Progressive Majority is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 political group that recruits, trains, and elects progressive

Progressivism

Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...

 politicians to state and local offices. It was founded in 1999 by leaders from organized labor, members of Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

, and progressive donors as a multi-issue political action committee

Political action committee

In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...

 to enhance the political effectiveness of the progressive movement. Progressive Majority currently operates and has offices in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, Washington, and Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. It has elected 272 candidates so far and has already endorsed more than 75 candidates for the 2008 elections. Progressive Majority's president is Gloria Totten

Gloria Totten

Gloria Totten is the president and executive director of Progressive Majority, an American political organization that works to elect progressive political candidates at the state and local levels. Prior to that, Gloria served as political director of NARAL, where she oversaw the organization's...

 and there are currently 496 people on its "farm team" of potential candidates. Progressive Majority has been credited with helping to achieve the dramatic Democratic advances that occurred in Colorado, Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the 2006 election cycle.

All potential candidates must take a questionnaire that tests their commitment to economic justice and civil rights, including gay rights, public education, universal healthcare, environmental protection, worker's rights, civil liberties and reproductive freedom before receiving any support, training or funding from Progressive Majority.

History

When founded, Progressive Majority assisted progressive candidates in both state and federal elections, raising $818,000 in 2002. Because of the lack of potential candidates for higher office at the state and local levels, the Board of Directors decided to shift the organization's focus toward the states in order to "recruit strong community leaders to run for state and local office and form the 'farm team' for the progressive movement."

Offices were opened in Washington, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania in 2004, and the organization expanded to Colorado and Arizona in 2005. The California office opened in 2006, and offices opened in Minnesota and Ohio in 2007. The number of candidates elected has increased steadily since Progressive Majority's founding, with 41 candidates being elected in 2004, 53 elected in 2005, and 102 elected in 2006. 23 candidates have been elected so far in 2008.

Public officials elected with the help of Progressive Majority include California Secretary of State

California Secretary of State

The Secretary of State of California is the chief elections officer of that U.S. state. The Secretary of State is also responsible for the California State Archives, as well as chartering corporations. The Secretary of State is elected to four year terms, concurrent with the other constitutional...

 Debra Bowen

Debra Bowen

Debra Lynn Bowen , a member of the Democratic Party, has been Secretary of State of California since January 8, 2007. Before that she was a member of the California State Legislature from 1992 to 2006. In March 2008, she was given the Profile in Courage Award by the John F. Kennedy Presidential...

, Washington House of Representatives

Washington House of Representatives

The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, the legislature of the U.S. State of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 districts, each of which elects two members. All members of the House are elected to a two-year term without...

 Majority Floor Leader Larry Springer, Washington state senator and 2007 Humane Society of the United States

Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....

 state legislator of the year Brian Weinstein

Brian Weinstein

Brian Weinstein is a former Washington State Senator representing the .-Background:After a long career as an attorney representing mesothelioma victims nationwide, Weinstein was elected to the Washington State Senate in 2004 to represent the 41st legislative district of Washington as a Democrat,...

, and Arizona state senator

Arizona Senate

The Arizona Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members representing an equal amount of constituencies across the state, with each district having average populations of 219,859 . Members serve two-year terms with...

 Paula Aboud

Paula Aboud

Paula Aboud is an American politician who is currently a member of the Arizona Senate, representing the 28th District. A Democrat, she serves as the Senate's minority whip.-Early life:...

, one of Arizona's few openly gay elected officials.

Endorsed candidates who ran in 2008 included Mark Ridley-Thomas

Mark Ridley-Thomas

Mark Ridley-Thomas , often referred to by his initials, MRT, is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for District 2, who succeeded Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke...

, who successfully ran for the Los Angeles County 2nd District Board of Supervisors, and Peter J. Goldmark

Peter J. Goldmark

Peter James Goldmark is the Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands and heads the Washington Department of Natural Resources. He is a Democrat from a rural part of Okanogan County, Washington, outside of the town of Okanogan....

, who successfully ran for Washington Commissioner of Public Lands.

Racial Justice Campaign

In 2004, Progressive Majority created the Racial Justice Campaign with the goal of increasing the representation of minorities in government and electing a greater number of candidates of color. Three RJC candidates were elected in 2004, five candidates in 2005, 16 candidates in 2006, and 21 candidates in 2007. Politicians elected with the help of the Racial Justice Campaign include California State Controller

California State Controller

The State Controller is the Chief Financial Officer of the State of California in the United States. The post has broader responsibilities and authority than the California State Treasurer...

 John Chiang

John Chiang (California politician)

John Chiang is a Democratic politician and has been California State Controller since January 8, 2007. He previously served as Chair of the California Board of Equalization and represented the Fourth District, primarily serving southern Los Angeles County...

, who is the highest ranking Asian Pacific American elected state official in California, and Colorado state representative Ed Casso, who was elected deputy whip for the Colorado House Democratic Caucus.