For immediate release
Us announces its 2026 endorsements
Santa Monica, CA — September 22, 2026 — Us (newpublicservice.com) today announced its endorsements for Santa Monica City Council and SMMUSD Board.
Each Us endorsement is decided exclusively by a vote of dues-paying members who will be represented by the winners of that election. Members who live outside of the applicable jurisdiction may not participate.
To be eligible for endorsement, a candidate must first sign the Pledge for a New Public Service, a commitment to a lifetime limit on their years in elected office.
The endorsed candidates are:
Santa Monica City Council
- Eli Gill
- Doug Trussler
- Ericka Lesley
SMMUSD Board
- Harry Leshner
“By signing the Pledge, these candidates have declared that they will focus on the people they represent, not on plotting a long career in elected office,” said Andrew Allison, Us’s founder. “And, at the end of their service, they will return to being citizens and neighbors — subject, as the rest of us are, to the results of their work.”
In the weeks to come, Us will work to make voters aware of these endorsees’ commitment to true public service. Residents can join Us anytime by visiting newpublicservice.com.
About Us
Us (newpublicservice.com) is building a political organization that puts voters first. We bring people together to make their communities better, with digital tools and offline mobilizations, and we work to put true public servants in elected office. Our fight is against career politicians who perpetuate gerontocracy, tolerate anti-voter behavior like SMS spam, and kick the can on the challenges facing California.
Us is free to join, with paid memberships priced at $5 per month. Membership dues fund modern campaigns on behalf of citizen candidates, tools to help winners govern effectively, and year-round organizing to build lasting success. Endorsements are decided exclusively by paid members – no “steering committees,” and no backroom deals. To be considered for endorsement, a candidate must sign the Pledge for a New Public Service, which commits them to a lifetime limit on their years in elected office.
Us was founded in 2026 in Santa Monica. By 2028, we will operate across Los Angeles County, and by 2030, we intend to be active in elections up and down the state. Us makes independent expenditures in California elections. We are not affiliated with, nor do we coordinate with, any candidate or candidate committee.