Democracy for America on track to shut down

“DFA left it all on the field to stop the red wave and win critical elections up and down the ballot across the country,” he said. “Now as we head in the next cycle in this difficult fundraising environment, we’ve decided to close the PAC. We’re excited that the DFA Advocacy Fund will continue its work for the foreseeable future focused on election reforms like rank choice voting and national popular vote.”

Yvette Simpson, the most recent CEO of Democracy for America, announced on Twitter last week that she was resigning. She did not detail her reason for leaving, instead touting the group’s work in recent elections.

“In 2020, we were able to help our movement and our nation send Donald Trump packing,” she wrote, “and this past cycle, we stopped a red wave and protected democracy, dealing a strong blow to election deniers across the country.”

She said it was “time to turn the page” in her career.

The organization started in its current form after Dean’s unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign, and throughout its history it helped elect more than 1,000 progressive candidates and raised $70 million dollars since it started, staff said. In recent years, it focused on structural democracy reform, ranked choice voting, student debt relief and Medicare for All.

Democracy for America endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the 2016 presidential primary. Before backing him, it helped organize an unsuccessful campaign to draft Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) into the race.

The group also supported Sanders’ run in 2020.

In the last couple weeks, there was talk within Democracy for America about finding a way to stay open, but it has not borne fruit so far, the three people familiar with the plans said.