2025 Endorsements | CFE PAC

Daniel Hernandez is running for Congress in Arizona’s 7th District. A special Democratic primary election will be held on July 15 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Raul Grijalva. There are five candidates running in this primary. Hernandez was a member of the Arizona State House (2017-2023) and prior to that a school board member. He is credited with saving the life of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in the assassination attempt in 2011. Hernandez is nonreligious.

Paul Chakalian is running for Congress in California’s 23rd District. This is an early endorsement for a 2026 contest to unseat Republican incumbent, Jay Obernolte, who won in 2024 with 60% of the vote. So far, there are four Democrats in this race. Chakalian is a small business owner, community advocate, and an agnostic.

Tanya Cook is running for the California State Assembly in District 70. This is an early endorsement for a 2026 contest to unseat Republican incumbent, Tri Ta, who won in 2024 with 54.7% of the vote. So far, there are no other Democratic candidates in this race. Cook is a lifelong advocate for working families, social justice, and bold progressive change. She is a recovering Catholic, who identifies "as both an atheist and spiritually grounded in aspects of paganism, especially nature-based values and personal connection to the world around me."

Vance Ahrens is running for the Florida State Senate in District 19. This is a special election on June 10 to replace the seat vacated by Republican Congressman Randy Fine (FL-6). She ran against Fine in 2024 and earned 41% of the vote in the general election. Ms. Ahrens is an atheist.

Josh Weil ran for Congress in Florida's 6th District. This was a special election to replace Republican Mike Waltz, who left the seat to take a position in the Trump administration. Waltz won re-election in 2024 with 67% of the vote. The special election was on April 1 and Weil earned 43% of the vote. Mr. Weil won the Democratic primary with 61% of the vote. He is as a non-practicing Muslim.

Dylan Parker won re-election as an Alderman for the City of Rock Island, IL (Ward 5) with 70% of the vote in the April 1 election. This will be his third four-year term in this office. Alderman Parker is a humanist.

Randal Bruce is running for Mayor of Farmington Hills, MI. He was elected in 2021 to a four-year term on the Farmington Hills City Council. He also served on the Council from 2003 to 2019 and has served as Mayor Pro Tem. The election is on November 4. Councilmember Bruce is an atheist.

Rosy Bagolie is running for re-election to the New Jersey General Assembly in District 27. The Democratic primary will be on June 10. This is a contested primary with four candidates running for two seats. Assemblymember Bagolie is Jewish and an ally of our community.

Debra Di Donato is running for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 10. The Democratic primary will be on June 10. This is a contested primary with three candidates running for two seats. Both incumbents in this district are Republican. Ms. Di Donato was raised Christian but does not practice.

Mitchelle Drulis is running for re-election to the New Jersey General Assembly in District 16. She and her running mate, Roy Freiman, are in a contested Democratic primary on June 10 with three candidates running for two seats. She was first elected to this seat in 2023. Assemblymember Drulis is Catholic and an ally of our community.

Roy Freiman is running for re-election to the New Jersey General Assembly in District 16. He and his running mate, Mitchelle Drulis, are in a contested Democratic primary on June 10 with three candidates running for two seats. He was first elected to this seat in 2017. Assemblymember Freiman is Jewish and an ally of our community.

Steven Pylypchuk is running for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 25. He and his running mate, Marisa Sweeney, are unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 10. The incumbents in this district are both Republican. He is a current member of the Morristown Council. Councilman Pylypchuk is an atheist and a humanist.

Carolyn Rush is running for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 1. She and her running mate, Brandon Saffold, are in a contested primary with three candidates running for two seats. The Democratic primary will be on June 10. The incumbents in this district are both Republican. Ms. Rush is a non-affiliated Christian.

Brandon Saffold is running for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 1. He and his running mate, Carolyn Rush, are in a contested primary with three candidates running for two seats. The Democratic primary will be on June 10. The incumbents in this district are both Republican. Mr. Saffold is an agnostic.

Balvir Singh is running for re-election to the New Jersey General Assembly in District 7. He was elected to this seat in a special replacement convention in January. The Democratic primary will be on June 10. This is a contested primary with three candidates running for two seats. Assemblymember Singh is a Sikh and an ally of our community.

Marisa Sweeney is running for the New Jersey General Assembly in District 25. She and her running mate, Steve Pylypchuk, are unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 10. The incumbents in this district are both Republican. She serves on the Morristown Planning Board and Grow It Green Morristown’s Board of Directors. Dr. Sweeney is an agnostic atheist.

Alexander Caruso is running for the New York City Council in District 19. He has an opponent in the Democratic primary on June 24. For the general election on November 4, he is challenging Republican incumbent, Vickie Paladino. Mr. Caruso is Roman Catholic and an ally of our community.

John Deer is running for re-election for Manlius Town Supervisor. He is unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 24, but he will have a Republican opponent in the general election on November 4. He first won this seat in 2021. Deer is an atheist.

Harvey Epstein is running for the New York City Council in District 2. He is a current member of the New York State Assembly in District 75. He is in a crowded Democratic primary on June 24 and the general election is on November 4. Assemblymember Epstein is Jewish and agnostic.

Kyle Herman is running for re-election to Stow (OH) City Council (At-Large). He was first elected to this seat in 2023 for a two-year term. The election is on November 4. Councilmember Herman is a Christian humanist.  

Monica Wilson is running for re-election to Parma (OH) City Council (Ward 1). She was initially appointed to this seat and in 2023 she was elected to a two-year term. The election is on November 4. Councilmember Wilson is a humanist.   

Amy Hossain is running for the Oklahoma State House in District 74. This is a special election on June 10 to replace the Republican incumbent, Mark Vancuren, who resigned in January. As a mom, non-profit leader, and dedicated community advocate, Hossain is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of all Oklahomans. She is a Muslim.

Jennifer Brothers is running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 9th District. This is an early endorsement for a 2026 contest to unseat Republican incumbent, Dan Meuser, who won in 2024 with 70% of the vote. Brothers’ diverse background spans private investigation, correctional law enforcement, higher education administration, banking, and entrepreneurship, and she is a devoted mother, proud neighbor, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Brothers is an agnostic.

Erica Deuso is running for Mayor of Downingtown in Pennsylvania. She has the endorsement of the current mayor, who has chosen not to seek re-election. She won the Democratic primary on May 20 with 62% of the vote. The general election is on November 4. Ms. Deuso was raised Catholic and now identifies as an atheist.

Daniel Miller ran for Mayor of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. He finished second in a field of five candidates. Just 83 votes separated him from the winner. He is serving in his second term as the Harrisburg City Treasurer. He has also served as City Controller and Vice President of the Harrisburg City Council. The primary election was on May 20. Mr. Miller is an agnostic.

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez won re-election to the San Antonio, TX City Council (District 2) earning 61% of the vote in the May 3rd election. He will serve a third two-year term in this office. Councilmember McKee-Rodriguez is an agnostic.

Blaizen Bloom is running for the Virginia House of Delegates in District 89. They were a delegate to the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago. They are in a contested Democratic primary election on June 17. The Republican incumbent won the seat in 2023 with just 50.8% of the vote. Mx. Bloom is a humanist.

Melody Cartwright is running for the Virginia House of Delegates in District 48. She ran for this seat in a special general election in a deeply read district in 2024 and earned 30% of the vote. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 17. Melody's father, a Western Civilization and World History educator and confirmed Christian in the 1950s, taught that people need to be tolerant and supportive of all world religions and the right to non-denominational options. Ms. Cartwright is a Christian and ally of our community.

Mark Downey is a pediatrician and the Democratic nominee for District 69 in the Virginia House of Delegates. Mark is running against a first-term Republican incumbent in a battleground district that Tim Kaine nearly won in 2024. Raised in a Christian household and at a Lutheran church, Dr. Downey does not currently identify with any specific denomination.

Ghazala Hashmi is running for Virginia Lieutenant Governor. She is currently a Virginia State Senator in District 15 and was first elected to this seat in 2019. She is in a crowded Democratic primary on June 17. The Republican incumbent, Winsome Earle-Sears, won this seat in 2021 with just 50.7% of the vote. She is now running for Governor. Sen. Hashmi is a Muslim and ally of our community.

Sam Rasoul is running for re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates in District 38. He is unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 17. In his eleven years in the General Assembly, Rasoul has worked to lower health care costs, pushed for intersectional justice through a Green New Deal, advanced the socio-emotional health of our children, fought to raise teacher pay to the national average, and advocated for good government in limiting the influence of special interests. He is a Muslim.

Dustin Wade is running for the Virginia House of Delegates in District 75. He is in a competitive three-person Democratic primary on June 17. The Republican incumbent, Carrie Coyner, won this seat in 2023 with just 52.8% of the vote. With regard to religion, Mr. Wade says, “I am spiritual, grounded in love, and guided by a belief in human dignity, compassion, and justice for all.”

Kevin Schilling is running for the Washington House of Representatives in District 33-Position 1. This is a special election with the top-two primary on August 5. Schilling serves as Mayor of Burlen and is in his second term on the city council. Mayor Schilling is a humanist and a believer in omnism.

Melissa Agard won re-election for County Executive for Dane County, WI with 81% of the vote in the April 1 election. She won a special election for this seat in 2024. She has previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and State Senate. County Executive Agard is an agnostic.