Washington, DC – Today, Mark Ritchie’s victory in the Secretary of State race against Republican incumbent Mary Kiffmeyer was a step forward for Minnesota. Twenty-First Century Democrats, the 13th largest political action committee in the nation, endorsed 34 candidates, including Ritchie, during the 2006 election cycle.

“Mark Ritchie’s victory today illustrates the fact that Minnesota citizens were ready for a change,” said Kelly C. Young, president of Twenty-First Century Democrats. “Mark truly believes that knocking down barriers to voting is essential to increasing voter participation. We are confident that Mark will get results; he will successfully stand up for the people of Minnesota.”

Ritchie had an uphill battle in his fight for the Secretary of State seat against popular Republican incumbent Mary Kiffmeyer. However, Kiffmeyer’s partisan agenda and her support of barriers to voting contributed to Ritchie’s victory today. Thus, his win promises to bring about positive change when it comes to voters’ rights in this state. As Secretary of State, Ritchie plans to combat low voter turnout by establishing programs like automatic voter registration for high school seniors and a “Leave No Voter Behind” campaign. He also plans to work with local governments in order to break down as many barriers to voting as possible.

The endorsement of such a small number of candidates nationwide signals a new direction for Twenty-First Century Democrats. “We are focused on locating and supporting those candidates who can successfully connect with America’s citizens,” said Young. “We believe that these extraordinary leaders will push for a change and bring the power back to the people. Leaders like Mark Ritchie will ensure that the voices of Americans everywhere are heard.”

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Twenty-First Century Democrats seeks out, supports, and elects extraordinary, visionary leaders who are courageous risk-takers committed to creating a just, tolerant, and open society.