While PeacePAC is involved in nearly twenty races this cycle and we are continuously seeking candidates that embody a forward-thinking approach to national security and arms control, these 10 candidates represent an important vanguard for common sense on defense and foreign policy issues,� said Guy Stevens, director of PeacePAC. “Winning these races is critical to maintaining a thoughtful approach to foreign policy in the halls of Congress.�
The list includes 5 incumbents, 3 challengers and 2 candidates running in seats held by retiring Members. These races are in nine states: California, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
An important component used in determining the group’s targets is PeacePAC’s 2013 Voting Scorecard. “The scorecard looks at important votes on ending the war in Afghanistan, holding programs that waste taxpayer dollars to a higher standard, and funding programs that keep dangerous nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists,� added Stevens.
The incumbents are Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY01), Rep. Ann Marie Kuster (D-NH02), Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ09), Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN08), and Rep. John Tierney (D-MA06). On the scorecard, Reps. Bishop, Kuster, Nolan and Tierney earned a 100 percent.
Each endorsed challenger has a strong chance of unseating incumbents that have bleak voting records when it comes to sensible and responsibility national security priorities. “As an organization, we take pride in only endorsing candidates that share our vision and have a strong chance of winning in November,� noted Stevens. “We don’t ask our supporters to back a candidate that has no or little chance of winning. We look for good candidates running good races in winnable districts.�
Jim Mowrer is challenging Rep. Steve King (R) in Iowa’s 4th Congressional district; Rep. King managed to earn a 10 percent on the scorecard. Mowrer is a veteran of the Iraq War and the Pentagon. He begins in-depth knowledge and expertise to the race and understands the bloated nature of the Pentagon and the tragedy of failed diplomacy.
Martha Robertson is taking on Rep. Tom Reed (R) in New York’s 23rd Congressional district; Rep. Reed earned a 20 percent in PeacePAC’s 2013 scorecard. Robertson is a rising star in New York politics with the ability to win a competitive race in the working class and college-heavy district.
Kevin Strouse is running against Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R) in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional district; Rep. Fitzpatrick also earned a 20 percent on the scorecard. Strouse is another veteran seeking to bring his perspective to a Congress in desperate need of a reality check on national security and veterans’ issues.
Finally, the two candidates running in seat held by retiring Members offers an opportunity to replace Members with abysmal voting records: Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA25) with 10 percent and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA10) with 20 percent. Dr. Lee Rogers is looking to pick up the seat Rep. McKeon is vacating after more than twenty years and John Foust is looking to take over the northern Virginia seat the Rep. Wolf has held since 1981.
In the first quarter of 2014, PeacePAC raised more than $50,000 for its nineteen endorsed candidates in 11 states.
“This year, we have a slate of exciting and fresh candidates that are truly speaking to our traditional donors and opening up access to new donors,� said Usha Sahay, director of digital outreach. “Our donors see this election as an opportunity to bring more common sense to Congress and have a positive debate that advances American and global security. Today they are speaking with their generous contributions and in November, they will speak at the ballot box.�
PeacePAC was founded in 1981 by former Representative Father Robert F. Drinan (D-MA) and has helped elect 226 candidates to the House of Representatives. Eighty-five members of the 113th Congress are PeacePAC endorsees. Over the last three election cycles, PeacePAC has raised more than $2 million for its endorsed candidates.
###
Council for a Livable World is a non-partisan advocacy organization dedicated to increasing national security, particularly through reducing of the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation. The Council advocates for a strong and sensible national security policy and helps elect congressional candidates supporting those ideals.
