2018 Congressional Campaign
In 2017 I was inspired by women my age running for public office for the first time and decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in CA-01. (For the in depth story of the decision, check out this podcast episode). At the time, CA-01 encompassed the 11 counties in the northeast corner of California and was an historic conservative stronghold (R+11). It is a primarily rural and remote rural district, with 50% public forest land. In the 2018 election cycle there was a crowded primary field of Democratic challengers to Rep. Doug LaMalfa. I entered the race three weeks before the Democratic party’s endorsement vote and was able to gain enough momentum that no single candidate got the endorsement. Six months later in the June open primary I came in second behind the congressman, 7 points above the third place candidate who had outspent me two to one.
That July, the Carr Fire started in Shasta County where it eventually burned almost 230,000 acres claiming 8 lives and thousands of homes. My campaign was active in disaster response gathering donated goods and getting them to fire survivors.
My campaign was interrupted in August when my doctor discovered a football size stage 1 tumor on my right ovary. Less than two weeks after it was discovered I had it removed in Oregon. There were no gynecological oncologists in my congressional district and I filmed this video the day after my surgery advocating for rural healthcare.
In only 10 months of campaigning, I outraised the incumbent congressman and raised $1.1 million dollars, with over 10,000 individual contributions. I mobilized 5,000 volunteers and ran a professional campaign with a robust field program. While I lost 45-55, our campaign swung the district 9 points more from 2016, and 12 points from 2014.
One of the most poignant memories of the campaign was the election night party we threw at the historic El Rey theater in downtown Chico. A thousand people from all across the district showed up to celebrate what we accomplished.
Camp Fire
Two days later the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California history, took 85 lives in my home county. It displaced more than 50,000 people, and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, causing an estimated $16.5 billion in damage. Our campaign infrastructure immediately jumped into disaster relief efforts and I was part of the work to start the Camp Fire Long Term Recovery Group. Three weeks after the fire I was able to escort four fire survivors (three nurses who evacuated Feather River Hospital and then got stranded and an educator) to Washington D.C. to attend Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Town Hall on climate change and lobby for disaster relief, forest health and wildfire prevention, and urgent action on climate change.
2020 Congressional Campaign
I formally launched my 2020 campaign in February of 2019 and built on the infrastructure and momentum from the 2018 campaign. I campaigned on a platform of forest health and fire prevention that sequesters carbon and turns our federal forests into carbon sinks rather than carbon sources. We brought together a diverse constituent base around issues of agricultural policy, rural broadband, rural economic development, and access to rural healthcare.
Over the two campaign cycles I raised $3.5 million in three years from over 50,000 donors with an average contribution size of $47 and 70%+ of donations from within CA-01. At the height of the second campaign we employed 24 people and had thousands of volunteers phone banking, writing postcards, and knocking on doors. The aspect I’m the most proud of is that I brought together a diverse coalition of people, helping them find common ground to work toward improving their communities. The campaigns were focused on putting people before politics and inspiring people that they could be agents for change.
Media Highlights
Huffington Post
The Swing District In The Middle Of Wildfire Country
Sep 17, 2020
Huffington Post
Chico News & Review
Podcast Highlights
Conversing with Mark Labberton
Audrey Denney on Politics - Podcast
January 22, 2019
Self Pour Podcast
Self Pour feat. Audrey Denney Ep. 6
June 19, 2022
Reconsidered Podcast
A Raw Take on Living and Loving w/ Guest Audrey Denney
March 1, 2019
Advocating for Human Rights in Central America - Cristosal
My core belief is that every human is inherently equal in worth and dignity, simply because we exist. That belief has been instilled in me from a faith perspective, but also from learning about human rights through my involvement with Cristosal. Cristosal is an international human rights organization that operates in the Northern Triangle of Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras).
For more than 20 years, Cristosal has served the most vulnerable communities by defending human rights and contributing to long lasting positive social change in Central America.
I lived in El Salvador in 2007-08 and volunteered for Cristosal. I had the opportunity to engage as a committee member from 2014-16 and was a member of the board from 2017-2022 where I served as the president and vice president. Being involved with Cristosal for more than 17 years has grown and shaped me personally and professionally. This experience has ingrained in me a deep respect for all stakeholders and belief that everyone has a valuable perspective to offer. I’m still an active donor and supporter of the organization and encourage you to learn more and support them.
Advocating for Food Security & Climate Resilience
Food security and climate resilience are two of the greatest challenges facing our communities today. I believe that addressing these challenges requires both practical solutions and a deep commitment to equity. That belief has guided my work with the South Chico Community Assistance Center (SCCAC), a nonprofit dedicated to providing essential services and creating a more resilient community in Butte County.
I joined the SCCAC board in 2024 and currently serve as the Secretary Treasurer. This organization operates on a shoestring budget—less than $40,000 annually—and still manages to serve over 7,000 people each year through its food pantry, offering critical support to families stretching paychecks to make ends meet.
Additionally, SCCAC hosts a Resilience Hub that empowers our community to prepare for and recover from natural disasters. Being part of this work is a daily reminder of the power of local action to drive meaningful change. I’m proud to contribute to an organization that demonstrates how much can be achieved when a community comes together to care for its most vulnerable members.