SPEAK OUT SENIORS
Take Action Now
In the present environment with the avalanche of challenges to our democracy that "flood the zone," Speak Out Seniors identifies key ACTIONS that seniors can take immediately to resist. Each of us can make a difference.
ACTIONS on the home page are our most recent recommendations based on developments.
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG!
POLITICAL DONOR ADVISORS
Mind The Gap (MTG)
DONATE: In the 2026 election cycle, nothing is more important than restoring Congress’ ability to exert its constitutional authority and serve as a real check on the Trump administration’s abuses. Mind the Gap (MTG) is focused on building a strong Democratic majority in the U.S. House. That fight begins in the primaries, where money and strategy can make an outsized impact. By intervening in primaries, we can strengthen the field of Democratic nominees in Republican-held and open districts, giving Democrats a far greater chance of winning the critical seats needed to achieve a significant majority.
Mind the Gap has announced a slate of seven primary candidates in key races where candidate quality will be decisive in November. Early investment in the right candidates is one of the most effective ways to shape outcomes—and we’re already seeing that impact, with MTG-backed candidate Bobby Pulido winning his primary in TX-15.
How to act now:
MTG 2026 endorses and encourages direct donations to the following primary candidates.
- Support our primary candidates: The individual limit is $3,500 per candidate in a primary and another $3,500 in the general election.
- Give to Project 218: For greater flexibility and impact—including for those able to give above candidate limits—this fund allows us to deploy resources where they matter most. We’re currently working to close a $3M gap.
- Support voter registration (EVC): A high-impact, targeted way to fund registration efforts in key areas through tax-deductible giving. (Note: please contact info@mtg.org if you need instructions on contributing from your DAF to EVC.)
If you contributed outside our links, please let us know at contributions@mtg.org so we can track the network’s impact.
Questions? Contact info@mtg.org.
TAKE BACK THE HOUSE & SENATE
The Importance of Early Support
The following lists highlight those who will be or are most likely to be
our candidates in November so that we can begin supporting
them now. Funds given now or in recurring increments from
now until November will be far more effective than the same
amount of financial support given in the fall. Here are some
reasons why early support is so important.
Campaigns can use early funds for hiring staff, building
infrastructure, and voter outreach — investments that compound
over months. A dollar in April is worth far more operationally
than a dollar in October. Early money allows candidates to hire
staff before the best campaign professionals get snapped up by
other races.
The FEC quarterly reporting matters enormously. Strong early
fundraising numbers signal viability to major donors, party
committees, and the media. A candidate with sizable funds
raised by June looks far more credible than one who raises it all
in October.
Campaigns love recurring donors because they can budget and
plan around predictable income.
By the fall, ads are extremely expensive. Costs spike as every
campaign floods the market simultaneously. Early money buys
the same ads at a fraction of the cost. Late donations often arrive
too late to be deployed effectively.
Democratic Candidates to Support in House Primaries (4/3/2026)
Primaries are important. Choosing candidates who align well with their districts and who have the best chance to win in the general election can make a big difference outcome. Often a small investment in a primary race early in the primary contest will make a major difference in who becomes the candidate.
Below are two lists of primary candidates that we recommend for your support:
- A list of candidates who are running in districts rated as Toss-up and who therefore have a good chance of being flipped from Republican to Democrat.
- A list of candidates developed by Mind the Gap’s (MTG) who are running in other districts that MTG believes can also be flipped.
To contribute to these candidates, you can go to their websites, or go to ActBlue’s donor page, http://secure.actblue.com/directory, and enter the candidates name in the directory box. MTG members can contribute using the MTG website.
Primary Races in Toss-Up Districts
The following recommendations cover Democratic primary contests in Republican-held districts that the Cook Political Report (CPR) has rated as Toss Up for the 2026 general election. For each race, we identify the candidate we believe is best positioned to both win the primary and flip the seat in November. Our recommendations draw on analysis from the Cook Political Report, Claude, and ChatGPT.
AZ-01 Amish Shah July 21 Primary
CA-48 Marni Von Wilpert June 2 Primary
CO-08 Manny Rutinel June 30 Primary
NJ-07 Rebecca Bennett June 2 Primary
NY-17 Beth Davidson June 23 Primary
PA-07 Robert Brooks May 19 Primary
VA-02 Elain Luria August 4 Primary
MTG Recommendations*
MTG has identified several districts that are Republican-held or are open seats, that are reasonably competitive, and where there is a meaningful difference in “district fit” among Democratic candidates. Their recommended candidates in these primary races are shown below.
CA-22 Jameet Bains June 2 Primary
IA-02 Lindsay James June 2 Primary
ME-02 Joe Baldacci August 9 Primary
MI-07 Matt Maasdam June 4 Primary
MT-01 Matt Rains June 2 Primary
*MTG also made recommendations for the IA-03 and TX-15 primaries, which are no longer contested. The MTG-supported candidates—Sarah Trone Garriott and Bobby Pulido--will be running in the general election.
Democratic Candidates for the Senate*
Georgia (Ossoff) Hold
Michigan (Stevens, McMorrow) Hold
New Hampshire (Pappas) Hold
Minnesota (Flanagan, Craig) Hold
Maine (Platner, Mills) Flip
North Carolina (Cooper) Flip
Alaska (Peltola) Flip
Ohio (Brow) Flip
Including independents, we currently hold 47 seats in the senate.
So, to win the majority, we need to hold what we have and flip 4 Republican
held seats. The current analysis is that we must hold the Democratic seats in Georgia and Michigan, which are now considered in toss up races. New Hampshire and Minnesota are leaning Democrat but will need help. It is also essential to flip the two Republican toss up seats in Maine and North Carolina. Beyond this, we can also hope to flip Alaska and Ohio. That would give us a majority. Recent polling suggests it is also possible for Democratic candidate Talarico to flip the Texas seat.
Sources: Cook Political Report, Swing Left, NBC news, BallotPedia
* All candidates on the list are Democratic candidates. Where only one name is listed, that candidate has either already won their state’s primary (i.e. Cooper) or is by far the most likely to win. Where two names are listed, these are the top two Democratic contenders in that state’s coming primary
Oppose the Passage of SAVE Act
Call your Representative
On Feb. 3, the Brennan Center for Justice published an announcement here about "The Bad Voting Bill that Refuses to Die”.
IIt alerts us to oppose passage of the SAVE Act, which would stop millions of eligible Americans from voting. You may recall that last year the House narrowly passed legislation that would effectively require Americans to produce a passport or a birth certificate to register to vote. The bill stalled in the Senate following a chorus of alarm from across the country, but has returned, revamped…and worse.
Brennan Center research shows that at least 21 million voters lack ready access to the documents required in the bill. Roughly half of Americans don’t even have a passport. Millions lack access to a paper copy of their birth certificate. Many more voters have names that are different from those on their passports or birth certificates, including married women who have changed their last names.
Plainly, it would be the most restrictive voting bill ever passed by Congress. This amped-up version of last year’s bill would prohibit universal voting by mail, bar states from counting ballots received after Election Day, and require states to conduct voter purges in a way that would kick many eligible citizens off the rolls.
While passage in the Senate appears unlikely, it will be up to Democrats to hold their ground and ensure the SAVE Act’s ultimate defeat. It will be up to all of us to not be fooled by the myths and the lies — and to protect our elections so they remain free and fair. We should also stand with election officials who now face threats of groundless criminal prosecution for doing their jobs.
So please call your Senators and Congressperson to express your opposition to the SAVE act.
Message
As your constituent, I urge you to oppose the SAVE Act. Studies show that requiring Americans to produce documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote would block millions of eligible U.S. citizens from voting.
Federal and state laws already make clear that only American citizens can vote in elections. And the National Voter Registration Act requires citizens registering to vote to confirm their citizenship status. The SAVE Act would merely disenfranchise the more than 21 million Americans who don’t have documents like a passport or birth certificate readily available.
We should be protecting the freedom to vote, not restricting it. Please reject this anti-voter bill.
Thank you,
[First Name] [Last Name]
- Adam Schiff, U.S. Senate CA (Democrat) - (202) 224-3841
- Alex Padilla, U.S. Senate CA (Democrat) - (202) 224-3553 or (415) 981-9369 (San Francisco)
- Sam Liccardo, U.S. Congressman (Democrat, CA 16th district) - (202) 225-8104,