Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are hitting the street for a buddy road trip they hope will rev up Democrats in purple and red states.
“We need to turn our party around and get back on track to take on Donald Trump and win elections. But that doesn’t mean changing what it means to be a Democrat,” Perez said in a statement to supporters today.
“We have to rebuild the Democratic Party from the grassroots up to make sure we’re talking about our values and fighting for our candidates in every state and every level of government, from town councils all the way up to the president of the United States,” he added.
The Perez-Sanders “Come Together and Fight Back Tour” begins Monday with rallies tentatively scheduled in Nevada, Maine, Kentucky, Nebraska, Florida, Utah, Arizona and Montana.
Some of the topics the duo will be focusing on include infrastructure improvements as President Trump has proposed $1 trillion in spending on shovel-ready programs, proposed budget cuts, tuition-free college like Sanders proposed on the campaign trail, raising the minimum wage, immigration and criminal justice reform, women’s rights and economic inequality.
“We’ll be hearing from folks like you about how we can make the Democratic Party stronger, faster, leaner, and feistier so we can fight for the values we all share — and win,” Perez said.
In a recent speech to activists in New Jersey, Perez said President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “don’t give a shit about people”
Perez told MSNBC last week he doesn’t regret the comments. “What I have regrets about are all the people who are scared to death as a result of the first 60 days of chaos and carnage in this administration,” he said. “That the children who got dropped off at school and literally saw their father you know half a block away getting arrested by ICE.”
“You know, the person with the disability who relies on Meals on Wheels so that they can stay in their home. The 24 million people who are relying on health care. So, you know, I’ve got a lot of passion,” he added. “And one of the reasons I ran for this job is because I want to make sure that everyone who works hard and plays by the rules can afford to live the American Dream.”
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