Recently, I was happy to interview Ann Ashford to discuss her run in Nebraska's 2nd congressional district against Republican Rep. Don Bacon, and how she plans to address money in politics. She is running in a competitive Democratic primary in what is shaping up to be a tight race, particularly in the general election, so here she is making the case as to why you should vote for her.
What inspired you to run for Congress in the first place?
"I am running for Congress to knock down the obstacles that are put in the way of individuals achieving their own version of the American dream. We need to remove the blockades that are put in the way of individual opportunities for success. There are too many candidates who say they want to go to Washington to fight. That only gets us more of what we have today: representatives retreating to their own corners, dysfunction, and a lack of real results produced for the American people. I am a realistic progressive, pragmatic in my actions, and will work tirelessly with others to achieve a more perfect union that functions for all Americans."
What is your main strategy to win?
"From the beginning, I have said I would go to the voters. I don't expect them to come to me. So, for the past 14 months, I and my team have spent time in every corner of the district, attending gatherings, going to community meetings, and hearing from people throughout Nebraska's 2nd. Until COVID-19, this involved face to face meetings including in person canvassing. With the onset of COVID-19, we were the first campaign in the country to stop door to door and have switched to phone, online, and mail strategies. We also hold twice weekly virtual town halls and make ourselves accessible in every way possible."
How do you make the case to Democratic voters in your district that you're a better candidate than Kara Eastman and Gladys Harrison?
"The voters of this district are looking for someone who can win the general election and represent them in Congress. It doesn't matter the party registration; voters want someone who will go to work for them to truly represent all the diverse individuals in the district. I have spent my career here in healthcare and human resources. In healthcare, my responsibility was to make it easier for patients to access providers and for providers to treat their patients. In human resources, my responsibility was to represent the employer and employee and to bring those two, sometimes opposing, sides together to reach a common goal. I have the real lived experience we need in Congress and other candidates have slogans.
I am honored to have the endorsement and support of so many Nebraskans, from elected officials to former co-workers. Perhaps the most critical message comes from the 4 individuals who are the only living Democrats who have been elected to federal office from Nebraska: Senator Bob Kerrey, Senator Ben Nelson, Congressman John Cavanaugh, and Congressman Brad Ashford. These four individuals know what it takes to be elected in this state and how to serve in Congress for the benefit of this state - and they have placed their trust in me and endorsed my candidacy.
I am a listener by nature and hear and see the diverse voices and people across this district. I am the only candidate who has spoken and committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders, so we have people at the ready to be able to represent us in the House. I am the only candidate who has pledged to recruit both a district and DC staff that will be at least 25% people of color. Representatives need to be responsive and accessible in words and actions and that is how I will conduct myself.
We also need to look at the results in 2018. Kara Eastman is a hard-working candidate and reached a number of voters. But she also lost by a larger margin than any other Democrat since 2010 for this particular race. In doing so, Kara under-performed nationwide Democrats by 10.6 points. The voters spoke and they clearly stated that Kara's message does not fit this Congressional district. Kara Eastman has had to go outside Nebraska for any support by federally elected officials and has actively sought and received support from the Justice Democrats and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's PAC. The majority of her support comes from California and New York, not Nebraska."
If you make it to the general, how do convince your fairly conservative district to vote for you?
"When I make it to the general, I will keep with our same message. I am a realist, a problem solver, and a pragmatist. My actions will match my words. And I will represent the entire district, regardless of the letter behind someone's name. My extensive career in healthcare and human resources, that occurred throughout this entire district, has given me the lived experience and the tools necessary to fully represent us in Congress."
On your website, your platform includes improving Obamacare, a public option, universal pre-K, banning assault weapons, a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants, rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, etc. Which of your priorities is the most important to you (including those I may not have mentioned)?
"1. Healthcare - we must obtain universal coverage and access for all Americans by improving upon what Obamacare started; reduce the cost of care, especially pharmaceuticals; and provide a public option for all such as Medicare. There is a more detailed plan on my website at annashford2020.com. 2) Climate - we must move urgently to reduce and reverse the effects of climate change and take immediate measures to protect our air, water, and land. 3) Education - whether we are addressing K-12 or post-secondary education and training programs, there are realistic pathways to reduce our crippling student debt and address the cost of education. We must take action to recognize the value K-12 teaching staff delivers and I will sponsor legislation to make the pay of K-12 teaching staff exempt from federal taxation. That being said, anywhere that artificial barriers have been placed in the way of Americans achieving success, I will look to eliminate them."
Regarding your stances on health care and the environment, among my personal top issues, aside from getting money out of politics, the biggest issue, are Medicare For All and a Green New Deal. Why do you not express support for those policies?
"I agree with you that we need to get the money out of politics - the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC is one of the worst decisions ever. Regarding Medicare for All and a Green New Deal, I am not a fan of labels or campaign slogans. These labels have become rallying cries from both sides of the issues, only pushing people farther into their corners. We need to start with the conversation and where we agree. We can come to agreement that healthcare is a human right and that the US must provide universal access and coverage for Americans. We can also come to agreement that climate change is our greatest existential threat and we must address it now. We have the same goals just different ways of getting there. And we can get there without using labels that divide us. We need to concentrate on the substance and work with everyone to address these issues urgently. We can't let campaign slogans slow us down or get in our way."
How do you plan to address the corrupting influence of money in politics? Will you pledge to cosponsor the We the People Amendment (introduced in the House this session as H.J.Res.48) that would declare that corporations are not people, and that money is not speech?
"I do pledge to cosponsor the We the People Amendment. We must address money in politics, and this is a move in the right direction."
Any final thoughts?
"Thank you for doing your blog. It is so important to our democracy that we have various ways to get to know our candidates and officeholders. The voters are the ultimate employers of those they elect. It is critical for anyone running for election or re-election to be as accessible and transparent as possible. So, thank you for the service you provide for the electorate. For anyone with questions for me, please email me at ann@annashford2020.com. And I humbly ask for your readers' votes both in the primary and the general elections. Together we will change the world."
Alright, thank you so much, Ann Ashford, for agreeing to this interview! If you live in Nebraska's 2nd district, and you like what you see, primary day is May 12. You can also learn more about Ann at her website, linked above. Thank you very much and have a great day!
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