Author: Lilah Shandel

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Convergence clients celebrate big wins across Maryland

Convergence is proud of the work we did to deliver wins for our clients across Maryland.  From Baltimore to Annapolis to Montgomery County, Convergence played a role in races down the ballot, including:

Julian Jones for Baltimore County Executive

Convergence developed five pieces of mail highlighting Julian Jones’ background as a firefighter and his work on the County Council, including actions he took to stand up to Donald Trump. We also developed mail to contrast him with his opponent, who sided with Republicans to redraw the County Council districts and disenfranchise Democratic voters. Julian Jones won by 14 points and is on track to making history as the first Black County Executive in Baltimore County.

Senate President Bill Ferguson

Through the Expanding Opportunities Maryland PAC, Convergence supported Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson. Convergence created two video spots and two mail pieces that showed Bill’s record standing up for Marylanders and fighting Trump. An article in the Baltimore Brew called one piece, “a thick, slick bundle” and noted it was “by far the fanciest of the mailers.” Bill Ferguson won renomination by 13 points.

Anne Colt Leitess for Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney

Incumbent State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess faced a tough primary challenge from a former prosecutor in her office. Convergence developed 4 pieces of mail highlighting Leitess’s record of results and her strong democratic values as well as two videos – one positive and one contrasting her with her opponent. Our contrasting message emphasized the fact that the opponent in the Democratic primary was a registered Republican until 2024 and has deep ties to Republican campaigns and causes. Anne Colt Leitess won re-election by 14 points and, as there is no Republican running in the general election, will cruise to a third term.

Gavin Buckley for Anne Arundel County District 6

Former Mayor of Annapolis Gavin Buckley entered a crowded race to fill an open seat. Convergence developed 4 mail pieces to highlight his record of results as Mayor, his Democratic values, and his vision for the future of Anne Arundel County. Gavin Buckley won by over 16 points and will face a Republican opponent in the general election in November.

Scott Goldberg for Montgomery County Council At-Large and Jud Ashman for Montgomery County Council District 3

Through Affordable Maryland PAC, Convergence supported a slate of Montgomery County Council candidates, including Jud Ashman’s win in County Council District 3 and Scott Goldberg’s win of an At-Large Council seat, both by a margin under 2%. At the time of writing this, Karla Silvestre holds a narrow lead for an At-Large Council seat, but the race hasn’t been called yet. Our mail defined these candidates as supportive of policies that would make Montgomery County a place more affordable to all.

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Convergence congratulates Democrat Scott Harriman on his election to the Maine State House

Yesterday, Voters in Lewiston elected City Councilor Scott Harriman to the State House in a closely watched special election. Scott’s victory was critical to preserving the two-seat majority held by Maine Democrats in the State House.

Convergence worked on behalf of the Maine Democratic Party’s independent expenditure to create a direct mail and digital advertising campaign that focused on voter education, emphasized the stakes of the election, and contrasted Scott’s values with that of his opponent. Our voter education track encouraged voters to use early and absentee voting and provided information about where and how to vote.

In the weeks leading up to the election, ICE was deployed to Lewiston to terrorize and intimidate residents. We added two mail pieces to the program which featured stories of residents detained by ICE, the traumatic aftermath of ICE presence, and the opponent’s unwillingness to defend Lewiston residents from government overreach. Convergence’s ability to pivot and create mail on a timely issue helped push Scott Harriman over the finish line.

Congratulations Rep. Harriman!

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Convergence congratulates Adelita Grijalva on her landslide victory in the AZ-07 Democratic primary

Southern Arizona’s primary voters overwhelmingly chose Adelita Grijalva as their Democratic nominee for Congress last night. A strong progressive voice with decades of experience delivering results, Adelita carried more than 60% of the vote in a five-way race that saw millions of dollars in opposition and outside spending. Adelita will bring her own significant experience to the role previously filled by her late father, former Congressman Raúl Grijalva.

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Democrat Paloma Aguirre Triumphs in Tough Election for San Diego County Supervisor

On Tuesday, San Diego County District 1 voters elected Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre as Supervisor. Convergence worked on behalf of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council to produce bilingual direct mail and digital ads targeted exclusively to union members in both the primary and runoff elections.   

During the primary, our strategy was to distinguish Paloma from the crowded field of Democratic candidates by highlighting her record as Mayor of Imperial Beach and appealing to some Republican voters. Our strategy in the runoff election was to continue to highlight her record, emphasize endorsements from local unions, and call attention to her opponent’s shortcomings.

Congratulations to Paloma Aguirre on your big win!