Fighting for Equal Representation
Throughout 2022, The Collective PAC will provide pertinent updates every month on Black candidates running nationwide, results of key research projects and groundbreaking initiatives we’ll be undertaking as we increase Black political engagement, representation and power across all levels of government.
Groundbreaking Candidates
As state legislatures around the country enact restrictive laws to gut voting rights, promote radical policies impacting schools and public health, and Congress continues to stall on enacting meaningful policies to progress our country forward, it has never been more evident this is the time to elect leaders who are ready to take action through powerful policy decisions. To this end, The Collective PAC – the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation, and power – is working to close the representation gap of Black people at all levels of government. Since our founding in 2016, the Collective has supported the election of 300 Black leaders to local, state and federal positions.
The Collective PAC’s Investment and Impact
In 2021, The Collective PAC provided more than $507,000 in direct contributions to our endorsed candidates with $158,000 of that amount contributed to candidates on the ballot in 2022. The investment was given directly to the campaigns so they can establish and grow their voter outreach and engagement initiatives. Additionally, we’ve highlighted the various campaigns through our email and social media platforms and will promote volunteer opportunities to support our candidates’ campaigns on our new Volunteer Board.
January in Review
This January we had the historic inaugurations of Ed Gainey as mayor of Pittsburgh, PA, Ken Welch as mayor of St. Petersburg, FL and Sharetta Smith as mayor of Lima, OH who all became the first Black mayors of their respective cities. January also saw the inauguration of Justin Bibb as Mayor of Cleveland, OH, Eric Adams as Mayor of New York, and Alvin Bragg as New York County District Attorney. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) was seated in the US House of Representatives after winning the special election to complete the term of Alcee Hastings. Judge Holly A. Thomas was confirmed as United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.
The Work Ahead
So far this cycle, The Collective PAC has endorsed 47 candidates for local, state and federal offices, with an ultimate goal of endorsing 250 leaders in 2022. Our top priorities this year are to elect Black women to the U.S. Senate and Governors’ offices, expand the Democratic majority in both chambers of Congress, and expand Black representation across all levels of government.
Specifically, our in-state work will be focused on 7 priority states: Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin; a combination of traditional battleground states with large Black voter populations, states that present the best opportunities to elect Black candidates to the U.S. Senate and statewide offices, as well as help maintain Democratic majorities in Congress.
We will also be active participants in the U.S. Supreme Court confirmation process of the country’s first Black woman Justice.
The Collective PAC’s 2022 Endorsed Candidates
(as of 1/31/2022)
U.S. Senate
Congressional Incumbents
Congressional Challengers
Statewide
State and Local
ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE PAC
The Collective PAC is working to create an America where Black people are equally represented at every level of government. The Collective PAC is strategically focused on creating a truly equitable democracy where our nation’s local, state and federal governments have diverse and talented elected leadership and Black people are fully represented in positions of power to create the policies necessary to progress our communities forward. Over the past five years, The Collective PAC has successfully helped 300 Black candidates win elections across the United States.