Highlighting her background as a frontline public service pro, new national organization plans to actively support Kara Hahn’s congressional bid in New York’s 1st district.

Milford, Conn. (December 20, 2021) – Today, Democrats Serve — a national hybrid political action committee (PAC) that supports Democrats running for office with public service backgrounds — is endorsing Kara Hahn in her bid for New York’s 1st District congressional seat.

Brett Broesder, the PAC’s executive director, noted that Kara Hahn — who worked as a public policy coordinator, legislative aide, and social worker — is an excellent example of a Democrat running for office with frontline public service experience who can excel as a candidate and a policymaker.​​

“Kara Hahn knows public service,” said Broesder. “While pursuing her Masters in Social Work, Kara saw first-hand the struggles of addiction in our criminal justice system while serving as a drug and alcohol counselor at a county prison. As a single mom working on childcare-related public policy issues, she successfully advocated for requiring background checks for all child care providers. And as a social worker and legislator, she fought successfully to protect domestic violence victims from potential repeat offenses. In Congress, we know she’ll work tirelessly to better the lives of New York families, and that’s why we couldn’t be prouder to back Kara as she turns New York’s 1st District congressional seat blue in 2022.”

Kara Hahn, who currently serves as a Suffolk County legislator, notes that she’s thrilled to receive Democrats Serve’s endorsement.

"It means a lot to earn the endorsement of Democrats Serve because service has been a constant in my life," said Kara Hahn. "I watched my parents make a difference as a volunteer firefighter and public school teacher. Their example is why I pursued a degree in social work, ran for the County Legislature, and it’s why I’m now running for Congress: to help people and strengthen my community."

Democrats Serve works to support public service candidates, who often lack access to the wealthy donor networks that non-working class candidates do.

After launching in May, the organization endorsed 27 candidates nationwide who were running for state and local office in 2021. Every single candidate endorsed by the group won their respective elections.

For the 2022 midterms, the PAC has made endorsements nationwide in competitive elections, including: U.S. Senate Candidates Cheri Beasley (NC), Val Demings (FL); Sarah Godlewski (WI); U.S. House Candidates Aramis Ayala (FL-10), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Matt Castelli (NY-21), Valerie Foushee (NC-06), Jonathan Logemann (IL-17), Ruben Ramirez (TX-15), Tony Vargas (NE-2); Incumbent House Democrats Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Katie Porter (CA-45), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Elissa Slotkin (MI-08), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Susan Wild (PA-07), Lauren Underwood (IL-14); and Gubernatorial Candidates Katie Hobbs (AZ) and Seth Magaziner (RI).

Broesder also said that the group is making a concerted effort to recruit diverse candidates with public safety and justice system experience.

“Republicans in Washington are turning their backs on law enforcement by opposing bipartisan investigations into what role politics played in allowing insurrectionists to kill a Capitol Police officer,” said Broesder. “Republicans have made his priorities clear: appeasing right-wing extremists trumps law and order. New York deserves better. That’s why electing Democrats like Kara Hahn, who know first-hand what it means to serve their communities in government, is critical to safeguarding our democracy.”

Democrats Serve’s overall national effort consists of recruiting, training, and supporting Democrats with backgrounds serving communities in government — at the federal, state, and local levels — including teachers, police officers, firefighters, first responders, social workers, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, public health nurses, and more.

About Democrats Serve

Democrats Serve is a political action committee (PAC) that supports Democrats running for office – at the federal, state, and local levels – with frontline civil or public service backgrounds. The group does this by recruiting, training, and financially supporting Democrats nationwide with experiences serving communities in government, including police officers, firefighters, first responders, social workers, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, educators, and more.

Posted on December 9, 2021 in Press Releases.