Courage Action Launches with “OUR CHOICE: Neville vs. Winston” Ad Highlighting Principled Leadership on Ukraine
Marking its official launch, Courage Action’s ad – “OUR CHOICE: Neville vs. Winston” – spotlights leaders speaking out against “strongmen” and for a fair agreement for Ukraine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ileana Wachtel • iw@courageaction.org • 310-702-4240
December 16, 2025
As Ukraine peace talks progress, the 30-second spot is a sharp reminder of what happens when the world caves to dictators. The debut ad underscores Courage Action’s mission to back elected and civic leaders who defend democratic values and reject appeasement of strongman figures like Putin.
As global instability rises and negotiations over Ukraine’s future continue, Courage Action i(https://courageaction.org/) is launching as a new U.S. civic organization dedicated to supporting elected and civic leaders who take principled personal and political risks. The goal is to protect and defend democratic values, national security and core U.S. institutions.
The 501(c)(4) aims to strengthen the collaboration of citizens, lawmakers and aligned organizations working to counter escalating threats to American democracy. This includes coordinated foreign influence, misinformation and propaganda targeting the United States and its allies.
To mark the launch, Courage Action is releasing a 30-second ad titled “Neville & Winston” urging Americans to thank Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), who sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Both Bacon and Fitzpatrick are among those lawmakers, particularly Republicans, who are publicly opposing any plan that aligns with Vladimir Putin’s interests or legitimizes illegal aggression.
In an interview with Roll Call, Bacon said, “Just giving it to the Russians would be terrible. Whoever thought a Republican would be encouraging a country getting invaded to give more land to Russia to make peace? And it doesn’t guarantee peace. A year or two from now, Russia could start again.”
The spot uses powerful images from the 1938 Munich Conference and World War II to underscore the stakes of this current moment. Opening with archival footage of Chamberlain shaking hands with Adolf Hitler, the ad warns against retreat – juxtaposed with images of today’s strongmen: Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The narrator calls on Americans to thank today’s elected leaders who “know the price of freedom” and are willing to speak out to keep the United States secure.
Fitzpatrick made his concerns clear on CNN: “…the Russians are masters of propaganda…We just need to take a much stronger tack to him [Putin], because dictators understand one thing and one thing only… Look at what brought him to the table. It was the threat of sanctions, and it was the threat of Tomahawk missiles.”
Courage Action co-founder and Board Member Kahlil (KB) Byrd praised the lawmakers for refusing to bow to political pressure: “Representatives Bacon and Fitzpatrick are showing what real courage looks like by opposing appeasement, rejecting intimidation, and refusing to let the world’s rising strongmen dictate U.S. foreign policy,” Byrd said. “We stand with these American heroes. Their leadership — often in contrast to political expedience in Washington — reflects the cross-partisan resolve Courage Action is created to support,” Byrd added.
###
About Courage Action
Courage Action is a 501(c)(4) nonpartisan organization that: Identifies and amplifies leaders who defend constitutional norms and the rule of law; elevates real-world examples of country over party, and; builds a resilient, nonpartisan community that supports those taking personal and political risks for democratic values. We are fostering collaborative action by linking citizens, lawmakers, and organizations focused on safeguarding our vital U.S. institutions and inspiring courage in public and private American life. (CourageAction.org)
