Letter: Humboldt Progressive Democrats Endorse Candidates in June Primary Election

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Humboldt Progressive Democrats is pleased to endorse the following candidates in the upcoming June 2^nd primary election:

• Humboldt County Supervisor, 5th District: Mary Burke
• California State Senate District 2: Damon Connolly
• California Congressional District 1: Audrey Denney
• California State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Nichelle Henderson

This election will be key toward keeping our progressive majority on the Board of Supervisors, as well as electing working-class champions in other races. As noted by Chair Hélène Rouvier, “These candidates are committed to our progressive values of economic and environmental justice, coalition building in our rural region, and health care and housing as a human right. They will work for us, not the corporate bad actors who have bought all too many politicians.”

Mary Burke will focus on collaboration and shared community values in our largely rural District 5. Her priorities include disaster preparedness, economic development, and partnerships with local business, Tribal governments, community groups and other stakeholders. Solutions are community driven, not top down, bringing people together to find common ground. With a science-based background and extensive local experience, she knows how to work together to build a better Humboldt for all of us. https://www.burkeforsupervisor.com/

Damon Connolly is currently District 12 Assemblymember to the south of us and chairs the Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. He has championed environmental issues and justice throughout California and in particular on the North Coast. Damon understands the unique situation we face, being on the front lines of sea level rise as well as extreme weather events. As such he continues to successfully draft, introduce, and pass legislation dealing with fire mitigation, sustainable agriculture, flooding, and healthy forests. He is also a principal co-author of CalCare (AB1900), establishing single payer policy in California. https://www.damonconnolly.com/

Audrey Denney is a scientist, educator, non-profit leader, and human rights activist in the newly redrawn Congressional District 1. As a progressive in a solidly red region, she has extensive experience with rural voters who typically distrust government, and in particular the Democratic Party. She knows how to listen, to engage with different viewpoints, and to collaborate across Party lines. She is passionate about climate change – focusing on returning the health of our forests and implementing regenerative agricultural practices in a region defined by Federal lands and multi-generational family farms. She also unapologetically refuses corporate $, opposes the genocide in Gaza, and supports single payer health care, human rights, and the working class. https://audreyforcongress.com/

Nichelle Henderson is a progressive Black woman and teacher with many years in the classroom as well as in other public education roles. She is the only candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction who publicly stepped up in opposition to AB715 (the censorship bill in the guise of countering antisemitism). She also supports single-payer healthcare, universal basic income, a billionaire tax to make billionaires pay their fair share, abolishing ICE, CalPERS divestment from fossil fuels, divestment from ongoing genocides in Palestine, the Congo, and Sudan, divestment from the U.S. war machine, and reparations. Nichelle is the no-nonsense candidate rooted in real life lessons and will fight to provide hi-quality education to all students including in our often-underserved rural schools. https://www.hendersonforcasuperintendent.org/

Humboldt Progressive Democrats is an official Democratic Party Club, chartered by the Humboldt County Central Committee. We are grassroots, progressive activists mobilizing political participation for social, environmental, & economic justice. Our vision is a free, open, transparent election process where electeds, candidates, and legislation can focus on achieving public needs, free from corporate money and influence. Please join us in making progressive change locally and beyond. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/groups/HumboldtProgressiveDems.

Helene Rouvier

Chairperson

Humboldt Progressive Democrats