VICTORVILLE, CA –(8/16/22) Today, the Derek Marshall for Congress campaign announces that California Senator Alex Padilla and California House Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes have endorsed Marshall’s bid for Congress in California’s new 23rd District. Padilla and Reyes join a growing list of California Democratic Leadership throwing their support and resources behind Marshall’s insurgent campaign after Congressman Ro Khanna, Pete Aguilar, and Ted Lieu endorsed Marshall earlier this summer.
Marshall has shown strong momentum in the lead-up to the general election race, having outraised his incumbent opponent, Jay Obernolte, for the second straight quarter.
“”I’m proud to endorse Derek Marshall for Congress. Derek is a progressive community leader who is focused on helping California’s working families get ahead. I urge every Californian in CA-23 who wants better-paying jobs, more affordable housing, and health care for all to support Derek Marshall for Congress.” said Alex Padilla.
“Now more than ever, we need leaders in Washington who will fight for California’s families. I believe Derek Marshall will deliver for our hard-working families who are in desperate need of better-paying jobs and more affordable housing. The Inland Empire can trust Derek Marshall,” added Eloise Gómez Reyes
“We are proud of the grassroots, people-powered campaign we are running here in the Inland Empire and I’m excited that California’s top Democrats trust that we have what it takes to flip this red seat blue in November. Now more than ever, it’s important to protect and expand Democratic majorities across the country, and with these leaders in our corner, I’m confident we’re headed to victory in November, ” said Derek Marshall. “The hard-working families of California’s 23rd District are sick and tired of career politicians like Jay Obernolte blaming rising prices and inaction in Washington on workers getting a raise, but I guess that’s the type of warped logic we’ve come to expect from a representative so utterly beholden to his corporate donors and one who used his first vote in Congress to try to decertify a Presidential election. We’re bringing something new to the table – we’re fighting the working families of this district and that’s why California leaders are backing our movement and we’re happy to have them on our side .”
Derek Marshall is an openly gay progressive Democrat, community organizer, and longtime LGBTQ+ rights activist. After studying politics and international relations, Derek graduated in 2006 and moved to Germany to help found a global research initiative for the United Nations. From there, he joined the online travel agency KAYAK as Director of Internationalization. When he returned to California, Derek organized for affordable housing and climate justice, continued his lifelong LGBTQ+ activism, and cut his teeth on several Democratic races. Marshall spent much of the 2020 cycle in Nevada as a staffer for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential bid. In June of 2022, Marshall successfully advanced to the November general election run-off after placing second in the CA-23 primary. He currently resides in Victorville, CA, where his 2022 campaign is based.
