A letter to Rep. Anthony Gonzalez
Dear Rep. Gonzalez,
Thank you for your courageous stances in recent months to defend our democracy. We write to you from The Welcome Party, which has been engaging independent voters and advocating for a big-tent Democratic Party since 2019. Later this year we are launching WelcomePAC to ensure that principled leaders and voters who prioritize our democracy have a home in our party — and a place on the ballot to maintain the majority. As we presented at the Niskanen Center in June, this is a time for choosing.
We understand your decision not to seek reelection and avoid the toxic GOP caucus. That caucus is, for now, not a force for good, or for democracy. That is something that should cause any citizen to fear for the future of our democracy, and our country.
But you should be part of the next Congress, something we have said for quite a while. So here’s what we propose to do:
As you know, we are just three months away from the Ohio filing deadline for entering both parties’ primaries. Ohio law stipulates the gathering of 50 signatures and a filing fee of $85. Once signature papers are available, we intend to begin collecting signatures to enable you to run in the 2022 Democratic Primary. And we intend to collect support from others in the district and around the country in this effort as part of clearing a viable path for your victory as a Democrat in both the primary and general elections in 2022. As you know well, there has been little Democratic competition in your district — in 2020, the Democratic opponent spent less than $50,000. The current declared candidate seems to be in a similarly non-viable position.
You are a leader among those who have recognized the threat to our democracy and acted upon it. We ask you to do so again, but we do not expect that you will decide to do so right now. So we will lay the groundwork for a possible run.
It is reasonable that you would think entry into a Democratic primary or a Democratic caucus would be difficult or uncomfortable. We will demonstrate that it is not only achievable, but that it would be invigorating — for you, for the voters you represent, and for our country.
There will be a welcome party for you.
You stated that most of your political energy should go towards the goal of ensuring Trump does not become president again. The most effective way to meet that goal, by far, is to have your name on the ballot with a “D” next to it. To put our democracy on the ballot.
While you have felt the pressure more directly than many courageous conservatives, we have welcomed others in similar positions. Some call themselves “Democrats by Default.” Others call themselves “Red Dog Democrats.” Some prefer “Dante Democrats” — those who reject fence-sitting in a time of moral crisis.
We owe you a debt of gratitude as citizens of this republic for your past performance. And we’re excited to work together on the single most effective action we can undertake for our democracy going forward.
Sincerely,
Co-founders, The Welcome Party and WelcomePAC
P.S. Sign this open letter below and join us via Zoom on Friday, September 24 at 11 am EST as we plan to recruit principled leaders & voters in districts that would otherwise be uncompetitive — and review findings of a poll showing Rep. Gonzalez’s path as a Democrat.
