FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 1st, 2022
Contact: Matt Gaze, [email protected], (843) 304-9466
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE WILL ROLLINS (CA-41) RAISES THE MOST ANY DEMOCRAT HAS EVER RAISED AGAINST EXTREMIST KEN CALVERT IN A QUARTER
In Record-Breaking Haul, Rollins Raises $313,000 in First Nine Weeks of His Campaign
PALM SPRINGS, CA — Democratic congressional candidate and former federal prosecutor Will Rollins raised $313,000 in individual contributions during the first nine weeks of his campaign to unseat extremist incumbent Ken Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District, setting a new quarterly record for a challenger.
This record-breaking fundraising haul is the most any Democrat has ever raised against Republican Ken Calvert in a quarter. Over 70% of all contributions came from California residents; Rollins did not accept any money from corporate PACs, and the $313,000 exceeds Calvert’s raise from individual donors by $130,000. FEC filings also show that Rollins more than doubled the amount that his two Democratic opponents raised combined in the last quarter of 2021.
“This public report proves just how much more grassroots support we have from individuals than Rep. Calvert, who continues to get huge amounts of money from corporations and special interest groups outside of our community,” said Rollins. “It’s a signal that people are fed up with Congressman Calvert’s self-dealing and extremist politics, and that we’re ready to elect new leadership that will actually stand up for the people of the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley.”
According to election analysts, California’s new 41st Congressional district will be historically competitive in 2022: Donald Trump and Joe Biden were separated by only about one percent of voters in the most recent presidential election. The Cook Political report has identified California’s 41st Congressional district as one of five Republican-held House seats vulnerable to a Democratic flip this year. Additionally, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has officially added CA-41 to its Targeted Districts list, reaffirming that “CA-41 was just barely carried by Donald Trump and Ken Calvert is out of step with his new district.”
About Will Rollins
Will Rollins is a former federal prosecutor who focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases in Southern California. He’s from a family of Republicans and Democrats and is running for Congress because the attack on the U.S. Capitol underscored why America needs a new generation of leaders to end toxic divisions that threaten our democracy and prevent us from solving problems together. For the past five years, Will served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where he helped prosecute some of the insurrectionists who attacked the US Capitol on January 6th.
Coming of age at a time when being gay was literally a crime in some states, Will and his partner Paolo know that government-sponsored discrimination has lasting effects on all Americans, our economy, and our national security. That has motivated Will to improve the lives of others who face discrimination. Will’s mother and father, a public defender and journalist, stressed the importance of justice and free speech at a young age. His parents taught him that although the system may not be perfect, every generation has a responsibility to improve it. With this lesson in mind, Will is running for Congress to serve the 41st district of California and bring justice and accountability back to Washington.
###
