Itai??i??s official — Donna Edwards is in! Thousands of PCCC and Democracy for America members across the nation urged Donna to run for U.S. Senate in Maryland, and she heard us loud and clear!

Donna sent PCCC a note this morning: “Thank you to all the PCCC and DFA members who urged me to run. You showed me the type of grassroots support I can count on. I’m in! Together, we will make this a people-powered campaign about bold progressive issues.”

Chip in $3 to help bold progressive Donna Edwards start her campaign with momentum!

Donna Edwards has proven time and again that she’s a bold progressive. She’s not just an ally — she’s one of us.

Donna started as a community activist. Then, she was aAi??founder of a progressive nonprofit. In Congress, she’s devoted her time to taking on powerful interests — even defeating an entrenched Wall Street Democrat to win her seat.

Donna was the first member of Congress to introduce an amendment to overturn Citizens United.Ai??She led the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And Donna agrees with Senator Elizabeth Warren that we should expand Social Security benefits — never cut them.

Donate $3 to fuel Donna’s campaign today!

Corporate “New Democrats” have been attacking the “Warren wing” in the press. They think the way to win is to cozy up to corporate interests and protect the status quo. The way bold progressives fight back is to elect more people like Donna Edwards.

Like Massachusetts, a state as blue as Maryland can give the nation the gift of a bold progressive leader.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD)

There are now multiple press reports that President Obama will agree to a fiscal deal that enacts a so-called ai???Chained CPIai??? to calculate Social Security and veteransai??i?? benefits.Ai??Under this plan, ai???a person age 75 in the future will get a yearly benefit thatai??i??s $653 lower after ten years of chained CPI than that person would get under the current formula. An 85-year-old will have $1,139 less to live on.ai??? This represents a huge cut to benefits.

Progressive Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) objects to this move, and pointed out on Twitter that it represents a cut in benefits for seniors, disabled people, children, and veterans:

Edwards has been leading on this issue, and has been circulating a letter to President Obama calling on him to reject the chained CPI.

We set up an ActBlue page to highlight and reward bold progressive members of Congress who are speaking out publicly today. Check them out and donate $3 to them here.

Click here to pledge to hold any Democrat who agrees to a deal that cuts Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits accountable.

Click here to call your Member of Congress and demand that they oppose this bad deal.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) can breathe a sigh of relief: a potentially formidable primary challenger, attorney Glenn Ivey, has decided to exit the race. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, an outside liberal group backing Edwards, celebrated Ivey’s decision.

“This is great news,” said PCCC co-founder Adam Green. “Donna Edwards is a bold progressive leader and a true fighter for working families. We were proud to endorse her early and were ready to make this race a top priority. We look forward to working with Donna to ensure many progressive victories in 2012.”