The Howie Hawkins / Angela Walker 2020 Green Party presidential campaign has filed its April 2020 FEC Financial Report at the end of May. We reported more than $43,000 cash on hand and a tremendous surge in donations, thanks largely to the new coalition of political refugees who are continuing the fight for universal healthcare and the Green New Deal in the wake of Bernie Sanders’ decision to suspend his campaign. As the campaign’s treasurer, I’m excited to share our numbers. As of this writing:
- We’ve raised more than $175,000
- We’ve received more than 5,500 donations from more than 3,500 individual donors
- Our average donation is $33
On Track to Federal Matching Funds
Here’s how Matching Funds works: the federal government doubles donations to our campaign for the duration of the primary (including all the donations that have been made since we first launched), up to $250 per individual donor. In order to qualify, we need to raise $5,000 in each of 20 states (only the first $250 per donor counts). Only about a small fraction of our 3,500+ donors have hit $250, which means there’s plenty of opportunity within our existing donor base. So if you haven’t hit $250 yet, please keep on contributing! And of course, since our campaign is largely a party-building exercise, we’ll continue to work to expand our base.
As of this writing, we’ve already qualified in 13 states, and we’re less than a combined $15K away in the following 7 states (OH, WI, AZ, OR, CT, VA, and MN/GA). If you or someone you know lives in one of these states, please do your part to help us hit matching funds. The sooner, the better, so we can put that approx. $150K+ check from Uncle Sam to work on getting on all 51 ballots. See our matching funds progress page for more info. If you’re considering waiting until the primary is over before you donate, please reconsider and donate today, so you can help us achieve matching funds and have your donation doubled.
Volunteers Needed!
To that end, the Hawkins campaign is looking for Greens who are interested in phone banking other Greens and supporters in their state on our contact lists in order to meet our fundraising goals. We have lists, scripts, and other resources set up to get started now.
We are proud to demonstrate what a Green working-class campaign looks like, and we invite you to join us, whether as a volunteer or a donor. To volunteer, sign up at howiehawkins.us/volunteer.
Peace,
Travis Christal, CPA
Treasurer, H’20
travis@howiehawkins.us
P.S. Donor Comments!
Back by popular demand, here’s another roundup of donor comments. We read every single donor comment, and we really enjoy them—keep them coming! Here are just a select few from April:
“Now that Bernie’s out, you’re my candidate #FeelTheHowie”
“As a former elected green in PA and his husband, we moved back to NJ. We miss our Green Party of PA colleagues but we missed living in NJ even more. As registered Greens we are only voting for Socialists and Greens. Otherwise we put our time and $ into building movements as the capitalists in both major parties only care about corporate profits. Third parties are critical to challenging plutocracy.”
“Fight on Howie! PA needs you to end fracking and protect our planet and our workers. Greenwave 2020!”
“Dissatisfied with the Democratic Party. We need a viable third party!”
“Was a Bernie supporter and Jill Stein supporter last election. This election I’ve donated $1900 to Bernie for little result. I’m switching to the green dream as Nancy Pelosi says. If they won’t hear the left it’ll be their loss and the green party’s win.”
“Thank you for providing Bernie Sanders’ supporters another path forward.”
“Disenfranchised Bernie supporter, going Green from Cleveland.”
“From a Bernie supporter. I voted Green last election, and I’ll be proud to do it again in 2020!”
“Supported Bernie’s policies, support your policies. It’s all about the policies.”
“DemExit 2020”
“Medicare for all”
“Please make a ruckus. Signed, A disaffected ex-Democrat”
“LEFT BERNIE. NOW SUPPORTING GREEN PARTY”
“I want to vote for someone who shares my values, not just against someone. Now that Bernie Sanders has dropped out, I’m moving my monthly donation from him over to Howie Hawkins. And for the first time in my life I will not be voting for the Democratic nominee in November.”
“Solidarity Forever”
“I was a Democrat until today. I now stand with the Green Party. Let’s fight for our lives together.”
“The Democratic Party failed working people. Do the job Bernie should have done. You have my full support in November, King.
“I refuse to entertain the false dichotomy presented to us in the form of having to choose between two clearly right-wing candidates in 2020. I am impressed by your platform and am excited to see how your campaign develops over the next few months.”
“Unite the left, Howie!”
“My $27 monthly donation to Bernie is now going to you.”
“modest contribution but major encouragement. Thanks for keeping the important issues front and center w/a dignified and empathetic delivery. Best of luck!”
“Good luck, Howie Hawkins. The door is cracked at this moment in history. Let’s lean hard and push it in!”
“Thank you for standing up for me and the rest of the working class. Thank you for fighting for our futures.”
“I have never donated to a campaign before! #ALLIN”
“US Letter Carrier and Howie Hawkins supporter!”
“I was a Bernie supporter. I will not vote for Joe Biden.”
“Thank you for being a candidate I feel proud to vote for!”
“Howie and team, thank you for giving my family a place to exercise our right to vote for a platform that speaks to our values. Today was a big day for us. My husband and I exited the Democratic party and became members of the Pacific Green Party of Oregon. We are both enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. And we rarely vote. I am 30 and my husband is 40. We want our votes to matter. We want our tribal communities to be supported and empowered! We have donated funds to help support the local platform/movement for the Pacific Green Party in Oregon. Now we want to support you! I have met Winona LaDuke a few times (who ran with Nader) and trust the Green Party is the place for us as Tribal people. Also as displaced Bernie Sanders supporters, we are very appreciative of you all moving this platform forward. Never Biden. Never Trump. Green New Deal. Much love to you and yours!”
“Going Green because the duopoly has no interest in representing the working class.”
“Fight for the working class Howie, only one left who will now”
“You have a cool name and thank you for believing in healthcare and not bombing the DPRK.”
“I supported Bernie in the Democratic primary. I live in NJ, so I didn’t even get to vote for him. This is my first time voting third party. I believe in your platform, so I’m going to vote for you. I need to vote my conscience. I can’t think like a political pundit and choose between the lesser of two evils. I’m going to vote my conscience.”
“Thank you for taking the torch on Medicare for All and the *original* Green New Deal!”
“Former Bernie turned #HowieHomie.”
“You won me over as a bernie supporter with your socialist leaning policies while have years of honesty and being on message. I can trust you.”
“I saw Howie’s tweet saying “Continuing to vote for “lesser evil” only makes things worse.” THAT is what caught my attention, and what will give me donation. It’s not much, but together…”
“Workers of the world, unite!”
“Perhaps this is just me throwing the metaphorical matchstick into the oil, but I feel utterly and totally crushed by our two-party system that marches further and further right without ever leaning to the left. I don’t know what it will take to put you up on the general election’s debate stage in the fall, Mr. Hawkins, but by God I hope I see you there. Raise hell and break the mold.”
“I’m coming from the Dem Party, Bernie supporter. This platform looks great and I’m ready to start growing the green party.”
“I hope you guys get a lot of support. You guys are heroes. Keep it up.”
“The Democratic Party has truly alienated leftist voters. It’s time we considered someone like Hawkins as our best choice, and I’m happy to spread the word.”
“DemExit”
“Do not back down, do not let them blame us for their inevitable failures.”
“I won’t be fooled again”
“It is with enthusiasm that my wife and I just switched our party affiliation from Democrat to Green. We look forward to supporting Mr. Hawkins this November and the Green Party platform henceforth!”
“I just donated 100 to the party”
“Go Howie 2020! For an ecosocialist future!”
