Progressive Democrat Bill Hedrick, CA-44, Receives National PDA Endorsement

Media Advisory/For immediate Release

RIVERSIDE, CA - Progressive Bill Hedrick has received the national endorsement of Progressive Democrats of America. Hedrick was first endorsed by Local PDA Chapter CA-44 North at its March meeting in Riverside. Participants voted unanimously to approve his endorsement after reviewing his questionnaire and asking questions of the candidate, who was in attendance.

“I am very proud to have earned the endorsement of PDA," Hedrick said. "This is a great organization, and I am proud to be a part of a group that works tirelessly to encourage the progressive ideals in which I believe. If elected in November, I will work to bring progressive values to Congress, and become one more voice for progressive change in Washington.”

In 2008, Hedrick nearly unseated his opponent, Republican rubber-stamp Ken Calvert, when at the end of a highly scrutinized month-long ballot counting process in Riverside (in which PDA played a part as ballot count observers at the registrar’s office), Hedrick ended up with 49% of the vote to Calvert’s 51—a difference of only 6,100 votes. Hedrick has since been running an aggressive campaign to finish the job and unseat Calvert in 2010.

Hedrick has been an outspoken advocate for these progressive issues:

• Improving the recent Health Care Reform Bill to include a public option and, hopefully someday, Medicare-for-all;
• Fighting to bring our troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq as quickly and safely as possible;
• Working toward America’s energy independence through renewable and alternative energy sources;
• Strengthening public education and improving access to higher education;
• Fighting wasteful spending and corruption to bring leadership we can trust to Washington.

Listen to Hedrick's interview on The Agitator: Voices of PDA Episode 5 – Rep. Dennis Kucinich and PDA-Endorsed Congressional Candidate Bill Hedrick

Bill Hedrick has dedicated 35 years to teaching our children and advocating for teachers in our public schools. He is serving his 5th term as president of the Corona-Norco Board of Education—the 8th largest school district in California, serving 53,000 children. Bill is the board's longest serving member, at 22 years.

Bill and his wife Beth—also a teacher—have been married for 30 years. They have five children, two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren. Adam and his wife Natalie are in the army and are currently serving their third deployments in Iraq. Jesse is an Iraq veteran now in the National Guard reserves and currently working in Corona. His wife Evelyn has served two deployments as a convoy driver in Baghdad. Sarah and Zach attend Riverside Community College, and Rebekkah is attending UC Riverside.

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