Leslie Danks Burke, '02, Named to Rochester 10
Rochester 10: Leslie Danks Burke
Like many political pursuits, the Trailblazers political action committee began with a dash of disillusionment in the political process.
While running for the 58th District New York Senate seat in 2016, Leslie Danks Burke dedicated herself to running a transparent campaign, one that accounted for every penny donated. Hers was a simple goal, but one she saw as uncommon in the world of local politics.
After losing the election to the incumbent, Republican Thomas O'Mara, Danks Burke set out to create an incentive for transparency in local elections.
In early 2017, she founded the Trailblazers PAC with the goal of finding and funding candidates for local government, anywhere in the country, who "stand up for honest government" and strive for transparency, clean campaigns, and community engagement. Its motto is, "Moving politics out of the backroom and onto the front porch."
Based in the Southern Tier, the PAC has endorsed candidates across the state and as far away as Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, and Massachusetts.
"Most people who run for local level offices are doing it because they care about the community and they want to make things better in their area," Danks Burke said. "We ask candidates to not only do the hard work, but to go even a step further."
Read more at Rochester City Newspaper