RAMW’s Foodservice PAC

The hospitality industry is the District’s largest private-sector employer, anchoring communities across all eight wards and serving as a vital driver of economic activity. RAMW’s Foodservice Political Action Committee (PAC) ensures that policymakers understand the value restaurants bring to our region and supports leaders committed to policies that help the industry thrive. 

RAMW’s Foodservice PAC is a nonpartisan political action committee that pools voluntary contributions from restaurant operators and industry partners to support candidates who understand what it takes to run a restaurant and who will govern accordingly. 

What is a PAC?

A PAC is an organization that collects voluntary contributions from individuals and distributes those funds to political candidates and campaigns. PACs allow groups of people with shared interests — whether an industry, a cause, or a profession — to participate collectively in the electoral process, amplifying their voice and influence. 

The collective power of a PAC matters. A single restaurant owner making a modest contribution may go unnoticed. A community of operators and industry partners contributing together represent a significant constituency that candidates recognize, engage with, and take seriously. 

PACs are well regulated. Every contribution the Foodservice PAC receives and every dollar it distributes is reported to the Office of Campaign Finance, and those filings are publicly available. Contributions are entirely voluntary, and no member is ever disadvantaged for choosing not to participate. 

Our Mission

Good policy for restaurants doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when the people making decisions in county and city halls across Greater Washington have an understanding of restaurant margins, labor costs, licensing systems, and what a new measure can do to a neighborhood restaurant’s viability. 

The Foodservice PAC advances its mission by supporting candidates who:

• Recognize the restaurant industry as a critical economic engine and community asset. 
• Value collaboration with restaurant operators when developing hospitality policy.
• Understand that regulatory burdens compound, and that small independent operators often cannot absorb these costs.
• Support a fair, predictable, and navigable licensing, permitting, and enforcement environment that enables businesses to succeed. 

MAKE A DONATION

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Get Involved

Interested in learning more about the Foodservice PAC, contribution eligibility, or RAMW’s broader advocacy efforts? Contact Che Ruddell-Tabisola, Managing Director and Vice President of Government Affairs, at che@ramw.org.