Our Plan For 2020 - Jewish Democratic Council of America

This past week, we celebrated and mourned. We celebrated Hanukkah and enjoyed the light of our families and communities. At the same time, we mourned the senseless loss of life and decried the horrific acts of violence targeting Jews in New York and elsewhere. On Sunday, January 5, we’ll stand in solidarity with those marching in the “No Hate. No Fear” March in New York City. Importantly, we are entering 2020 driven by our mission to give voice to our values and we’re grateful to all of you for your partnership.

We at the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) are entering the new year with a renewed resolve, determinination, and strategy for political change in 2020. When we look back at the past year, it is clear just how much elections matter, and we are proud of the critical role that JDCA played in 2018 helping to elect a House majority that shares our priorities. Without it, there would be no check on a president who has obstructed the rule of law and continues to threaten our democracy and community.

JDCA endorsed and actively supported 58 candidates in 2018, over 80% of whom won and are now serving in Congress. In 2019, we advocated for the change we know is necessary and took action on critical issues that matter to Jewish Americans. We also built the infrastructure and developed a strategy for success in 2020. Now that we’ve entered the new year, we’re implementing our plan for values to victory in November. Keep reading for more on JDCA’s plans in 2020, and our response to recent developments, including the assassination of Iranian terrorist Qassam Soleimani.

Our plan for 2020 is to energize and mobilize the Jewish electorate where it matters the most to elect Democrats. We will soon start announcing candidate endorsements, and you can count on JDCA to continue to advocate for the values of Jewish Democrats, including support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and opposing anti-Semitism in all of its forms. This is what we’re doing each and every day, including this past week, when we expressed outrage over the rise in anti-Semitic violence. It’s also what we’ve done in the past hour, when we released a statement expressing concern about the ramifications of the president’s decision to kill Iranian terrorist Qassam Soleimani, and what it means for both U.S. national security, as well as that of Israel.

There is no question that the 2020 election will be the most important election of our lifetimes. Our goal in 2020 is to win the White House, take back the Senate, and increase our House majority. As of today, we’re launching a comprehensive strategy to mobilize the Jewish electorate in states and districts where the Jewish vote can make the biggest difference, and we’re looking to all of you to help.

Here’s what’s new for 2020.

We are expanding JDCA’s state and local chapters, including on college campuses, leveraging the influence and expertise of our National Board of Directors, Next Generation Leadership Council, and active JDCA members throughout the country.

We will continue to produce and amplify hard-hitting campaign ads, including our newly created 30 second ad (see below). Nearly one million people saw our first ad, and we’ll make sure this ad has an equally expansive reach, especially in battleground states.

We will continue to expand JDCA’s footprint in the media and continue to speak out as the voice of Jewish Democrats.

Our mission has never been more critical, and we look forward to working with you to take back our country in 2020.

We wish everyone health and happiness in 2020. May we succeed in the new year together, and thank you for your partnership.

Happy New Year and Shabbat Shalom,

Ron Klein,
Chair, Jewish Democratic Council of America

Halie Soifer
Executive Director, Jewish Democratic Council of America