Elect Democratic Women (EDW) is a political action committee that supports Democratic women candidates for office.¹ To this end, EDW makes donations and spends money on female candidates within the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) “Red to Blue” program with the aim of winning a majority in the U.S. Congress for the Democratic Party.²

Background

EDW was founded in 2018 by a coalition of seven female Democratic members of Congress.³ The founding board members of the PAC include Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL), who also founded one-day training seminar Build the Bench and was a consultant for the National Democratic Training Committee; Lois Frankel (D-FL), who chairs the group; Julia Brownley (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Annie Kuster (D-NH).⁴

Elect Democratic Women was inspired by the Democratic-aligned Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus, which have raised millions in campaign funds.⁵ PACs partnered with the caucuses employed online fundraising strategies, which EDW also intends to implement.

Elect Democratic Women partners with DCCC “Red to Blue” program, which provides candidates with managing and fundraising support for campaigns.⁶ The program attempts to promote Democratic candidates to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Notable Candidates

Elect Democratic Women plans is supporting several women in the 2018 midterm elections. Some notable EDW candidates are Mikie Sherrill, candidate for U.S. Congress in New Jersey’s 11^th district;⁷ Katie Hill, candidate for U.S. Congress in California’s 25^th district; and Lauren Underwood, candidate in Illinois’ 14^th district. These candidates are all in the DCCC Red to Blue program and have received funding and campaign services from the program.

Funding

Notable Donors

As of late September 2018, the only reported contributions to Elect Democratic Women have come from the founders of the organization, who each contributed $5,000 to help offset the initial costs to start the EDW.⁸

Notable Vendors

EDW has employed Mothership Strategies, Democratic Party-aligned digital strategy firm. Mothership Strategies provides services to numerous Democratic Party candidates, PACs, and groups.⁹

1. Severns, Maggie, Sarah Frostenson, Brett Bruen, Mike Zubrensky, Jarrett Blanc, and Edward-Isaac Dovere. “Democratic Lawmakers Launch PAC to Elect More Women to Congress.” POLITICO. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/20/democrats-pac-elect-women-congress-829991
2. Akin, Stephanie. “Democratic Women in Congress Launch Campaign to Recruit More Female Candidates.” Chicagotribune.com. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 28, 2018. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-tns-bc-congress-women-candidates-20180920-story.html.
3. Severns, Maggie, Sarah Frostenson, Brett Bruen, Mike Zubrensky, Jarrett Blanc, and Edward-Isaac Dovere. “Democratic Lawmakers Launch PAC to Elect More Women to Congress.” POLITICO. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/20/democrats-pac-elect-women-congress-829991.
4. Akin, Stephanie. “Democratic Women in Congress Launch Campaign to Recruit More Female Candidates.” Chicagotribune.com. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 28, 2018. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-tns-bc-congress-women-candidates-20180920-story.html.
5. Severns, Maggie, Sarah Frostenson, Brett Bruen, Mike Zubrensky, Jarrett Blanc, and Edward-Isaac Dovere. “Democratic Lawmakers Launch PAC to Elect More Women to Congress.” POLITICO. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/20/democrats-pac-elect-women-congress-829991
6. “Red to Blue.” Red to Blue. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://redtoblue.dccc.org/
7. “Red to Blue.” Red to Blue. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://redtoblue.dccc.org/
8. Severns, Maggie, Sarah Frostenson, Brett Bruen, Mike Zubrensky, Jarrett Blanc, and Edward-Isaac Dovere. “Democratic Lawmakers Launch PAC to Elect More Women to Congress.” POLITICO. September 20, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/20/democrats-pac-elect-women-congress-829991
9. “Expenditures.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed September 28, 2018. https://www.opensecrets.org/expends/vendor.php?year=2018&vendor=MOTHERSHIPSTRATEGIES.