Fems for Dems is a Michigan-based political action committee (PAC) that seeks elect Democratic candidates by advocating for issues related to women including healthcare and social equity. The group has a 501(c)(4) sister nonprofit organization, Fems for Democracy, that focuses on advocacy towards specific policy issues including women’s health, gun control, immigration, and social justice. ¹

Background

Fems for Dems, is a social issue advocacy PAC that claims a membership of more than 10,000 people. ² The PAC was started in 2016 and promotes a range of policies such as women’s health, access to healthcare, and social equity. ³ Its sister 501(c)(4) organization, Fems for Democracy, was also started at that time. ⁴

The organization mainly works in the Michigan counties of Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, and Washtenaw. ⁵

Political Advocacy

The organization hosts workshops, political rallies, and volunteer opportunities in order to help elect Democratic candidates. It also regularly endorses Democratic candidates at the federal and state level. ⁶ The organization regularly hosts other events such as, “Candidate Speed Dating, Grab ‘Em By The Ballots, MAD Mondays, RUTHless Fems,” ⁷ and other campaign activities for the purpose of electing, “progressive candidates.” ⁸

Fems for Dems worked closely in 2020 with left-wing activist group Detroit Will Breathe to help flip Michigan in favor of President Biden in the 2020 election. Time magazine credited these organizations with being part of a “shadow campaign” to elect President Biden in the state. ⁹

The organization sent out 100,000 voter information postcards in Michigan during the 2020 election cycle. ¹⁰

Fems for Dems led a demonstration after the election when Republican legislative leaders boarded a plane to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Trump at the White House about the election results in Michigan. The organization was concerned that the legislature would vote to award Michigan’s 16 electoral votes to Trump even though Biden won the state. ¹¹

In 2018, the organization hosted what it called “Speed Dating,” giving voters a map of their district and matching them with Democratic candidates running in their area. ¹²

Leadership

Lori Goldman

Lori Goldman founded Fems for Dems and Fems for Democracy in 2016. ¹³ Goldman describes herself as someone who did not always vote, or voted for both parties, and mostly became interested in politics when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016. ¹⁴

Goldman told Politico that she has a problem with religious people, asserting in a story about Democratic outreach to evangelical voters that religious people give her “bad taste in [her] mouth” and claiming, “People have done the most egregious things in the name of religion since the beginning of time.” ¹⁵

Goldman said she was not interested in converting Republican women who were on the fence about President Trump to vote for President Biden. Rather Goldman, only wanted to reach women who were repulsed by Trump to convince them to “take back [their] citizenship.” ¹⁶

Goldman also sent out members to knock on doors during the COVID-19 pandemic to gain support for Biden’s campaign after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. ¹⁷

Board

Marcie Paul is the chair of the board for Fems for Dems, as of February 2023. ¹⁸

1. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
2. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
3. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
4. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
5. Casadei, Dana. “Lori Goldman.” Down Town Magazine. August 20, 2019. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.downtownpublications.com/single-post/2019/08/20/lori-goldman
6. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
7. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
8. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
9. Ball, Molly. “The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election.” Time. February 4, 2015. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/
10. Barrett, Malachi. “Biden campaigners say they’re all over Michigan, even if you can’t see them.” Michigan Live. September 19, 2020. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/09/biden-campaigners-say-theyre-all-over-michigan-even-if-you-cant-see-them.html
11. Kiertzner, Jim. “Fems for Dems make a strong statement to Michigan legislative leaders meeting with President Trump.” ABC 7 WXYZ Detroit. November 20, 2020. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.wxyz.com/news/election-2020/fems-for-dems-make-a-strong-statement-to-michigan-legislative-leaders-meeting-with-president-trump
12. Casadei, Dana. “Lori Goldman.” Down Town Magazine. August 20, 2019. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.downtownpublications.com/single-post/2019/08/20/lori-goldman
13. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us
14. Casadei, Dana. “Lori Goldman.” Down Town Magazine. August 20, 2019. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.downtownpublications.com/single-post/2019/08/20/lori-goldman
15. Rani, Rikha Sharma. “Could These Evangelical Democrats Change the Party?” Politico. August 3, 2020. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/08/03/evangelical-democrats-390976
16. Barrett, Malachi. “Democrats and Trump supporters fight for women’s votes in Michigan suburbs.” Michigan Live. July 14, 2019. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/07/democrats-and-trump-supporters-fight-for-womens-votes-in-michigan-suburbs.html
17. Barrett, Malachi. “Biden campaigners say they’re all over Michigan, even if you can’t see them.” Michigan Live. September 19, 2020. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/09/biden-campaigners-say-theyre-all-over-michigan-even-if-you-cant-see-them.html
18. “About Us.” Fems for Dems. Accessed February 28, 2023. https://www.femsfordems.org/about-us