Hey John,
This week, Sunrise made it clear: if Democratic leadership won’t meet the moment, young people will. And the national press took notice.
Here’s what the headlines are saying. They’re saying young people are “fed up with Democratic leadership.” That we’re launching one of the most ambitious primary programs in our organization’s history. That we’re ready to clear house and fight for a new generation of leaders who will take on the climate crisis, the affordability crisis, and the rising authoritarianism threatening our future.
They’re right.
We cannot wait for permission to fight. So we’re building our own bench of bold, movement-rooted candidates who will be this new generation of leaders.
Will you become a sustaining donor and give $26/month to power Sunrise’s youth-led primary program?
This week, we endorsed our first 2026 primary candidates — William Lawrence in MI-07 and Robert Peters in IL-02. Both are organizers who understand that people are hungry for real change, not another round of centrist messaging. Their communities are dealing with rising utility bills, data center expansions that strain local infrastructure, and the economic fallout of rolling back clean energy investments.
We’re stepping in to help elect a new wave of lawmakers who understand that climate, economic justice, and defeating authoritarianism are one fight, and that this moment demands transformative leadership, not the same failed strategies.
But here’s the truth: taking on the political establishment, in both parties, will take all of us. We’re up against corporate PACs, conservative mega-donors, and a Democratic machine determined to hold onto the status quo.
The headlines recognize the moral shift we’re demanding. Now it’s time to rise to it.
In Solidarity,
Aru
