In 2008 Alan Grayson beat Republican incumbent Ric Keller 52-48% in a Republican-leaning district. But instead of playing a defensive Republican-lite game, like so many red-district Democrats do, Grayson has become one of the most outspoken and effective champions of working families in Congress. He may be public enemy #1 to reactionaries but he's been one of the rays of light for ordinary Americans looking for a plain-speaking and courageous member of Congress willing to stand up for us all. Grayson has no fear, which drives the Republicans crazy. He was voted onto this page by a poll of all past Blue America donors.

In 2006 progressive community activist Marcy Winograd, a founder of the L.A. chapter of Progressive Democrats of America and an unrelenting anti-war organizer, jumped into the Democratic primary against Blue Dog and war monger Jane Harman-- who had famously described herself as "the best Republican in the Democratic Party." Marcy was one of the very first candidates Blue America ever endorsed. And we were overjoyed that she decided to run again this year. This year her campaign is based on a Green New Deal that would put 10 million Americans back to work repairing America’s infrastructure, building rapid transit, and developing alternative energy to make the country more secure. And she pledges to lead the congressional Progressive Caucus to cut billions in government waste in Iraq and Afghanistan and commit taxpayer money to jobs, healthcare, and education. If elected she will immediately push to freeze foreclosures and invest in programs that would make Southern California the epicenter for green technologies-- expanding the talent of aerospace into development of rapid transit and renewable energy and fight for • tax credits for job creation • wage subsidies to put America back to work • investment in schools to prepare our children for the future economy • community-based public sector jobs, building playgrounds, cleaning up abandoned property, creating food co-ops & farmers markets If Marcy is elected, we will have the kind of genuine progressive leader working for us-- not someone whose arm we have to twist to do the right thing. She has been fighting against the unjustifiable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-- and fighting FOR a more equitable and just society for working American families.