by Be_Devine [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Mark Leno finished the night with an incredibly strong showing.  With 100% of the precincts now reporting, Mark Leno won the election with 43 percent of the vote.  Joe Nation had 29 percent and the incumbent, Carole Migden, had 27 percent.

Congratulations, Mark, on a campaign that was both well fought and very well received.

At his victory party last night, Mark Leno spoke directly to the divide that this primary contest has created in the progressive community and in the LGBT community.  He called on all of us to put this primary behind us and come together in unity to begin to fight the heinous anti-marriage initiative that is on the ballot in November.  And he is right.  If we (meaning both Mark's supporters and Carole's supporters) can keep the momentum and harness the passion that has been poured into this race from both sides and apply that to fighting this discriminatory initiative, we will certainly prevail in November.  

I hope Senator Migden joins Mark's call for uniting together as a community for this important goal.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Progressive Framing Think Tank to Close Doors April 30

By Frank D. Russo

The following letter has just been received announcing the end of the Rockridge Era.

The Rockridge Institute was founded with a mission: to teach Americans about the role of values and framing in political debate, and to help progressives equalize the framing advantages enjoyed by conservatives. With your help, Rockridge has done more than any small think tank could be expected to do. About 1,000 of you have donated to support our efforts. More than 8,000 have registered as members of Rockridge Nation to engage actively with us. And hundreds of thousands, both in the US and abroad, have bought our books and used our materials. If you are one of those hundreds of thousands, political discourse will now look different to you. As you read the newspapers and the blogs and watch TV, you can see the effects of our work everywhere. Your support has made that possible. For this and so much more, you have our complete admiration and gratitude.

Nonetheless, the Rockridge era will come to an end on April 30.

What we have written will remain as archives on our websites www.rockridgeinstitute.org and www.rockridgenation.org.

by Patrick Briggs [courtesy of Blog for America]

Pasadena DFA had their Chapter meeting last week and used it as an opportunity to get behind a local issue. It's progressive, community-oriented, and will make a lot of people's lives in the San Gabriel Valley better - light rail.

by Jeff Gardner [courtesy of Blog for America]

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Last Tuesday, more than 800 people came together for our free conference call training on the power of neighbor-to-neighbor organizing. It is not too late to join in and learn how to develop power for change in your neighborhood. Tonight, DFA Night School returns to teach how to recruit and build a committed team of activists in your neighborhood:

Precinct Organizing: Recruiting Your Team
Tuesday, September 18 - 8:30pm Eastern

RSVP Today: 
http://www.dfalink.com/precinctrecruiting

With 203,000 neighborhood precincts in America, developing a strategy to win them all is no small feat. And you don't have to do it alone. Our strategy builds a progressive community in

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Last Tuesday, more than 800 people came together for our free conference call training on the power of neighbor-to-neighbor organizing. It is not too late to join in and learn how to develop power for change in your neighborhood. This Tuesday, Night School returns to teach how to recruit and build a committed team of activists in your neighborhood:

Precinct Organizing: Recruiting Your Team
Tuesday, September 18 - 8:30pm Eastern

RSVP Today: 
http://www.dfalink.com/precinctrecruiting

With 203,000 neighborhood precincts in America, developing a strategy to win them all is no small feat. And you don't have to do it alone. Our strategy builds a progressive community in every neighborhood. Tuesday evening we'll reveal the tactics and teach the specifics you'll need to create a People-Powered America:

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Last night in Saratoga, I was reminded of just how much DFA members can do.  We drove down from DFA Headquarters yesterday to attend a fundraiser for Val Keehn, one of our very first training alums.  Val went to a training in Cazenovia, NY, ran for mayor of Saratoga Springs in 2005 and won!  DFA leaders from Glens Falls and Albany came together to throw her a bash and celebrate the development of a strong progressive community. 

First Jim Dean spoke, and then Val.  Their message was clear:  our progressive community is strong.  From our 600,000 members, to our 750 groups, to our 13,000 people trained, to our candidates that are running for office across America – we are developing strong leaders that will put the political process back in the hands of the people. 

Val Keehn is one of those leaders, and you could be one too!  Join a group, get trained, run for office. Democracy for America is behind you, 100%.