Three House Recommendations

In this election season, one of the most common questions I get is, “Where should I donate?” Many people, understandably, act emotionally—giving money to opponents of hateful GOP representatives who, sadly, don’t have much chance of defeating an entrenched incumbent protected by gerrymandered district lines. Or to their own home district Democrat who is already fairly safe.

That’s why for the House it’s important to focus on the gettable House seats. I work with two groups: the Human Rights Campaign’s AANHPI working group and George Takei’s Fight for Five campaign, which have each picked House races to back. Three of those races overlap, so I’m recommending them here. This will help your donation dollars be more strategic.

Think of the House majority as both an insurance policy and a way forward. If Donald Trump were to win again (heavens forbid, but if) we would definitely want to hold at least ONE chamber of Congress to prevent him from enacting the worst legislation. The best chance to do that is to take back the House, which the GOP controls by a threadbare majority.

On the other hand, if Kamala Harris were to win, she will want to press forward with a progressive legislative agenda, even if we don’t keep a Senate majority. There may be many things that an evenly divided Senate could accept, at least within the budget. And a Democratic House could launch investigations into corruption and even impeach a Supreme Court justice like Clarence Thomas.

I know, but a guy can dream, right?

The candidates that both my HRC Working Group and Team Takei back include three excellent people to support: Mondaire Jones in NY-17, Will Rollins in CA-41, and Derek Tran in CA-45. I asked the staff at HRC to create a special link that donates your money evenly among all three of these candidates and Kamala Harris (be sure if you don’t want to keep giving to Harris that you adjust this manually by clicking “customize” amounts). All of your money goes directly to the candidate’s campaigns! You can donate at this button:

Need a bit more info? Here’s my team’s write-ups on these three excellent red to blue seat House opportunities:

Will Rollins (CA-41) narrowly lost to Republican Ken Calvert in 2022 in this Southern California district. Rollins is a former federal prosecutor who has spent his career taking on counterterrorism cases and working to keep Inland Empire residents safe. For five years, Will served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section of the National Security Division, where he helped prosecute some of the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. Additionally, he helped the FBI respond to threats from ISIS, the Sinaloa cartel, and Al Qaeda terrorists. Will was the Democratic nominee for Congress in CA-41 in 2022, and significantly overperformed the fundamentals of the district, coming closer than any candidate has to unseating the 30-year incumbent Ken Calvert in over a decade—and he’ll finish the job this November.

Derek Tran (CA-45) a US Army vet and the son of Vietnamese refugees running to unseat Michelle Steel. Derek is the son of Vietnamese refugees who fled a communist regime for the promise of the American Dream. A father of three, U.S. Army veteran, and small business owner, Derek deeply understands what’s at stake for Southern California’s working-class families—from the cost of living and prescription drugs to the threats on reproductive freedom and our democracy at large—and is well-equipped to advocate for their concerns in Congress. As a consumer rights attorney, he spent years fighting on behalf of workers getting ripped off and discriminated against by corporations, an experience that further shaped his call to service. Orange County families deserve a representative who will work for them instead of protecting special interests and playing partisan games, and Derek is equipped to deliver that message to the voters in this diverse Biden +6.8 district with a broad coalition of support, impressive fundraising apparatus, and compelling contrast with the far-right incumbent.

Mondaire Jones (NY-17) is a former House member who is running in the redrawn NY-17 against first term Republican Mike Lawler. Mondaire was raised in Section 8 housing in Rockland County by a single mother. A former litigator for Westchester County, Mondaire defended correctional officers and helped make communities safer by taking guns away from dangerous people. Mondaire was a member of the most productive Congress in modern history, capping prescription drug costs for seniors and delivering hundreds of millions of dollars to the Lower Hudson Valley for schools, housing, and health care. He also delivered record law enforcement funding to support our police officers, staunchly defended Israel, and worked to block members of Congress from getting rich off the stock market. Now, Mondaire is running to return to Congress to finish the work he started to lower costs for everyday people, defend democracy, improve public safety, and stop Republicans from banning abortion.

Give to the House races today if you can, and make your donation go farther by donating through this link.

We can take back the House and buy that insurance policy—or press forward with real, lasting change—if we act now.

Thank you, and have a great Sunday!

Jay