The DCCC is led by its first ever Hispanic Chairman and Executive Director
38% total staff diversity — 52% of senior staff diversity
Under Chairman Ben Ray Luján’s leadership, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has increased staff diversity from the high bar set in 2016. As Luján noted at the time, “Our work is never finished,” and the 2018 cycle numbers demonstrate that continued commitment. Here is a detailed look at the DCCC’s historically diverse staff that is working hard every day to take back the House:
2018 Election Cycle (as of May 1, 2018)
- Total Racially Diverse = 38% of staff (Increase of 13% since 2014 election cycle, and 5% since 2016)
- Total Diverse Senior Staff = 52% of senior staff (Increase of 17% since 2016 )
- Total Women = 50% of staff
2016 Election Cycle (as of February 29, 2016)
- Total Diverse Staff = 33% of staff
- Total Diverse Senior Staff = 35% of senior staff
- Total Women = 50% of staff
*Diverse = Non-white individuals, as self-identified*
“The DCCC’s greatest asset in electing Democratic candidates is the diversity and passion of the people we work with every day,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “It’s critical that the DCCC reflect America’s diversity, and while the work is never done, I am proud of the significant total staff diversity at our committee – including amongst senior staff who are decision-makers and spenders. Moving forward, the Democratic Party must continue to invest in policies to recruit, retain, and develop the best and brightest from all segments of our population.”
In early 2017, the DCCC created its first ever Department of Diversity. The committee is also working with over 25 minority owned and partnered vendors, through whom the DCCC will spend tens of millions of dollars by the end of the midterm cycle. The Department of Diversity recruited new minority-owned political firms and vendors, and many will work with the DCCC for the first time – leading efforts in mail, media, digital, and strategy.
“The DCCC’s continued prioritization of staff diversity both in DC and on the ground in districts is incredibly important work, and I applaud these impressive new statistics,” said CBC PAC Chairman Gregory Meeks. “Ben Ray Lujan knows that this work is never finished and I look forward to continuing our work to build a diverse pipeline of talent in our campaigns, so that we can continue to turn out key voters and win in 2018 and beyond.”
“After 28 years of doing business in Washington, D.C., it’s great to see large organizations like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recognize the value of working with small, women and minority-owned businesses, particularly during these critical campaign cycles where outreach is key is to turning-out voters,” said Dr. Sheila Brooks, founder and CEO of SRB Communications who won an award for her DCCC work in GA-06. SRB Communications has had a great experience working with the DCCC in the past year. And we’re excited to continue that work in the 2018 midterms through the 2020 elections and beyond.”
“These numbers show not only improvement, but the real commitment the DCCC is placing on building a diverse, reflective team to win in 2018,” said Quentin James, Executive Director of The Collective PAC. “Jalisa Washington, Dan Sena and Chairman Luján should be applauded for this progress.”
Across the largest House battlefield in over a decade, the DCCC continues to prioritize hiring diverse field staff on the ground in these targeted districts. In order to spread Republicans thin and win races in tough districts, the DCCC is taking unprecedented steps to invest in Democratic base turnout in, particularly focused on Latinos, African American, AAPI and millennial voters.