and perseverance. But we also were betting on the American spirit to take on big challenges and do what needs to be done. You have validated that bet, and together, we will get this done.
Thank you for all you do.
Best wishes,
Jeff
Thanks to you and so many investing partners, American Promise has closed our growth-phase $20 million capital raise! This is a key milestone in our fast-moving expansion from a start-up organization a few years ago to national leader of what most Americans say is the #1 most important and urgent reform America needs today: a constitutional solution to out-of-control money in our elections.
From hosting gatherings in your homes, to making introductions with your networks, and investing in this cause, this success is due to so many of you. Our Development Committee Board Co-Chairs Leila Blodgett and Christian Nolen and our amazing American Promise ambassadors, led by Leila, have gone above and beyond to rapidly grow our network of supporters.
Ambassadors have hosted American Promise events this summer and early fall in Boston, Weekapaug, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., bringing in more reform leaders, network connections and investors that have accelerated our growth.
This is allowing us to triple our budget, staff and state campaigns, as well as expand our congressional and communications teams. The capital and how we deploy it makes it possible to win deep and resilient cross-partisan support, as well as the formal backing of 22 states and hundreds of members of Congress that are ready to pass and ratify our constitutional amendment.
The next phase of our expansion will seize the opportunity to win — not decades in the future, but now, in this decade. It will cost even more money, and yes, we will be raising more capital to get it done. But today we celebrate the successful close of our $20 million growth-phase capital raise, and you, this extraordinary leadership community of American Promise. Thank you!
If you are interested in hosting an event, making introductions, or making a commitment to American Promise’s urgent next phase of work, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Chief Development Officer Liz Harvey (LizH@americanpromise.net) or Director of Principal Gifts Elliott Mendes (ElliottM@americanpromise.net).
Dark money and Super PAC spending is hitting elections at all levels of government across the country in 2024, driving more cross-partisan demand for American Promise’s constitutional solution. Earlier this year, we reported that “reducing the influence of money in politics” was a top priority for Americans across the spectrum. Now Americans are stepping up to do it. Our staff and volunteers have been asking candidates to pledge to support and help advance the For Our Freedom Amendment. So far, more than 550 candidates have signed the American Promise Pledge! These are Republicans, Democrats and Independents who are committed to passing and ratifying the constitutional amendment we need to secure the power and right to effective anti-corruption laws.
It is not only federal races being affected by unchecked political spending. Even local school board races are seeing outside spending flood their elections. Candidates who have signed our pledges include federal candidates running for Congress, state candidates running for leadership and legislative offices, and candidates in local races. We encourage you to join Americans around the country who are asking candidates in their area to take the pledge!
As all eyes turn toward the upcoming election, we remain steadfastly committed to our strategy to enact the For Our Freedom Amendment. Our right-to-left approach to garnering cross-partisan support among Congress is key to reaching the 290 votes in the House and 67 votes in the Senate needed to win.
We have made significant progress in Congress, with many Democrats in Congress on board with a sound constitutional amendment proposal. But no party can do this alone, and our staff recently met with Republican members of Congress, including members and staffers for the House Judiciary Committee. We heard significant interest in the approach of the For Our Freedom Amendment and engaged in thoughtful discussion about it. We look toward an introduction of the For Our Freedom Amendment in Congress as a key milestone toward the necessary ⅔ vote.
We returned to Capitol Hill where CEO Jeff Clements, Chief Program Officer & General Counsel Brian Boyle and Director of Congressional Affairs Jim Dornan had the opportunity to speak with over a dozen conservative groups at the Conference Conservative Roundtable, hosted by American Promise Advisory Council member Bill Cortese, who works with the Republican House Conference. We saw many nodding heads as we described some recent examples of “outside money” playing a key role in several state elections. This comes on the heels of our attendance at a Federalist Society conference, where we saw support for campaign finance reform among conservative scholars and practitioners, noting that the founders likely would have viewed campaign finance regulations as consistent with an originalist understanding of the First Amendment.
As we work to capitalize on this growing support across the political spectrum at the federal level, we are looking ahead to Election Day for opportunities to build relationships with newly elected members of Congress. We are preparing an education and outreach strategy for these members, keeping an eye on several dozen races in both the Senate and House where we expect to see individuals elected to Congress for the first time. We want to make sure that American Promise has an opportunity to connect with these new leaders early in their congressional tenures.
We know it is not easy to move Congress to a successful vote. But we also know that good state strategy aligned to smart federal strategy is how we win in Congress. So far, voters and legislators in 22 states have passed “ready-to-ratify” votes calling on Congress to pass the For Our Freedom Amendment and return it to the states for ratification. We have terrific staff and partners, but none of this would be possible without the extraordinary response of Americans around the country to our call for volunteer action. Here are some examples of what volunteers in some key states are doing now:
In Pennsylvania, where out-of-state groups have spent more than $46 million on the Senate race, Pennsylvanians are fed up and are letting their legislators know that they deserve to have their voices heard, not drowned out by outside funders. And their legislators are listening: Earlier this year, we passed a key milestone in the Pennsylvania House. State lawmakers overcame opposition from a dark money group to pass legislation backing the For Our Freedom Amendment and calling on Congress to take action on it. The resolution passed in the Pennsylvania House with broad bipartisan support, 113-88.
Once Pennsylvania senators take similar action, Pennsylvania will be the 23rd state to back the For Our Freedom Amendment and stand ready to ratify it when Congress takes the vote. So far, Pennsylvania senators are hearing from constituents who have urged them to take action, including volunteers and supporters who have met American Promise Pennsylvania State Manager Matt Powell and Pennsylvania Field Organizer Stina Ramanauskas at events such as the Oil Heritage Festival in Oil City, the West End Fair in Gilbert and the Great Allentown Fair in Allentown, and the numerous presentations they have made to business, government, volunteer and civic groups across the state.
Through the work of volunteers and staff, Pennsylvania was able to secure 64 Candidate Pledges.
661 constituent emails were sent to members of the Pennsylvania Senate in support of SR 212.
222 emails were sent to Sen. Dush, chair of Senate State Government Committee.
50+ calls were made directly to Sen. Dush’s office by constituents and high-value contacts.
Led by American Promise Political Manager Matt Howerton, staff and volunteers have secured over 55 Candidate Pledges in Q3 alone to bring the state’s total to 77 so far in 2024. Since starting twice weekly phone banks in July, 20+ Texas volunteers have made over 2,000 calls to precinct chairs, the most locally elected office on the ballot. By building grassroots support across the state and within the majority party, American Promise is poised to make major political and legislative gains in Texas in Q4 and beyond.
The efforts of volunteers like Ann Drumm, Clair Gibbs and Beverly Hill have both generated a drumbeat of support among candidates and have also generated new legislative backing with six-term state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, confirming his support as our first Republican state legislator.
The American Promise team was at the Texas Tribune Festival, a major policy event in Austin, gaining insight into the landscape of the Texas Legislature to help inform our strategies, while also spreading awareness of the For Our Freedom Amendment among attendees, panelists and lawmakers. The Texas team had productive conversations with U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, state Rep. Drew Darby, and state Rep. nominee Mitch Little as we continue to build support across the entire political spectrum. Staff also had the opportunity to speak at the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee meeting, where nine more candidates and elected officials signed the Candidate Pledge.
Our writing team in Texas has also been hard at work raising awareness of the influence of money in politics and the need for a constitutional solution. This group is focused on publishing op-eds and letters to the editor.
In Arizona, U.S. Senate candidates Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake have both reported receiving more than 70% of their itemized campaign contributions from outside of Arizona. As outside funding pours into this expensive race, volunteers are securing Candidate Pledges and strengthening our network of supporters through tabling at fairs and festivals around the state. This quarter, we have secured over 200 Citizen Pledges and 11 Candidate Pledges in Arizona. This is thanks in part to the over 200 calls our volunteers and staff in the state have made, helping to get the word out about American Promise and the For Our Freedom Amendment. They showed voters who may be feeling hopelessness in an election year that there is a solution they can be part of, and that their elected officials hear them and want this as well. We look forward to adding even more candidates and supporters in Arizona through Freedom is Brewing events with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and five weeks of tabling at the state fair this fall.
Wisconsin is seeing even their local elections influenced by unchecked political spending—the Wisconsin Democratic Party has pumped $230,000 into school board elections across the state—making it key to get candidates at all levels of government committed to supporting the For Our Freedom Amendment. Our team in Wisconsin has secured over 58 Candidate Pledges, as candidates at the local level and beyond make it clear that they are fed up with the status quo of outside election spending influencing their races.
And it isn’t just candidates in Wisconsin who are demanding a constitutional solution to unchecked political spending—voters are also calling for the For Our Freedom Amendment. Thanks to the effort of volunteers showing up at nearly a dozen events across Wisconsin, we have collected 739 new Citizen Pledges in Wisconsin, strengthening our support in the state—this includes 130 collected by a dedicated super volunteer in just one day of tabling at the La Crosse Interstate Fair.
Volunteers like Mark Pfost, Judy Nagel and Howard Hauser have been hard at work presenting to county commissions, organizations, and Rotary Clubs across the state, building support for the For Our Freedom Amendment among a variety of networks.
Credible, trusted and non-partisan information is key to American Promise’s work to show how the Supreme Court’s breaking of constitutional anti-corruption norms drives the dysfunction and elections dominated by super-wealthy spenders and special interests. We could not do this without a key partner like OpenSecrets.
OpenSecrets recently announced that election spending in 2024 will hit a record high of $16 billion. And most of the money is coming from billionaires, global corporations, big unions and the elite (less than 1%) donor class. Last month, we brought OpenSecrets Executive Director Hilary Braseth to our Q3 Leadership Series conversation on Zoom, and it was good to see many of you there. Hillary showed how OpenSecrets tracks and reports on spending in federal and state elections.
You can catch up on The Leadership Series: A Conversation with OpenSecrets’ Hilary Braseth below:
This quarter, our fast-growing team welcomed two new members to the development staff.
Carolina Brandão Hojaij joins as the director of the ambassador program. Members of our ambassador program are American Promise investors who not only help fund our work but also connect their networks to our work, bringing friends, family and peers to learn about and support American Promise. Carolina is excited to work with all of you to expand our ambassador program around the country. Formerly, she held leadership roles at St. Francis College, Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation and St. John’s University, her alma mater, building relationships with high-net-worth individuals and scaling volunteer programs for organizational impact.
Elliott Mendes joins as the director of principal gifts and is expanding American Promise partnerships with major donors, family foundations, donor-advised funds and others. Elliott previously served as the national development and finance director at Democratic Majority for Israel, COO of the Israel Project, and held multiple leadership roles at American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Carolina: Director of ambassador program at American Promise.
Elliott: Director of principal giving at American Promise.
Carolina: I love to travel—it’s how I connect with the world and with myself. Exploring new places, both abroad and here at home, helps me understand what drives us as people and what binds us together.
I’m also a bit of a theater geek. I love immersing myself in the world of theater, especially when it intersects with the things I care deeply about, like politics.
Elliott: I have young kids, so raising them takes an enormous amount of time and effort, but I do enjoy it as well. And obviously cheering for The Ohio State University football team.
Carolina: I feel like I’m equal parts hopeful and worried.
Elliott: I’m going to echo what Carolina said, which is that while there’s a lot to be concerned about, there’s also a lot of opportunity to do good and to fulfill the American Promise.
Carolina: I’d have to go with Margaret Thatcher—not so much for her policies, but because she shattered so many glass ceilings. She was a nontraditional leader in many ways, yet held very traditional views. Even though she was rejected from several jobs for being too obstinate and opinionated, she persevered. And after multiple failed attempts, she finally made it into Parliament and became the first woman to lead a British political party, eventually rising to prime minister. We may not always agree with her decisions, but there’s a lot to admire about her resilience and “Iron Lady” spirit. Plus, we share the same birthday, which is a fun little connection!
Elliott: I’m a big Harry Truman fan. From his everyman roots running a haberdashery, to assuming the office of president of the United States, I think President Truman was one of our great presidents and someone I would enjoy hanging out with.
Carolina: For me, it boils down to experiencing some of that hopelessness, especially in an election year. When I discovered American Promise—a cross-partisan movement that unites people with diverse voices and beliefs—it was incredibly inspiring. It showed me that there is more that connects us than divides us. I knew then that I wanted to work for a cause that not only would bring a lot of different people with different backgrounds working together toward a common issue, but also that would strengthen our democracy for the better.
Elliott: We have an enormous amount of challenges in this country and things we need to address, and one of the things we’ve lost, frankly, is the ability to govern ourselves responsibly. There’s no silver bullet for all of this, but there are things that need to happen, and the mission of American Promise, passing this constitutional amendment—the For Our Freedom Amendment—does not cure everything, it does not get us out of a situation that we did not get into overnight, but it’s a necessary and critical first step. The work that’s being done here, the foundation that’s been laid, is really remarkable, and to be a part of the history of passing the first constitutional amendment in decades is incredibly meaningful, and we’re all fortunate to be part of it.
Subscribe to our Campaign Finance Roundup to stay up-to-date on real life stories showing the influence of dark money in elections across the country, such as:
If you haven’t done so, contact Liz Harvey at lizh@americanpromise.net to learn how you can make a commitment to invest in American Promise’s growth and expansion in new states and in Washington. It’s an all-hands-on-deck opportunity to make history in the next few years!
Contact our Director of Ambassador Program Carolina Hojaij at carolinah@americanpromise.net to learn how you can become an American Promise ambassador. Our ambassadors are funders and allies dedicated to expanding our network and introducing others to the American Promise movement.
Join our grassroots volunteers by contacting Director of Mobilization Mike Monetta at mikem@americanpromise.net. Opportunities include everything from talking with neighbors and colleagues to writing letters to the editor and gathering pledges from elected officials.
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