brian schweitzer

The group that led the movement to draft former Gov. Brian Schweitzer to run for the U.S. Senate now wants him to reconsider. On Saturday, Schweitzer told reporters he had decided not to run for the Senate because he wants to remain in Montana. Spearheading the effort is the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, based in Washington, D.C. The group said its ai???Draft Brian Schweitzerai??? effort recruited more than 600 Montana volunteers, raised more than $48,000 and gathered nearly 4,000 in-state supporters and 23,000 others nationally. ai???Conversations are happening at a very high level and organizing is happening at a very grass-roots level about urging Brian to reconsider,ai??? said Adam Green, co-founder of PCCC.

After former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer announced he had decided against running for Senate in 2014, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee reached out to members across Montana to ask how they felt about Brianai??i??s decision. Folks responded to a survey asking if they agreed with the sentiments voiced at MontanaWantsBrian.com, which hosts an open letter to Schweitzer penned by several thoughtful supporters urging him to reconsider.

The results are in, and here’s what we found:

Should Brian reconsider running for Senate?

YES: 76%
NO: 22%

By more than a three to one margin, Draft Brian Schweitzer supporters believe Brian should reconsider running for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Here’s what just a few of them are saying:

“I think Brian would be a terrific Senator, especially at a time when Democrats need to hold the Senate. Our country needs someone of Brian’s character. I completely understand his not wanting to leave Montana, but sometimes duty calls.”
ai??i?? Ilene Standen, Poplar, MT

“I think we need a strong Democratic candidate and Brian is the one. He has appeal that crosses party lines and he understands the concerns of the majority of Montanans.”
ai??i?? Robin Jordan, Butte, MT

“I’m sad. We need to urge him to reconsider. His voice is exactly what the Senate needs ai??i?? no holds barred!”
ai??i?? Lyle Gillette, Deer Lodge, MT

“None of the other candidates bring a breath of fresh air as does Brian. ai??i?? Linda Ramirez, Clancy, MT

“My husband and I both believe we need Brian Schweitzer more than ever. He will stand up and fight. That is what we need in Washington.” ai??i?? Linda Woolsey, Hobson, MT

“It has become painfully obvious that our ‘elected representatives’ no longer represent the people. Brian did. We need him. The entire nation needs Brian Schweitzer.” ai??i?? Robin Maynard, Helena, MT

To show Brian the support there would be there if he …

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political-action committee based in Washington, D.C., is leading an active “draft Schweitzer” movement, rounding up money and supporters. The group’s co-founder, Adam Green, visited with Schweitzer in Montana in May, and the group is buying Internet ads in Montana saying “Draft Brian Schweitzer for Senate!” So far, PCCC has raised $29,000 dedicated to helping the Schweitzer Senate campaign, signed up 415 people who say they’ll work as volunteers on the campaign and had nearly 18,300 people sign an on-line petition urging Schweitzer to run.

Last night, almost a hundred Montanans attended anAi??early organizing meet-up in Missoula. Among the attendees were progressive Democratic State Representative Ellie Hill,Ai??Pat Noonan, Bryce Bennet, and former Democratic congressman Pat Williams.

The gathering attracted the support of 75 additional Montanans, who signed a petition in support of a Schweitzer run for Senate. Additionally, the house party raised over $1059 to put towards Schweitzer’s run that he would get on day one of his campaign.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Click here to join our Draft BrianAi??SchweitzerAi??for Senate campaign.

(OrAi??donate $3 that Brian will receive on Day OneAi??of his campaign, so he can hit the ground running.)

Ai??Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Adam Green was on MSNBCai??i??s The Ed Show yesterday, and part of what he discussed was the organization’s Draft Brian Schweitzer campaign. Schultz asked Green what the main difference between Schweitzer and current Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) would be. Green explained how he would have a game-changing presence in the Senate and be a bold economic populist:

GREEN: Brian Schweitzer, if he decides to run for Senate, which he’s considering, would be an absolute game changer. He is kind of a prairie populist, a farmer who ran for governor, got re-elected and just finished his second term. And his bedrock principle is standing up for the little guy against big corporate interests. That’s what he did as governor and he’s named people like Teddy Roosevelt and Paul Wellstone as his political icons. So we’re working with thousands of people across the state of Montana on a Draft Schweitzer movement.

SCHULTZ: Is he kind of the model Democrat in the middle of the country?

GREEN: He is absolutely the model Democrat. Particularly on economic populism issues. And to have someone from the perceived red state of Montana out there talking about trust busting, out there saying that the corporations own this government and we need to take it back again, will be a game changer. He will be an amazing partner to Elizabeth Warren.

Watch it:

The Draft Brian Schweitzer campaign has alsoAi??gotten local media coverage in the Missoula Independent:

ai???We look for game changers,ai??? Green told the Indy during one of several stops in western Montana early this week. ai???People who will both represent their state well and have a systemic impact on the culture of politics in Washington. Brian Schweitzerai??i??s authenticity and economic populism is something that the Democratic Party sorely needs …

PCCC’s Adam Green was a featured guest on MSNBC’s Ed Show on Sunday, May 19th. He discussed the Draft Brian Schweitzer campaign in Montana, and the efforts of progressives across the nation to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits.

This week, PCCC co-founders Adam Green and Stephanie Taylor were in Montana. They personally informed Brian Schweitzer that thousands of people want him to run for U.S. Senate, and kicked off an on-the-ground effort to recruit others to the draft effort.

The Missoula Independent’sAi??Alex Sarkariassen wrote thisAi??great articleAi??covering this growing movement to Draft Brian Schweitzer for Senate:

Schweitzer:Ai??Drafting a “game changer”

Adam Green has been following Brian Schweitzer from afar for years. Even before he co-founded the Washington, D.C.-based Progressive Change Campaign Committee with former union organizer Stephanie Taylor in 2009, he saw Schweitzer as “an authentic guy who says what’s on his mind and generally stands up for the little guy.” Now Green and Taylor are trying to draw Schweitzer out of his post-gubernatorial life on Georgetown Lake and convince him to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. They’re already primed to hand him $24,000 in contributions the moment he declares.

“We look for game changers,” Green told the Indy during one of several stops in western Montana early this week. “People who will both represent their state well and have a systemic impact on the culture of politics in Washington. Brian Schweitzer’s authenticity and economic populism is something that the Democratic Party sorely needs right now, and could have huge ripple effects across the nation if he has a bully pulpit in Washington, D.C.”

PCCC has collected 16,000 signatures from supporters of its “Draft Brian Schweitzer” campaign, and Green and Taylor have already talked directly to Schweitzer about their initiative. “They’re taking note,” Green says of those around the former governor, adding that mounting grassroots supportai??i??and the money raised so farai??i??could sweeten the pot as Schweitzer makes up his mind. …

PCCC has been successful before in recruiting winners. The organization convinced Sen. Elizabeth Warren …

With the retirement of Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Montanans have a chance to elect a real progressive — former. Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has spearheaded a “Draft Schweitzer” movement that held its first house party in Billings, Montana yesterday.

The event was held at the home ofAi??Hans and Deborah Abbey, and it is the beginning of a campaign that plans to recruit 500 volunteers, identify 5,000 supporters, and raise $50,000, which Schweitzer would get on day one of his campaign should he choose to run.

We talked to Barb Skelton, one of the organizers behind the event. Skelton has actually known the Schweitzers since she was a child, having grown up near their ranch. She’s worked in politics for 40 years, partly thanks to the influence ofAi??Kathleen Helen Schweitzer, Brian’s mother.

“I think he’d do what’s absolutely good for Montana,” she said, explaining her enthusiastic support for a run by Schweitzer. “I think he’s a real progressive thinker.”

She cited his work after leaving office as evidence that he’s committed to progressive, populist causes, saying she’s “glad he got involved in Stillwater Mines, saving 1,700 jobs there” — referring to an effort by Schweitzer to oust the leadership of a local mining company that was wasting money on foreign projects rather than domestic development.

Here’s are some pictures from the event last night:

Click here to join our Draft BrianAi??SchweitzerAi??for Senate campaign.

(OrAi??donate $3 that Brian will receive on Day OneAi??of his campaign, so he can hit the ground running.)

Adam Green has been following Brian Schweitzer from afar for years. Even before he co-founded the Washington, D.C.-based Progressive Change Campaign Committee with former union organizer Stephanie Taylor in 2009, he saw Schweitzer as ai???an authentic guy who says whatai??i??s on his mind and generally stands up for the little guy.ai??? Now Green and Taylor are trying to draw Schweitzer out of his post-gubernatorial life on Georgetown Lake and convince him to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Theyai??i??re already primed to hand him $24,000 in contributions the moment he declares.

ai???We look for game changers,ai??? Green told the Indy during one of several stops in western Montana early this week. ai???People who will both represent their state well and have a systemic impact on the culture of politics in Washington. Brian Schweitzerai??i??s authenticity and economic populism is something that the Democratic Party sorely needs right now, and could have huge ripple effects across the nation if he has a bully pulpit in Washington, D.C.ai???

RepublicanAi??pollster Harper Polling has just released a new poll it conducted of Montanans finding that former Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) leads all of his potential Democratic and Republican Senate challengers in the primary and general.

Schweitzer holds the highest favorability rating of any of the public figures polled, with 54 percent of Montanans saying they have a favorable view of him. The poll found that Montanans would favor Schweitzer for the Senate seat over Mark Racicot, a former Republican governor, by four points. Schweitzer’s lead over Montana Rep. Steve Daines (R) is even greater — ten points. Former Republican State Senate Minority Leader Corey Stapleton is bested by Schweitzer 54-29.

Within his own party, SchweitzerAi??handilyAi??bests Denise Juneau, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 78-14.

All of this is in a poll where, when respondents were asked who they would vote for in a hypothetical election, a generic Republican leads a generic Democrat 42-34.

This is encouraging news for progressives because Schweitzer is an awesome economic populist. Read our top ten reasons why and click here to join our Draft BrianAi??SchweitzerAi??for Senate campaign.

(OrAi??donate $3 that Brian will receive on Day OneAi??of his campaign, so he can hit the ground running.)

With the news that Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) is retiring, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee has launched a campaign to draft former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) to run for the spot.

As of this writing, over 15,000 Americans have signed onto the campaign, and have donated over $21,000Ai??Ai??to a draft fund that will go to Schweitzer on Day One of his campaign

Here’s why you should too –the top ten things that make Brian Schweitzer an awesome economic populist:

He Unequivocally Endorses Medicare-For-All, Single Payer: Schweitzer is an advocate of expanding Medicare to all Americans, and even sought a waiver from the Affordable Care Act to allow his own state to pursue single payer. Schweitzer explainedAi??his support for Canadian-style single payer health care like so: “Imagine if you went to a gas station, and you looked over at a car with a Canadian license plate. They were paying $1 a gallon for gas, and youai??i??re paying $2. Wouldnai??i??t that make you mad? Thatai??i??s exactly whatai??i??s happening. Iai??i??m mad for all the people in the country.”
He Calls Out Corporate Control Of Our Government — And Fights It: Ai??In an interview last year, Schweitzer said that ai???corporations are controlling not just our governments but our everyday lives.ai??? How many Democrats are willing to state that truth? Schweitzer alsoAi??has blasted Citizens United, supports a constitutional amendment to ban corporate money, and is especially passionate about this issue since the Supreme Court struck down Montana’s ban on corporate money in elections.
He Stands Up To Big Drug Companies:Ai??Schweitzer sought a waiver from federal law to allow Montanans to buy cheaper pharmaceutical drugs from Canada. Big Pharma lobbying has made it illegal for Americans to buy this cheaper medicine from …

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee launched a “Draft Brian Schweitzer for Senate” campaign just hours after Baucus announced he would step down at the end of his sixth term in early 2015. The group has already raised more than $18,700, spokesman Matt Wall told BuzzFeed, with a pitch that asks progressives to replace the “Senator from K Street” with Schweitzer, whom they call a “bold progressive populist.”

Within hours of an announcement that Montana Senior Senator Max Baucus would be retiring in 2014, political action committees have already been raising money to welcome Brian Schweitzer into the race. The Political Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) has a website devoted to Schweitzer, in which it describes the former Montana Governor as “a bold progressive populist who supports single-payer health care and lists Paul Wellstone as one of his icons.”

Join PCCC’s Take Back Democracy campaign.

One of the ways that special interests get privileged access to lawmakers is buying them meals. In many state capitols, there are almost no restrictions on the kinds of fancy dinners lobbyists can treat legislators with.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) has advice for these lawmakers: don’t do it. In an interview this week with a local paper, he told legislators, “Make your own food” and stop going to lunch with lobbyists:

SCHWEITZER: Donai??i??t show up when they (lobbyists) have a free lunch for you. Donai??i??t show up down at Jorgensonai??i??s. Donai??i??t show up down at the Montana Club. Donai??i??t show up. Make your own food at home. Donai??i??t take that drink. Donai??i??t take that food. If you believe that aspersions have been cast upon you because youai??i??re going to these things, then donai??i??t go to them. Make your own meal. But until you do that, the assumption is going to be that your vote has been bought for an old whiskey and a big steak. And in some cases, it has.ai???

It’s going to take a movement to end the corrupting influence of money on our politics. Click here to join PCCC’s Take Back Democracy campaign.