WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States, announced their endorsement of Mike Levin for the 49th District Congressional seat currently held by Republican Darrell Issa. Levin is one of only two 2018 Congressional candidates to receive NOW’s endorsement to date, as well as the only endorsed candidate in California, demonstrating he is the strongest Democrat to defeat Issa next year.
“I am incredibly honored to be endorsed by such a preeminent organization as NOW,” said Levin. “Their priorities are my priorities. I pledge to fight for economic equality by eliminating the pay gap, ensuring affordable child care, and ending violence against women. I always will be a champion for women’s health and reproductive rights, because what is good for women is good for America.”
NOW has hundreds of chapters and hundreds of thousands of members and activists in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since its founding in 1966, NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life.
NOW’s actions have established the organization as a major force in the sweeping changes that put more women in political posts; increased educational, employment and business opportunities for women; and enacted tougher laws against violence, harassment and discrimination.
Levin was raised in South Orange County, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Stanford University, where he served as student body president, and Duke University School of Law. He was the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Orange County and has worked since as an environmental attorney and clean energy advocate. For the last two decades, he has been involved in a variety of local, state and federal progressive political campaigns.
The New York Times recently called Issa “probably the nation’s most vulnerable incumbent