Milford, CT (June 28, 2021) – Today, Democrats Serve — a new national political action committee (PAC) that supports Democrats running for office with public service backgrounds, including judges and public defenders — is endorsing former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley in her U.S. Senate bid to replace Richard Burr, who is not running for re-election.

Brett Broesder, the PAC’s executive director, noted that Beasley — a former public defender, state district court judge, and the first Black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina — is well-positioned to make history once again as the Tar Heel State’s first Black U.S. Senator.

“Cheri Beasley knows public service,” said Broesder. “For more than two decades, she’s been serving the public as a front-line government worker. First, as a public defender. Then, as a state district court judge. This was followed by becoming the first Black state supreme court chief justice in the Tar Heel State’s 200-year history. For Cheri Beasley, serving and protecting North Carolina families isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life.”

Broesder also said that the PAC 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 refusing to investigate what role politics played in allowing insurrectionists to kill a Capitol Police officer,” said Broesder. “140 officers from Metropolitan Police and Capitol police were injured during the attack, too. Republicans have made their priorities clear: appeasing right-wing extremists trumps law and order." 

“North Carolinians deserve better. That’s why Cheri Beasley, who has a deep commitment to public service and a track record of fighting for all North Carolinians, is a needed voice in the U.S. Senate.”

Democrats Serve is considering making endorsements in North Carolina’s first congressional district, where incumbent G.K. Butterfield is a former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice, and twelfth congressional district, where incumbent Alma Adams is a former educator.

In addition, the organization is making endorsements in other competitive U.S. Senate races, including Florida with a recent endorsement of Congresswoman Val Demings -- a former social worker and police chief -- who is running against Marco Rubio. 

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.

With their recent launch, Democrats Serve rolled out a diverse group of former and current elected officials nationwide who are supportive of the PAC’s mission, including former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Pat Timmons-Goodson, who noted that people who have served their communities are well-equipped to bring about much-needed change.

"To get better policy, we need to elect more people who have seen and felt the human impact of government,” said Timmons-Goodson. “As a judge, I saw it all. My judicial experience helped me to see what should be done differently. Supporting non-traditional candidates who have served their communities will bring change. Democrats Serve will promote that change."

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 and public service backgrounds. The group does this by recruiting, training, and financially supporting Democrats nationwide with backgrounds serving communities in government, including police officers, firefighters, first responders, social workers, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, educators, and more.

Posted on June 28, 2021 in Press Releases.