The Congressional Black Caucus PAC also announces the official launch of the “Drive for 50”, a Campaign to Elect 50 Members of the Congressional Black Caucus to the 115th Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Black Caucus PAC (CBC PAC), the political arm of the Congressional Black Caucus, announces the endorsements of Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware’s At-Large Congressional District, Lynn Coleman in Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, DuWayne Gregory in New York’s 2nd Congressional District, and Donald McEachin in Virginia’s 4th Congressional District.

“I am proud that we have chosen to endorse these candidates that often been the first to lead the charge in their communities, the first to show up and knock the doors down, whether its Lisa Blunt Rochester who was the first African-American female Delaware Labor Secretary or DuWayne Gregory the first African-American Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature” Congressman Gregory Meeks, Congressional Black Caucus PAC Chairman said. “These candidates have shown only the ability, but also the willingness, to assume a position of leadership and fight for our shared Democratic principles. We need more of those voices in Congress.”

Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Wilmington, Delaware native, has tirelessly and consistently served the Delaware community. She previously served as the state’s first African-American Female Delaware Secretary of Labor for Delaware Governor Thomas Carper. If elected, Blunt Rochester will be the first woman and the first African-American to serve as a representative from Delaware in Congress.

In response to the endorsement, Lisa Blunt Rochester said, “The Congressional Black Caucus is a vocal and effective advocate for the progressive policies we value here in Delaware. I am honored to have their endorsement and look forward to working with them to enhance economic opportunities for all Delawareans, protect women’s healthcare access, strengthen Obamacare, and prevent gun violence in our communities.”

In addition to serving as a police officer for over 20 years, Lynn Coleman, also served as a special assistant to the Mayor of South Bend where he focused on youth issues and worked to create the Mayor’s Neighborhood Task Force as the liaison between the Mayor’s Office and the Public Safety Department.

“I am humbled and honored to receive the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. The Congressional Black Caucus has long been working on behalf of communities forgotten by politicians in Washington, and I look forward to working with the CBC to help increase wages, decrease the cost of college, and protect Social Security and Medicare for all of us in Indiana,” Coleman said.

An Army Veteran, DuWayne Gregory, has served as a go-to leader in the Suffolk County Legislature. In 2014, his colleagues elected him Presiding Officer of the Legislature, making DuWayne the first African American in the county’s history to hold the position.

"I am honored to have the support of the CBC PAC. I look forward to working with the CBC to address issues of income equality, college affordability, poverty, and more,” Gregory said.

As a veteran of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia, Senator A. Donald McEachin has been on the forefront of countless major democratic issues including increases to the minimum wage and reform within the payday lending industry.

“I am both honored and humbled to have the support of the CBC PAC for my Congressional campaign. I very much admire the efforts of the CBC and look forward to the opportunity to work with them to improve the lives of our constituents and advocate for progressive principles,” McEachin said.

In addition to announcing the four endorsements, the CBCPAC also launches its “Drive for 50” campaign. “Drive for 50” is a commitment by the PAC to elect a minimum of four new members of the Congressional Black Caucus to Congress in 2016. The CBC PAC believes that with 50 Members it can continue to ensure that its issues are at forefront of the United States Congress.

“The CBC currently has 46 members and represents almost 25 percent House Democratic Caucus and seven full committee Ranking Members. While we are proud of these accomplishments, there is much more work to be done,” Meeks said. “The struggle is far from over and we have to continue to elect Members of Congress who will fight for the rights of our community.”

The CBC PAC has also endorsed Kamala Harris in California’s U.S. Senate Race, Val Demings in Florida’s 10th Congressional District, and Isadore Hall in California’s 44th Congressional District for the 2016 cycle.

Founded in 1994, The Congressional Black Caucus PAC works to increase the number of African Americans in the U.S. Congress, support non-Black candidates that champion our interests, and promote African American participation in the political process with an emphasis on young voters. There are currently 46 African Americans in Congress comprising the largest Congressional Black Caucus in history.