VT Movement Politics

We need an electoral strategy.

If we are serious about putting our vision to work, we need to be building power at every level and training and supporting a new generation of leaders to run for office.

RAD IS BUILDING MOVEMENT POLITICS BY

  1. Developing local leadership across the state through our issue campaigns to reach every county in Vermont.
  2. Recruiting RAD community members to join in our leadership training series which offer skill building on how to run for office as well as issue education.
  3. Engaging in a transparent endorsement process to support movement champions and RAD community members, and our allies in running for office. Since 2018, we have impacted elections across Vermont –  from select boards up to the governor’s race.

OUR NATIONAL MOVEMENT POLITICS PLATFORM IS GROUNDED IN 3 KEY STRATEGIES

  1. Reject the Red/Blue binary. We will work to run people who share our vision of building a thriving multiracial democracy and our belief in making transformative change, and will mount primary challenges to incumbents when necessary and strategic.
  2. Meet voters where they are. We will talk to voters about the race-class divide and how we can work together for our collective liberation.
  3. Identify, recruit, and train grassroots candidates. This is outlined in our Candidate Pipeline (see below).

OUR CANDIDATE PIPELINE

  1. Recruit – Through relationship building, we will identify potential candidates within our movement via existing networks, events, and outreach.
  2. Elect –  We will support endorsed candidates through leadership development training, issue education, and events; as well as providing  technical assistance and volunteer recruitment support.
  3. Co-govern – We will organize alongside our movement candidates, host public education and outreach event, and provide access to resources from our state and national networks.

OUR STATE & FEDERAL ENDORSEMENT PROCESS

During state and federal election years, RAD accepts nominations for early endorsement. Candidates must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  1. a current RAD member;
  2. previously endorsed by RAD for the same office; or
  3. worked closely with RAD and RAD’s vision while in office.

Our endorsement process for state and federal elections is as follows:

  1. Leadership Committees meet to discuss early endorsement nominations.
  2. RAD endorsement questionnaire for candidates is released.
  3. Early endorsements are announced. 
  4. Deadline for completed endorsement questionnaires.
  5. RAD members vote on endorsements.
  6. RAD general endorsements are announced.