California Congressmember Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) drew an energetic crowd of nearly 200 progressive political hopefuls, activists, and labor organizers for the Atlanta stop on his “Benefits Over Billionaires” barnstorming tour on Monday.
The Democratic presidential prospect took aim at President Donald Trump’s spending and tax cut bill, signed July 4, for sharply cutting federal food assistance and health care, while expanding tax breaks for the wealthy. But he also blamed Democrats and the Biden administration for failing to deliver for working-class Americans at the Aug. 18 rally, held at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 728 union hall.
Khanna instead pitched progressive “economic patriotism,” or what he called a Marshall Plan for America, “where we’re investing in the industries of the future that hire people who grew up locally,” he said. That investment will produce “thousands of new trade schools, thousands of new AI academies, healthcare jobs, education jobs, new factory jobs.”
“What is the Democratic mission? I say very simply, it is to answer the inequality in this country and to provide a pathway for economic success for every community and every family in the United States of America,” Khanna said.
Khanna addressed the Teamsters’ controversial decision not to endorse the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, last year. “The problem is not with the Teamsters,” he said. “The problem is with the Democratic Party. We can’t expect people to vote if we don’t stand for working class issues.”
The Atlanta Teamsters vice president, Chuck Stiles, presented Khanna with a Local 728 T-shirt bearing the slogan, “Kicking ass for the working class!” — making clear that, in Atlanta at least, the Teamsters back progressives like Khanna.
Some of the night’s loudest applause lines came from Nina Turner, the former Ohio state senator, who co-chaired Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign with Khanna.
Turner criticized business-as-usual Democratic politics. “It’s easy to be mad at President Donald J. Trump,” she said. But the Biden administration “had a chance” she said, to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour, cancel all student debt, and make childcare affordable.
“They did none of those things,” she said. “I am mad. I am angry at the Democrats who failed to serve and change material conditions for the people of this nation.”
Atlanta faces in the crowd
A who’s who of local progressive politicians attended the rally – many running in city council, school board, and legislative races against establishment Democrats.
Khanna endorsed one of the speakers, Center for Civic Innovation founder Rohit Malhotra, who’s running for Atlanta City Council president against District 11 Councilmember Marci Collier Overstreet. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has endorsed Overstreet. The mayor didn’t attend the event, citing a schedule conflict.
Malhotra called out mainstream Democrats as performative progressives. “I don’t want to see labor on your Instagram, I want to see it in your policies, processes and procedures. I don’t want to see labor in your hashtags, I want to see labor in your budget,” he said to a crowd that included a large contingent of his supporters holding campaign signs.
Malhotra pitched himself to lead the city council as co-equal to the Mayor’s Office and willing to push back against the mayor’s policies.
“It is time for leadership that is not just willing to rubber-stamp bad policy,” he said. “The legislative branch of government must always be independent from the executive. To restore our faith in our democracy nationally, we must protect it locally.”
Also spotted:
- State Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta)
- State Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth)
- Former state Rep. Brenda Lopez Romero, who is challenging Rep. Marvin Lim (D-Norcross) for her old seat
- State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (D-Smyrna), who in 2024 became the first Democratic Socialist elected to the Georgia legislature.
- Atlanta City Councilmember Lilliana Bakhtiari (District 5)
- Kelsea Bond, the Democratic Socialist candidate in the crowded Atlanta City Council race for District 2, covering Midtown.
- Juan Mendoza, who is challenging incumbent Michael Julian Bond Jr. for the Atlanta City Council Post 1 At-Large seat
- Royce Mann, who at 23 is running for the open Atlanta Board of Education Seat 8 At-Large and just landed an endorsement from former Mayor Shirley Franklin
- Andres Castro, a Democratic challenger to Congressmember Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) next year
- Akbar Ali, a 21-year-old endorsed by state Rep. Shelly Hutchinson (D-Lawrenceville) as her replacement in House District 106. Hutchinson is stepping down later this year, triggering a special election on Nov. 4.
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