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Democrat Rob Quist was defeated by Republican Greg Gianforte Thursday night in a special election for Montanas at-large congressional seat, a state President Donald Trump won by 20 points in November. A progressive movement largely inspired by Bernie Sanders, however, rallied to bring Thursdays race within single digits.

Montana is considered a deep red state. Yet Quist ran as a progressive endorsed by Sen. Sanders and campaignedon positions to the left of the Democratic Party. He only lost by 6 points. That is a silver lining for progressives.

Last weekwas also a big week for the progressive movement in two local elections in New York and New Hampshire.

Democrats flipped two red districts in state house races last week. School teacherChristine Pellegrino upset Republican challenger Tom Gargiulo in a special election for the 9thAssembly District in New York. Pellegrino was a Bernie Sanders delegate during the Democratic presidential primary and ran on a progressive platform.

Her win marks a huge turn around in the Long Island district that voted for Trump by twenty-three points last fall. Republican Joseph Saladino, the last occupier of the Assembly seat, won his last re-election over his Democratic opponent, 69-31.

Pellegrino carried the district last Tuesday, 58-42. The newly elected Democrat told Newsday, This is for all the supporters and voters who understand a strong progressive agenda is the way forward in New York.

Thatsame night, in New Hampshire, Democrat Edie DesMarais pulled off a huge upset victory in Carroll County District 6 over Republican Matthew Plache. Trump won the same district in November by 7 points, and Mitt Romney won the district by 13 points in 2012.

According to the local Democratic Party, DesMarais is the first Democrat to ever be elected in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. DesMarais, running on a progressive platform, stated that she believes in affordable, universal health care, as well as raising the minimum wage so that full-time workers can earn a livable wage.

While the Democrats are yet to win a national race since Trumps election, narrowly losing special elections in Kansas and Montana, these two local racesprovide hope for progressives looking to capitalize on President Trumps low approval ratings.

Many attribute these races to simply being part of an anti-Trump backlash. Yet polling indicates that there is a strong appetite among the public for progressive policies.

According to a Gallup poll, 58% of Americans support a federally funded, single-payer health care system. Sixty-two percent support tuition free college. A strong majority of Americans also favor raising the minimum wage, with 59% supporting a $12 minimum wage, and almost half supporting a $15 minimum.

Culminating all that, a recent Harvard-Harris poll found that Bernie Sanders is the most popular active politician. While the Democratic establishment seeks to rebuild after last Novembers shocking loss to Donald Trump, the progressive grassroots movement is gaining plenty of momentum at the local level.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

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Rise of the Progressives? Millions of Voters Still "Feeling the Bern" Nationwide - IVN News

In the aftermath of the Democratic National Committee unapologetically rigging its primaries against progressive Bernie Sanders supporters in 2016, a growing number of progressives and young voters are choosing to leave the Democratic Party, citing irreparable corruption.

Many others, however, believe the best way to fight back is to effect a hostile takeover of the party from within. The fact that we have these competing views is not a problem. What is a problem is the prevailing assumption among both factions that these two strategies are mutually exclusive. I dont believe that they are.

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Looking In: Berniecrats and #DemExit Progressives need to work together - Santa Fe New Mexican

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Saturday, May 27, 2017

GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle

President Trump's budget contains $200 billion for infrastructure funding.

Now, Progressive Democrats are pushing for a infrastructure investment and jobs campaign that specifically addresses replacing lead pipes, which would include Rhode Island -- and demand specific stipulations for direct public investment.

Could funding set aside by Trump - and pressure from the Democrats -- help clean up lead in Providence's water?

Prov Water's Lead Issues

The Providence Water Supply Board warned customers in the summer of 2016 that it found elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some homes and buildings, and told customers "they might want to have their drinking water tested."

"I have always said this is an issue that people don't take seriously enough. The data are clear on the correlation between high lead and high crime," said progressive activist Sam Bell. "Rhode Island has high blood lead levels - and that's from lead in houses, soil, and in the water."

"Everyone talks about how to cut, not how to invest -- but there are high costs [associated with lead], from impacting education, increasing crime, and reducing economic output," said Bell. "We need to spend this money. We have no choice. We can't keep poisoning the children of Providence, I'm always surprised how blas people are about the crisis."

In March, the Trump Administration announced $100 million to Flint, Michigan for water infrastructure upgrades under the EPA and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which officials say will receive "robust funding" under the Trump budget proposal.

Pressure from Progressive Dems

"With elevated lead levels in Providence due to old water pipes: Democrats Kick Off Massive Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Campaign in Rhode Island & Congress," announced the grassroots Millions of Jobs Coalition along with Congressional Progressive Caucus members on Friday, unveiling 10 principles that they say "must be true of any jobs plan that passes into law."

The Progressive Democrats are pushing to ensure direct investment by the federal government -- and not privatization, which they say is at the heart of the Trump plan.

Aaron Regunberg was listed among those Rhode Islanders behind the national progressive Democrat initiative.

An analysis released by the office of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), however, cites $206 billion in cuts to an array of existing infrastructure programs included in Trumps budget document over the coming decade.

John Czwartacki, communications director for the Office of Management and Budget, said Schumer misunderstood the Trump administration's aims and unfairly characterized a major spending reduction.

Senator Schumer is missing the point of the infrastructure initiative, Czwartacki said. Our budget intends to dedicate $200 billion in federal funding to improve infrastructure but also to re-engineer the way our programs work to maximize co-investment from state, local and private parties and ensure that we can stretch all those dollars further by eliminating red tape.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus resolution, announced Thursday, put for 10 principles that they said "must be true of any jobs plan":

*Invest in creating millions of new jobs. *Prioritize public investment over corporate giveaways and selling off public goods. *Ensure that direct public investment provides the overwhelming majority of the funds for infrastructure improvement. *Prioritize racial and gender equity, environmental justice, and worker protections. *Embrace 21st century clean-energy jobs *Protect wages, expand Buy American provisions, encourage project labor agreements, and prioritize the needs of disadvantaged communities -- both urban and rural. *Ensure the wealthiest Americans and giant corporations who reap the greatest economic benefit from public goods pay their fair share for key investments. *It must not be paid for at the expense of Social Security and other vital programs. *It must not weaken or repeal existing rules and laws protecting our environment, worker safety. wages, or equity hiring practices. *Prioritize resilient infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters and cyber or physical attacks

Bell said he would be concerned if privatization attempts resulting in a non-governmental corporation taking over Providence water -- which he said would harm efforts to clean up lead.

"If you have a private corporation, they won't address concerns like lead poisoning -- this is a big part of the reason why water privatization is dangerous," said Bell. "You need Democrats to hold people accountable. And especially when there's a natural monopoly it should not be privately owned. Every time it's been tried, it's been an unmitigated disaster.

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Could RI Progressives & Trump Team Up to Cleanup Lead in Providence Water? - GoLocalProv

Common Dreams

Fiscal Fightback: Trump's Budget Could Ignite Progressive Uprising Common Dreams President Trump's budget proposala fiscal assault on everything other than rich people and the militarycould prove to be progressives' ultimate trump card. With its deep cuts to vital programs and protections for low-income and working-class people ... As Trump wages war on the poor, progressives must play more than defenseIdaho Statesman Kelly Hawes column: Let's turn down the volume and talkThe Herald Bulletin President Trump's Growth BudgetNational Review Washington Free Beacon -The Hill -Politico all 190 news articles »

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Fiscal Fightback: Trump's Budget Could Ignite Progressive Uprising - Common Dreams

If you asked Wendy Carrillo three months ago, the California Democratic Partys endorsement of Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez in the crowded race for Los Angeles 34th Congressional District was a coronation, the result of dirty tricks being played by establishment politicians.

What the Democratic political establishment is telling us is, We know bestIts Jimmys turn to represent this district, read a letter of protest signed by Carrillo and five other primary candidates who were angry about the partys endorsement process.

But on a recent Saturday, Carrillo stood shoulder to shoulder with Gomez at a Mexican restaurant in Boyle Heights, encouraging her supporters to back him over attorney Robert Lee Ahn.

After a bruising primary that saw Gomez pegged as the candidate of the party establishment, he has since received support from 10 of his former opponents and some of the progressive groups they courted. That could be key in a district that supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in last years presidential race.

While none of the Sanders-affiliated candidates made it through the congressional primary, Gomezs moves to appeal to their supporters could be an indicator of the growing influence of the partys reenergized left flank. And after the weekends California Democratic Party convention, where progressive activists engaged in a show of force with repeated protests and a contested chairs race, it could be a smart move.

Gomez is one of two Democrats in the runoff to replace Xavier Becerra, who vacated the seat to become Californias attorney general. Ahn is running as an outsider who says hell combat politics as usual. Gomez has tried to paint Ahn, a former Republican, as too moderate for the deep-blue district.

Despite Sanders success there, voters who support his agenda failed to coalesce behind one candidate in the primary for the special election. Carrillo and two other hopefuls who often invoked Sanders name split the vote and received a combined total of just 20%.

Since then, Gomez has tried to turn the focus to his progressive bona fides in an attempt to attract those voters. Gomez, who has been in the Legislature since 2012 and has received endorsements from dozens of elected officials including Becerra and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, has highlighted his more left-leaning support in recent weeks.

In addition to Carrillo, hes rolled out endorsements from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, co-chaired by former Democratic National Committee chairman candidate Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota; Democracy for America, a group that previously backed Carrillo; and the California Nurses Assn./National Nurses United, a major ally of Sanders that supported Gomezs former opponent Arturo Carmona, a former Sanders campaign aide.

Earlier this month, Gomez capped off the string of announcements with a highly sought-after endorsement from Our Revolution, the political group launched by Sanders himself. And just after the state Democratic Party convention last weekend, Gomez joined a newly formed progressive legislative caucus.

The Bernie vote is becoming more and more important as time goes on, said Maclen Zilber, a strategist who helped run the short-lived campaign of former assembly speaker John A. Perez for the seat.

For Gomez, thought to be the front-runner in the race, it makes sense to fight the air of inevitability by highlighting where his views closely align with those held by progressive voters, Zilber said. Thats especially true in a special election, where turnout is expected to dip even lower than the 14% seen in the April primary.

Theres not a whole lot of milquetoast middle-of-the-road voters who turn out in a special election, Zilber said.

Ahn has seized on running as an outsider, calling Gomez a professional politicianfinanced by Sacramento special interests. An independent expenditure campaign launched by an Ahn donor has highlighted campaign cash Gomez received from pharmaceutical companies, Monsanto and payday lenders.

But Gomez and his allies have highlighted his record supporting progressive causes in the Legislature, including helping pass a bill to expand paid family leave, co-writing a proposal to strengthen requirements for campaign ad disclosures and supporting a single-payer healthcare bill thats become a rallying point for progressives in California.

They look at me, and yes, Im the current elected official, but Ive also advocated for almost every issue they care about, Gomez said in an interview. The money doesnt buy me and it never willPeople should hold elected officials accountable for how they vote. Period.

Carrillo said she met with Gomez shortly after the primary before deciding to endorse him.

I wanted to make sure that he was going to be outspoken, but ultimately Jimmy and I share the same values, Carrillo said. Im hoping that with my support and with the support of the people who voted for me, we can also push him to that level.

After her endorsement, Carrillo said she received criticism from some of her supporters, including one who questioned how she could go from being anti-establishment to a cheerleader for the establishment.

Rudy Montalvo, a longtime Boyle Heights activist who supported Carmona in the primary, said he struggled at first with the idea of supporting Gomez.

I lost a lot of faith in the Democratic Party because of how it had been steered, said Montalvo, a Sanders backer whos still upset about last years presidential primary.

But Montalvo didnt like the fact that Ahn was once a Republican, calling him a flip-flopper. Once he read more about Gomezs record, Montalvo said, he also appreciated the assemblymans roots as a union organizer.

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Progressives decried Jimmy Gomez's 'coronation' in LA's congressional primary. Now they're lining up behind him - Los Angeles Times