Max Rose received an education from the military. He also received an education at elite institutions (Wesleyan, the London School of Economics, some time at Oxford). He came back to New York to work in health care. Running for Congress is an extension of his vision of public service. He demonstrates toughness and a commitment to address what people need on Staten Island and throughout the country.
Chrissy Houlahan was a captain in the US Air Force -- three years active duty, thirteen in the Inactive Reserve. She has been a businesswoman, working as the Chief Operating Officer and transforming a start up into a national apparel and footwear brand. She founded and served as COO of B-Lab,"a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good." For variety, she worked as a chemistry teacher in North Philadelphia with Teach for America and served as COO/CFO of an early childhood education nonprofit.
Ann Kirkpatrick wants to return to Congress. She's a professional politician who has won some and lost some. She was elected to Congress for AZ 01 in 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2014. She lost to a Republican in 2010. Rather than face her again, the Republican ran and won in AZ 04 in 2012 while she was elected. Kirkpatrick ran for the Senate in 2016 -- against John McCain. McCain won by thirteen points. She would rather be working.
Kate Brown is a good government liberal. As Secretary of State, she scheduled tough audits that returned $8 for every dollar spent. As Governor, she ensured that medical insurance covered abortions, allowed temporary confiscation of guns from people who were a danger to themselves or others, and prohibited state agents from arresting or helping the federal government find undocumented immigrants.
Tim Kaine is an incumbent Virginia US Senator. His running for reelection is sad because he is not the Vice President. In the 2016 campaign, we learned a lot about him. Midwestern nice (born in Minnesota, Bachelor’s Degree from Mizzou, he came to Virginia by way of Harvard Law School and a Jesuit mission to Honduras. He joined a Richmond law firm, taught at the University of Richmond, represented clients subject to housing discrimination. He had developed an interest in politics through his wife's family. His father-in-law was a former Republican governor of Virginia. Elected to the Richmond city council for his first term by a 97 vote majority; the council elected Tim Kaine mayor in his third term. Tim Kaine had real successes as mayor. While serving as mayor, Tim Kaine ran for Lt. Governor. With a one-term limitation on Virginia governors, Tim Kaine, like many Virginia Lt. Governors, ran for Governor four years after being elected. After he completed his one term limit, he ran for US Senator successfully.
Tom Wolf ran for Governor in 2014, beat strong opponents in the Democratic primary and beat the incumbent governor in the general election to become Pennsylvania's 47th governor. He is running for reelection. He was stubborn. He rejected a Republican deal. In exchange for the education funding he wanted, the Republicans wanted "pension reform" and the privatization of state liquor stores. Instead, he found that mysterious line item in the budget called "waste" and eliminated it.
Joe Manchin is a US Senator from a state that Trump won in 2016 by 42 points. Joe Manchin is the most conservative Democrat in the Senate at a time when the parties have become polarized. He is a Democrat. He is not a conservative. The American Conservative Union gives him a lifetime rating of 28.17%. Way too low to be a conservative. CrowdPac rates politicians based on a combination of their donations, their statements, and their votes with a 20 point scoring system from 10C to 10L. They rate Joe Manchinas slightly liberal at 1.7L. The Americans for Democratic Action rate him 60% liberal. He votes for a Democrat to be the Senate Majority Leader. He is a Democrat.
Susie Lee has been a leading Nevada philanthropist. Before she was a philanthropist, she had been a water and environmental consultant in Massachusetts and a policy advisor to the Las Vegas mayor. She became President of Nevada Women's Philanthropy, the Founding Executive Director of a homeless shelter for needy families, and now focuses on preventing school dropouts. She is not new to politics. Stepping in for Jacky Rosen who is running for the US Senate, Lee has Rosen's support, Harry Reid's support, and the support of the very powerful Culinary Workers Union.
Matt Cartwright is not exactly a Liberal Democrat in Trump country, but he is not a Trump Democrat either. How he approaches a controversial issue is instructive. On health care, he created a panel of more than twenty leading local figures to identify weaknesses in the Affordable Care Act. The donors were Democrats and Republicans. While waiting for the report he signed on for he the Medicare for All proposal. He seems to have figured out how not to be all or nothing, how to listen to locals about an important issue, and how to make sure that the locals he listens to are both independent and loyal enough not to be destructive.
If a Democrat is elected Nassau County Executive, that would be another sign from Long Island that Democrats can gain a majority in the New York State Senate. Laura Curran knows her way around. She has been a school board member or a county legislator. More important she was a reporter for the NY Daily News and NY Post. She also learned a lot working in Tom Suozzi's press office when he was County Executive.