Black candidates received a significant boost in the 2018 midterm elections due to the strategy of the Collective PAC. Founded in 2016, by husband-and-wife team Quentin James and Stefanie Brown James, the Collective PAC is a Political Action Committee whose mission is to build Black political power by raising money for clack candidates. The growing Collective PAC is concentrating its attention and growth technique to get more black candidates elected at the local, state, and federal level during the 2020 election.
$2 Million on Black Voter Turnout in Florida
In 2018, The Collective PAC worked hard to elect a record number of Black candidates as new progressive leaders all across the country. During that year’s midterm elections, the PAC emerged as a national player by spending nearly $2 million on TV ads to boost the black voter turnout in Florida. That investment added serious value to the gubernatorial campaign of young Andrew Gillum, almost succeeding in helping him become the state’s first black governor.
$6.5 Million to Support Black Candidates in 2018
From victories for black candidates like Ayanna Pressley’s in Massachusetts and Mandela Barnes’ in Wisconsin, to Stacey Abrams becoming the FIRST Black female nominee for governor, the Collective PAC worked with African American contributors and supporters to break down many barriers. All told, the Collective raised an impressive $6.5 million to support black candidates during the 2018 election.
Digital Strategy to Mobilize Black Voters
The PAC also launched a historic texting program that reached over two million black registered voters during the 2018 election with many respondents committing to vote. The program was part of an effort to convince black voters, including tech-savvy millennials, to vote and bring peers to the polls. The texting program helped the Collective encourage black voters in seven states to vote.
Black Political Power in the South
The black voter turnout in Gillum’s Florida race and Georgia’s Stacey Abrams Gubernatorial race, demonstrated convinvingly the potential political power of African Aerican voters in the Southern states. The power of the Southern Black vote was also demonstrated in Alabama’s US Senate race and the 2018 Mississippi US Senate race. Even though only the Alabama race achieved its ultimate goal, it is clear there is significant room for African American voters to grow in the Southern states.
Black Voters Key in Mississippi Governor and US Senate Races
Even though the 2019 Mississippi Governor’s race does not feature an African American candidate, a large turnout by black voters in Mississippi in 2019 could propel the Democrat to victory and pave the way for a rerun for the US Senate in 2020 by African American candidate and former US Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy.
Camapign School for Black Candidates and Operatives
The Collective is also launching a Black Campaign School initiative to prepare black candidates and black campaign operatives to run and win successful political campaigns. The PAC will be hosting six regional Black Campaign Schools and one national BCS conference. The goal is to train 2,000 black candidates and staffers through BCS’s in Cleveland, Houston, Las Vegas, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Columbia, South Carolina. In so doing, they hope to squash once and for all the narrative that there are no qualified black candidates and staffers to serve in senior-level campaigns, especially during presidential elections.
Goal: $12 Million by 2020 for Black Candidates
The PAC is also continuing to build a national network of donors of all ages and backgrounds who understand the importance of funding black candidates at levels that will help them win. The PAC hopes to raise $12 million by 2020, more than doubling its 2018 fundraising efforts.
This African American led political grop is definitely here to stay. Look for them to continue to use technology and other methods – including mobile texting, branding merchandise and fundraising to maintain a high level of African American involvement in the political process.
Black Candidate for President in 2020
As the nation prepares for the 2020 presidential elections, this relatively new African American PAC has been at the forefront of offering African American voters and contributors the opportunity to not only reject Donald Trump, but also elect black candidates at all levels and a Black leader for President who will bring the country together and represent all Americans.
The Collective PAC is appealing to African Americans to continue growing the grassroots support that built so much political power in, and for the Black community in 2018, so that African American voters can be represented at the top of the ticket in 2020.
Impressive 2018 Record of Victories by Black Candidates
Of the over $6.5 million the Collective raised to help Black candidates in 2018. the PAC spent $2.5 million on paid media online and on TV, and helped bring about nine federal candidate wins, nine statewide candidate wins, and ten state legislative and local wins.
Largest Grassroots Network of Supporters for Black Candidates
And that’s only the beginning. By refocusing their efforts on the road ahead to November 3, 2020, the Collective PAC plans to grow the largest grassroots network of supporters funding Black candidates.
Self Funding means Better Public Policy for Black Communities
Let’s be crystal clear, creating more opportunities for African American voters to fund and elect their candidates of choice, especially when those candidates are progressive African Americans, is a necessary step in achieving control over the decision making in our communities and improving the quality of life for African American citizens. Our voting strength is the key to making the system work for us by enacting public policies which address the systemic issues in our communities.
Support Black Candidates by Supporting The Collective PAC
The Collective PAC has taken a major step forward in tis direction, and their efforts deserve to be supported. Make a monthly contribution by going here. A small amount from each person added together equals a really big deal.
New Online Store
The Collective PAC now has a new online store. You can show (and wear) your support for The Collective by purchasing tee shirts and other Collective clothing.
Check out the merchandise using the link below. This is about to be your new favorite place to shop. Check it out today and wear your support for The Collective everywhere you go!
These clothes are union-printed, and the store has some of the best merch from their past events — along with some exciting new pieces, too.
Add your name with ours to say you want a Black candidate on the presidential ticket in 2020.