Blue America is proud to endorse Angélica Dueñas today. Few people outside of her overwhelmingly blue San Fernando Valley district (D+51 partisan lean) understand that her efforts caused long time corrupt career politician Tony Cardenas to announce he wouldn’t be running for reelection this year. Unfortunately, just as Cardenas was announcing he wouldn’t run again, he also announced his support for a member of his political machine, Luz Rivas. Please consider contributing to Angélica’s campaign here.
Yesterday, Angélica told me that in the '90s, the Valley was full of good-paying, long-term union jobs, perfect for Mexican immigrants like her parents to build a foundation for a better life. When NAFTA passed, her mom, a Teamster, lost her job as the factories moved to Mexico. “Today,” she said, “on the same plot of land where she worked for years, stands big box stores that cycle through employees, not letting our young people get a leg up. This immigrant community knows what true prosperity looks like, and it’s found in supporting our neighbors, through education, healthcare, and the daily fight to keep a roof over our head. We’ve been struggling long enough.”
We asked her to re-introduce herself to our readers and explain where she stands and why we should consider supporting her campaign. This is what she wrote:
For decades now, our representatives have beautified the streets while ordinary people fall through the cracks. Our tax money has gone to war, oil, and Wall Street while our representatives get lavish funding from those very same industries. My opponent in 2020 and 2022, who I primaried because of his disregard for our community, took millions from the very same corporations sucking us dry, while kicking hundreds of thousands back to his wife.
Now, he’s retiring and endorsed his chosen protege, a state assemblymember who’s receiving the very same super PAC money that fueled his time in office.
It’s time for a people’s intervention.
In 2020, I received 43.4% of the general election vote with barely any funding and few connections to the power players in our community.
Now, the tides have shifted. This campaign has repeat donors across the country, ready for a bold, people-over-profits progressive to represent Southern California in Congress. Last cycle we beat back a swell of resistance, including $77,000 of AIPAC money and a conservative wave in California, to again claim over 40% of the runoff vote.
Now, without an incumbent on the ballot, we’re in prime position to win and deliver for our community.
Running for Congress has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Last September, I lost my job because of my campaign. Trying to give our community a voice at the nation’s highest level, uncompromised by corporate money, has cost years of my life knocking on doors and talking on phones.
But this community deserves better.
My immigrant community looks in horror at the devastation our tax dollars are funding in Gaza. Not too long ago, our ancestors were fighting for better lives and righteous living conditions— we can’t look at those people and not feel moved. Every person I canvass in the East Valley wants an end to the carnage in Palestine, and none of our representatives are speaking out about it.
We demand a ceasefire. We demand an end to our taxes being used to kill people around the world. We demand good jobs, a living wage, healthcare, affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, and quality tuition-free education. We demand a stop to endless wars.
My opponent hasn’t just been silent when it comes to Palestine— she even visited Israel on their dime, as part of a delegation of California legislators.
I cannot be silent. I will not be silent in Congress. Our future— my children’s future— depends on a bold vision of peace, courage, and investment in our communities.
I hope you’ll join me in this fight.
which party gave us/US NAFTA?