The Collective PAC Endorses Four More Candidates to Send to Capitol Hill

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Collective PAC, the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation, and power across all levels of government  —  endorsed State Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson for the United States Senate and State Senator Erica Smith, State Representative Emilia Sykes, and U.S. Representative Shontel Brown for the United States Congress.

 

• State Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson is running to represent Alaska in the United States Senate. Senator Jackson has spent the last 15 years serving the people of Alaska, first as a member and Vice-Chair of the Anchorage Municipal Assembly and currently in the Alaska State Senate. She aspires to increase the minimum wage and make healthcare more accessible and affordable. If elected, Sen. Gray-Jackson will be the first Black senator to represent Alaska in the U.S. Senate. 

 

• State Senator Erica Smith (NC – 01) is running to represent North Carolina’s first congressional district. Senator Smith spent her entire life fighting to make life better for North Carolinians, first in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, then as a teacher and minister, and finally, as an elected official serving North Carolina in the State Senate. Now she is running for Congress to make sure the government works for all of us instead of just the wealthy few.  

 

• State Representative Emilia Sykes (OH – 13) currently represents  Ohio’s 34th State House District and is the former Ohio House Minority Leader. Rep. Sykes is a proud graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Juris  Doctor Degree with a Certificate in Family Law and a Master of Public Health from the University of Florida. Rep. Sykes is running to represent Ohio’s 13th Congressional district and uplift and improve access to affordable, quality healthcare, and create more economic opportunities in Northeast Ohio. 

 

• U.S. Representative Shontel Brown (OH – 11) is a native Clevelander and the current representative of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. During her term, she has expanded broadband Internet access to improve learning, sought additional health services for senior citizens, and brought economic opportunities to the district; with this re-election, she plans to end gun violence, create equity and inclusion in healthcare, and strengthen criminal justice reform in the community. 

Founders of The Collective PAC, Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, released the following statement:

“The Collective PAC is proud to add this slate of candidates to our ever-growing list of changemakers; we now have endorsed seven candidates for the U.S. Senate and 28 candidates for the House of Representatives. Each of these extraordinary women are experienced legislators who have spent years fighting to advocate for their communities and they all understand what it takes to get things done in Washington. We are proud to have them join the growing multitude of Black candidates on the ballot for this midterm election and their elections help move us one step closer to achieving equity within government.” 

 

 

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.