FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 8, 2025
Contact: press@runforsomething.net
Run For Something Endorses 50 Local Progressives Amid Unprecedented Surge of Interest in Running for Office
NEW YORK, NY — Today, Run for Something (RFS) announced its endorsement of 50 trailblazing progressives from across 15 states who reflect the values, energy, and vision our communities need now more than ever. These candidates will receive strategic campaign support from RFS’s network of staff, partner organizations, volunteers, and alumni. RFS has endorsed over 168 candidates in 2025 alone – over 50 of whom have won their races so far this cycle – fueling a rapidly growing bench of young and bold leaders.
“Bold leadership starts at the local level,” said Amanda Litman, Co-Founder and President of Run for Something. “Every time we endorse a new slate, we’re reminded that the future of politics doesn’t start in Washington—it starts in your local school board, your city council, and your state house. These candidates have the vision and drive we need to power progressive change in our communities, and we’re proud to endorse them for office.”
This new class of candidates includes people from all walks of life: educators, activists, veterans, organizers, first-generation Americans, and everyday people who saw a problem and decided to step up to lead. They’re running for school boards, city councils, state legislatures, and more, with one thing in common: They’re committed to progressive, people-powered change.
The announcement comes amid a surge in interest from young people looking to run for office. Following Zohran Mamdani’s historic upset in the Democratic primary for New York City Mayor, nearly 10,000 individuals have reached out to Run for Something expressing interest in running, marking the organization’s largest influx of potential candidates in two weeks and on par with the wave that followed Trump’s election.
Since the 2024 presidential election, over 55,000 people have reached out to RFS expressing interest in running for office, more than in the organization’s first three years combined. Today, RFS has built the largest pipeline of potential candidates in the country, with over 200,000 people from all 50 states.
Learn more about Run for Something’s 2025 endorsement class here or see the full slate of candidates below:
ARIZONA
Selina Barajas, Tucson City Council, Ward 5
COLORADO
Alli Jackson, Aurora City Council, At-Large
Gianina Horton, Aurora City Council, Ward 1
Jake Marsing, Longmont City Council, At-Large
FLORIDA
RaShon Young, Florida House of Representatives, District 40
GEORGIA
Liliana Bakhtiari, Atlanta City Council, District 5
KANSAS
Alexandria Washington, Overland Park City Council, Ward 5
Melissa Cheatham, Overland Park City Council, Ward 2
William Naeger, Topeka City Council, District 1
MASSACHUSETTS
Ace Tayloe, Northampton City Council, Ward 3
Christian De Jesus Franco, Chelsea City Council, District 1
Keith Linhares, Worcester City Council, District 1
Rani Eng, Newburyport City Council, At-Large
MICHIGAN
Aaron Martinez, Novi City Council
Deyanira Nevarez Martinez, Lansing City Council, Ward 2
Gabrielle Dunai, Hudsonville City Commission, Ward 1
Nicholas Pickard, Livonia City Council
MINNESOTA
Anndrea Young, Minneapolis City Council, Ward 5
Heidi Garrido, Hopkins City Council
NEW JERSEY
Patrick Bieger, Denville Township Council, Member At-Large
NEW YORK
Cory Krall, Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees
Jack Kavanaugh, Amherst Town Board
Kevindaryán Luján, Orange County Legislature, District 6
Miriam Osorio, Horseheads Town Council
Sebastian Mathews, Horseheads Town Council
Stephanie Yeh, Esopus Town Council
Talia Rodriguez, Buffalo Board Of Education, West District
OHIO
Keegan Radeff, North Olmsted Director of Finance
Mounir Lynch, Columbus City School Board
Ryan James, Cincinnati City Council
Sol Kersey, Cincinnati City Council
Tiara Ross, Columbus City Council, District 7
PENNSYLVANIA
Christina Maida, Doylestown Township Supervisor
Christine Stofko, Nazareth Area School District Director, Region 3
Daeja Baker, Shaler Area School Board, Region 1
Ethan Byers, Columbia Borough Council
Kimberly Jaramillo, Southern Lehigh School Board
UTAH
Erika Carlsen, Salt Lake City Council, District 5
VIRGINIA
John McAuliff, Virginia House of Delegates, District 30
Jonas Eppert, Virginia House of Delegates, District 74
Joshua Thomas, Virginia House of Delegates, District 21
Liz Richardson, Virginia House of Delegates, District 100
Nadarius Clark, Virginia House of Delegates, District 84
Stacey Carroll, Virginia House of Delegates, District 64
WASHINGTON
Dan Knox, Port of Tacoma Commission, Position 4
Isabel Mata, Lynnwood City Council, Position 2
Jeff Coughlin, Bremerton Mayor
Robert Vanderpool, Olympia City Council, Position 6
Whitney Stevens, Tacoma Mayor
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Run for Something (RFS) recruits and supports young progressive candidates for down-ballot offices. Since its founding, RFS has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates across the country, including 18 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2024 election cycle. Today, RFS has the largest database of any other Democratic organization, with over 55,000 people reaching out since November with interest in running for office.