Champions of Democracy

These candidates are reform champions running in highly competitive races. FFR is proud to stand with them and has identified them as top priorities heading into November.

ARIZONA

Felicia French (Senate-LD-06)

  • An ECU member, educator, and Afghan War veteran, French is a committed and passionate reformer in a tight race. Her Republican opponent is an extremist who would stand in lockstep with dark money forces.

Coral Evans (House-LD-06)

  • Evans, the current mayor of Flagstaff, is running in one of the most competitive districts in the state. She refuses corporate money, has fought voter suppression, and will push to expand the Clean Elections so everyday people can run for office.

AJ Kurdoglu (Senate-LD-17)

  • Kurdoglu is a small business owner and first-generation American running against Senator and former House Speaker JD Mesnard, the architect of pro-dark money, anti-voting rights, and anti-Clean Elections legislation.

Kathy Knecht (House-LD-21)

  • A former teacher and school board member, Knecht volunteers as a nurse on the Navajo Nation and is passionate about protecting the right to vote. Her commitment to reform makes her a top priority.

Christine Porter Marsh (Senate-LD-28)

  • A past Arizona Teacher of the Year, Porter Marsh is a No Corporate PAC candidate running in a 2018 rematch in a favorable district. Her opponent claims to be a moderate but has often sided with leadership on anti-reform bills.

MONTANA

Mike Cooney (Governor)

  • Mike Cooney is a longtime defender of voting rights who will continue Steve Bullock’s legacy of fighting against the big money that dominates our politics. His opponent, millionaire New Jerseyan Greg Gianforte, broke a pledge not to take corporate PAC money.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Sen. Dan Feltes (Governor)

  • Feltes is running in the top gubernatorial flip opportunity in the country and has put out a bold reform plan. Incumbent Chris Sununu has numerous financial and ethical improprieties in his record and has taken huge sums of corporate money.

Sen. Melanie Levesque (SD-12)

  • Levesque is the first POC to ever serve in the NH State Senate and is a steadfast advocate for voting rights as chair of Election Law. She has been a unique leader in the state on pushing voting rights forward, and keeping her in the Senate is a top priority. She won her 2018 election by 170 votes and is facing a rematch.

Sen. Jon Morgan (SD-23)

  • Morgan is a compelling, young freshman member of the state senate who has been a strong vote on the Election Law committee. He won by 106 votes in 2018 and is facing a rematch.

Sen. Shannon Chandley (SD-11)

  • Chandley has been a strong leader in the Senate as a prime mover on independent redistricting and closing the LLC loophole. She is facing a rematch after a narrow 2018 win.

Sen. Tom Sherman (SD-24)

  • Sherman is a first term Vice-Chair of Election Law and was the voting rights champion on the SOS emergency election commission in 2020. His race is poised to be the most expensive State Senate race in state history.

NORTH CAROLINA

Tess Judge (SD-01)

  • Tess Judge has rejected corporate PAC and lobbyist-connected contributions, strongly supports increasing money-in-politics transparency, and advocates for fair maps. We believe she has what it takes to win this Senate seat in eastern NC.

Allen Wellons (SD-11)

  • Allen Wellons served honorably in the Senate before. As a former board member of Common Cause NC, he’s a proven champion for establishing fair maps, ending pay-to-play politics, and restoring accountability in government.

JD Wooten (SD-24)

  • JD Wooten is an Air Force veteran who rejects corporate PAC money and supports ending pay-to-play politics.

Brian Farkas (HD-09)

  • Brian Farkas rejects corporate PAC donations and is a strong supporter of ending the flow of dark money into the political process, expanding voting rights, and extending the “cooling-off” period before former legislators can become lobbyists.

Rep. Sydney Batch (HD-37)

  • Rep. Batch has spent much of her career as a social worker and child welfare advocate, and she’s committed to getting dark money out of politics and ending gerrymandering once and for all. She is running for re-election in one of the closest “protect” seats in the state but we believe she has what it takes to win again.

Jason Cain (HD-51)

  • Jason Cain is an Army Special Ops veteran and educator committed to getting dark money out of politics, establishing independent redistricting, and protecting voting rights.

Nicole Quick (HD-59)

  • Nicole Quick has made opposing special-interest influence the focal point of her campaign, including rejecting corporate PAC donations and pushing to increase government transparency. Her Republican opponent’s campaign is fueled by corporate special interests.

Ricky Hurtado (HD-63)

  • A first-generation college graduate and college professor, Hurtado supports restoring public financing for nonpartisan judicial races, ending gerrymandering, and ensuring every North Carolinian’s safe and secure access to the ballot box.

Gail Young (HD-83)

  • Gail Young rejects corporate PAC donations and is focused on ending gerrymandering and increasing government transparency. The Republican incumbent is an extremist out of step with his constituents.

Rep. Christy Clark (HD-98)

  • Rep. Clark is committed to making the legislature work for every North Carolinian by co-sponsoring legislation to create a nonpartisan redistricting commission and rejecting corporate PAC contributions. Rep. Clark won by 415 votes in 2018, and this year’s race is likely to be one of the most hotly contested races in the state.

PENNSYLVANIA

Brittney Rodas (HD-105)

  • As a policy analyst for the Pennsylvania House, Rodas saw first-hand how big money corrupts the legislature, and she’s running to clean up Harrisburg. Her opponent, incumbent Rep. Andrew Lewis, voted in committee to approve a sham election oversight commission that, in practice, would threaten to undermine election integrity.

TEXAS

Sarah DeMerchant (HD-26)

  • DeMerchant is running for this seat for the third time, and is poised to flip it this year. Her leadership on democracy reform issues will make an immediate impact in the legislature, and we believe this to be a critical district in the path to a pro-democracy majority.

Erin Zwiener (HD-45)

  • Zwiener is a strong No Corp reform leader running in arguably the closest protect districts. Republican spending is currently overwhelming hers on broadcast TV. We consider it a top priority to ensure that Zwiener returns to the State House.

James Talarico (HD-52)

  • Talarico is a committed No Corp reform leader running in a seat that flipped in 2018. We believe him to be in strong shape, but will be monitoring the race very closely.

Sharon Hirsch (HD-66)

  • Hirsch came less than 400 votes shy of flipping this district in 2018 and is leaning into her No Corp, pro-democracy agenda to flip this highly competitive seat.

Lorenzo Sanchez (HD-67)

  • After winning a close runoff by prioritizing his democracy reform platform, Sanchez is up against a well-funded, infamously corrupt legislator in HD-67. Electing this reform-first, No Corp candidate is a top priority.

Brandy Chambers (HD-112)

  • In 2018, Chambers came up just 1,100 votes short of winning this seat. The competitiveness of this district, along with her long-held passion for voting rights and firm grasp on what it will take to address corruption in our politics, point toward this being a very important race.

Natali Hurtado (HD-126)

  • Hurtado is a policy expert who has pledged to never take corporate PAC money. We believe this to be an important flip opportunity, and that Hurtado will become a leader in democracy reform when elected.

Ann Johnson (HD-134)

  • Johnson’s gerrymandered district is a top pickup opportunity. She’ll fight for fair maps and against corruption in the legislature