State-Level Candidates:
Code of Ethics Pledge for a Responsive Government

By running for office, you have already shown up with courage. In the spirit of the Courage Candidates running for federal office, we welcome state-level candidates to adopt our code of ethics, and take a pledge to conduct yourselves with integrity, be unafraid to take action, and remember that the people you represent are people first and foremost, not votes. All candidates who sign on to this pledge will be listed below.

Politics, particularly moneyed American politics, relies on fear and intimidation at the party level to control voters and voting. This pledge recognizes the dangers of unchecked and coercive behavior, including behaviors intended to freeze out and belittle candidates, and undermine the electoral process. The undersigned therefore commit to a pro-democracy platform that rejects corruption, authoritarianism, and oligarchy. They adopt the following code of conduct as a symbol of integrity and a steadfast commitment to democracy.

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Fundamental humanity clause: I believe in the fundamental humanity of every person and pledge to oppose legislation that abridges the right to life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness for any group. If I am informed by a group that my policy position harms their right to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness, I will not dismiss or belittle them. I will consider them to be experts on their own lived experience and take their concerns into account when assessing my platform. 

I swear to fulfill to the best of my ability and judgement the following code of conduct: 

I will respect my colleagues seeking political office and gladly share knowledge about navigating the political system with them. 

I will, for the benefit of my constituents, work to ensure that my campaign is responsive to the needs of the people, avoiding both a dependence on corporate funding and seeking power at all costs 

I will remember that politics is the art of the possible, and a profound duty to both the present and the future, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding are not substitutes for action. 

I will not be ashamed to say “I do not know,” and I will seek out those who are able to answer the questions my constituents ask. 

I will respect my constituents as people with agency and lived experience, understanding that I must earn their vote rather than simply be less terrible than the other option. If I succeed in my run for office, I will proceed with humbleness and awareness of my responsibility to my constituents. Above all, I must not assume I know better than them what will improve their lives. 

I will remember that I do not seek power for power’s sake, that I seek election to return power to the people as their agent in the halls of Congress. My responsibility to my constituents includes their economic stability and the health of their entire community. 

I will return power to my constituents whenever possible, being accessible and accountable to their feedback. 

I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those of sound mind and body as well as those that need additional resources to live whole, healthy lives. 

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy a long career in politics, respected while I serve and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the integrity of the office and of the Constitution, and may I long experience the joy of serving those who elect me to office.

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