Just about every political party claims that it wants to bring "Power to the People," but in most cases all this means is that they believe they can speak for you. When Forward talks about "Power to the People," however, we're talking about directly empowering local representatives and legislators. , by We want to give these leaders giving them more freedom to innovate and lead, so that they in turn can make their communities feel truly heard through responsive governance, focused on their constituents’ unique needs and concerns.

Because for so many issues, there can be no 'one size fits all' fix. Different communities contend in different ways with issues of affordable housing, of opioid addiction, of crime and policing. And what may work in Connecticut may not work in Florida, and what may work in Naples or Pensacola may not work in Jacksonville or Miami. In order to meet these different needs, we need to welcome a wide range of voices and ideas to the table, and we need political leadership that understands that.

This is the kind of grassroots ethos that Forward strives to embody at every level of our organization. Our national and state party governance serve to empower our key operatives and volunteers to do the work they're passionate about. Those operatives and volunteers serve to provide candidates with the resources that they need, and to empower them to bring their ideas into the conversation. And these Forward candidates serve to empower their communities, to make their constituents' voices heard by responsive leadership focused on solving problems.

What We Bring to the Table: the Forward Promise

Our commitment to empowering candidates to bring their and their constituents’ voices to the table is integral to what makes Forward Forward , to what makes us different from any other political party. That’s why it’s so ingrained throughout our core values:

Diverse thinking isn’t just welcome, it’s required: The Forward Party welcomes new ideas and fearless conversations around the issues of the day. If we see bold new ways of thinking, if we see unique and dynamic solutions that address the unique demands of your community, we aren’t going to shy away from it. We are going to champion it, and use our party infrastructure to uplift a wide range of voices.

No purity tests: The Forward Party offers a political home for everyone willing to work towards practical, common-ground solutions for bettering our nation. Yes, we welcome conservatives. Yes, we welcome liberals. Yes, we welcome moderates and centrists and libertarians, and those who have never found a place for themselves on the political spectrum. As long as you are willing to work together, we want to hear your voice and your perspective.

More listening, less talking: The Forward Party is not interested in telling candidates what to think or how to vote - we want to hear from our candidates, to listen, to empower them by lifting their voices up and giving them a table of conversation where their ideas can grow. And that is the grassroots ethos that our candidates can pass along to their communities, to make them feel heard and empowered. Because that's what "Power to the People" is really about.