Progressive Democrats had reason to celebrate Sen. Brian Schatz’s victory over Rep. Colleen Hanabusa late last week in Hawaii’s hurricane-delayed Democratic Senate primary: Schatz is one of a few prominent candidates nationally to call for a major expansion of Social Security benefits.

“This is a huge victory for the populist Elizabeth Warren wing of American politics, and a big blow to the corporate win,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political advocacy group that strongly backed Schatz’s primary campaign. “Brian Schatz won by campaigning on a bold platform of expanding Social Security benefits.”

PCCC members contributed over $73,000 to Schatz’s campaign, and the organization ran online ads in the final days of the election that stressed the stakes for Social Security, according to a spokesperson.

Hawaii has lately not been much of a paradise for Democrats, who are divided against each other in a Senate primary that still isn’t decided almost a week after Election Day.

The race, between incumbent Sen. Brian Schatz and a sitting member of Congress, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, has split Democrats in Washington and Hawaii.

“There is a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party taking place between the Elizabeth Warren wing of the Democratic Party and the corporate wing of the Party,” said Laura Friedenbach of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which endorsed Schatz and has run ads supporting him.

“The contrast is clear: Brian Schatz was one of the first U.S. Senators to support legislation to expand Social Security benefits, and his opponent Colleen Hanabusa voted for the Simpson-Bowles plan to cut Social Security benefits,” Friedenbach added.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee launched an “overtime” fundraising effort on Monday to help Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz defeat Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the bitter Democratic primary, which is still too close to call.

Voters cast their ballots on Saturday, and as of Sunday afternoon Schatz was leading by less than 1,700 votes; over 230,000 were cast, according to the Washington Post. Due to a tropical storm, not all votes were counted, and the election was postponed in two districts in the Puna region which have about 8,000 voters, according to the Honolulu Civil Beat.

“The funds will go straight to the Schatz campaign to fund their grassroots efforts in those precincts,” said Laura Friedenbach, a PCCC spokeswoman.

The PCCC, which says it has already raised $67,000 for Schatz’s campaign, told supporters that ensuring Schatz’s victory was important for the “Elizabeth Warren wing” of the Democratic party.

We are proud to announce our endorsement of Ruben Gallego, who is running for Congress in Arizona!

Ruben is an Iraq veteran and state legislator. He is also a young activist who has worked to increase the number of Latino voters and led fights for worker rights, immigration reform, marijuana legalization, and marriage equality.

He supports expanding Social Security benefits and taking on the student debt crisis.

Ruben Gallego is a bold reformer committed to aAi??constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and the Government By The People Act — a bill would create a system where small-dollar donations will be matched with public funds to gives a $100 donation from a high school teacher the same weight as aAi??lobbyist who contributesAi??$700.

Read more on Ruben’s website:

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And check out Ruben’s responses to our questionnaire:

Ruben faces a tough primary on August 26th against a more conservative opponent.

Most importantly, Ruben and his team are building infrastructure. They have built an amazing grassroots movement of young people who are knocking on doors every day. They aren’t just trying to win a congressional race. They are trying to build progressive power in Arizona.

This is a safe Democratic district — so it’s important that a true progressive win the election.

Ruben has received numerous endorsements, including from Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Planned Parenthood, The Sierra Club, MoveOn.org, VoteVets.org, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and a dozen unions and labor organizations.

The Progressive …

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) officially endorsed outsider New York gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout on Tuesday in her Democratic primary battle against incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. PCCC is the first national fundraising organization to publicly back Teachout.

The group’s co-founder Stephanie Taylor sent an email to her membership Tuesday that referenced a growing scandal over Gov. Cuomo’s alleged interference with an anti-corruption commission. Taylor also characterized Cuomo as a “corporate Democrat serving big-money donors.”

“New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, one of the worst corporate Democrats in America, is caught up in an ethics scandal — and now, a cover-up,” Taylor wrote.

The email memo referred to Zephyr Teachout as “one of the most wonderful progressive thinkers, organizers, and advocates in America.”