Candidates Matter
The people on our team do too.
Friends,
We know this is a make-or-break moment for our democracy. And all signs on the road to November’s midterms point to what Square One has said (and proven) all along: when we back real, authentic candidates who come from the communities they hope to serve — we can win anywhere.
Voters want leaders who have lived the struggle and overcome adversity, who tell the truth, and who are willing to stand up for them. Full stop.
We seek out the same kind of leaders for our own team too. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to our new Operations Director Lianna Stroster.
I’ll let Lianna tell you about herself. She’s no stranger to helping Democratic candidates run and win, and we’re lucky to have her at Square One.
Tony
Executive Director, Square One
Square One Supporters,
I’m thrilled to be joining the Square One team as the National Operations Director.
Living with my own chronic health condition as a type 1 diabetic and navigating our byzantine health care system is what led me to electoral politics over a decade ago. I wanted to get at the root of the problem and help put people in power who would make it easier, not harder, for everyone else to get the care they need to live well too.
It’s why I helped millions of Americans enroll in quality affordable health coverage after the ACA passed. It’s why I worked on US Senate and presidential campaigns to elect health care champions like Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton. It’s why I trained women at EMILYs List to run winning campaigns, and helped inspiring candidates up and down the ballot defy the odds and win their tough races while I was at the DNC.
I am committed to electing lawmakers who lead with compassion and care about the people in their communities. Like every single of one of Square One’s candidates! When we run real people with real stakes in this democracy, we win. Voters are done with empty politics and they’re rewarding candidates who show up with lived experience, a desire to serve, and a willingness to fight for people from all walks of life.
Just last weekend, a veteran, union president, and working-class Democrat won a historic special election in Texas by double digits — flipping a state senate district that Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024. A district Democrats were told to ignore.
This is exactly why Square One exists: to find and fuel authentic leaders who reflect their communities and can win their races for Congress — even in bright red districts and states that others have written off. This moment isn’t an outlier. It’s momentum. And it’s the roadmap for 2026.
That’s why I am so excited to be a part of the Square One team, especially at this particular moment in time, helping candidates build on this momentum so we can flip the US House in November.
Let’s get to work.
Lianna
