With three weeks until the midterm elections, Casey and Laura Wasserman are hosting a fundraiser on Tuesday evening at their home to raise money for eight candidates hoping to flip House districts in California to Democrats.
The event at the Wasserman home has a long list of co-chairs, including Reginald and Chrisette Hudlin, Jon Vein and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Laura Shell, Patrick Whitesell and Lauren Sanchez, and Dana and Matt Walden.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) is headlining the event, with candidates Josh Harder, T.J. Cox, Andrew Janz, Katie Hill, Gil Cisneros, Katie Porter, Harley Rouda, and Mike Levin.
In an interview with Variety, Laura Wasserman described the candidates as those running “in the most winnable seats” in California.
She said there is a marked difference in enthusiasm now versus past midterm elections, driven by the dismay over President Donald Trump and the Republican majority in Washington.
“There is no comparison, in my opinion,” she said. “I live in a political circle. I have grown up in the political family. Every lunch, every dinner, everywhere I go, people are talking about it and saying, ‘How do we change this?’”
Tickets to the event start at $500 per person, with a $100 price for 18-25-year-old young professionals. The top price is $21,600 for co-chairs. The proceeds go to the California Candidates Victory Fund, a joint committee set up by the candidates.
Another difference this cycle has been the focus that industry donors have on House candidates, even those outside the state, Wasserman said.
“I have people calling me and asking, ‘Can you give money to this candidate in Pennsylvania?’” she said. “Wherever the seats are winnable, I hear from people.”