Hi all -
Today we’re announcing our 3 year, $80 million plan to defend democracy by recruiting and supporting local election administrators in the 35 states where these positions are elected in order to ensure that Trump & Bannon acolytes can’t subvert democracy from the ground up in 2023, 2024, or beyond.
You can read more about it in Politico!
Clerk Work takes the program you know and love — recruiting and supporting candidates for local office — and puts it on steroids. We’ll be expanding our national infrastructure and hiring up state-based staff to dig deeper and do in-person recruitment and support. We’ll do more ads, more text messages, more storytelling, more events, more 1:1 personalized coaching — simply put, more everything.
And of course, we’re not doing this alone. We’ve got a whole bunch of partners on Clerk Work, including (but not limited to) folks like American Bridge, who are doing oppo research against the worst of the Republicans, and the team at Open Democracy PAC, which will spend on advertising to boost the pro-democracy folks running.
Clerk Work is both a defensive and offensive program. We’re proactively protecting democracy from the worst actors: These offices are where Bannon and his allies are focusing their efforts. And if we do it right, we’re building long-term power for pro-democracy leaders who can make elections stronger, more secure, and more fair and accessible.
It’s an exciting (and a little scary!) thrilling effort for us that will facilitate massive growth across the Run for Something network. But we know we can do it because we’ve spent the last five years proving out the model.
And in fact, we got to test out Clerk Work specifically over the last few months — an initial $1 million pilot program in 50 of the worst districts yielded candidates in half the target races (and that was with only a few weeks lead time and only using our scaled recruitment efforts!)
If you want to be a part of this, the best way is to donate directly to RFS below or head over to Run for Something Civics and make a tax-deductible donation.
If you want to make a bigger donation or host an event in support of Clerk Work and RFS’s broader growth, just reply to this email.
It all matters. Thanks for making all this and everything leading up to it possible.
In RFS community updates:
MO Rep. Ian Mackey took to the state house floor to speak up against legislation that would ban trans athletes from youth sports. Watch this.
Maryland lawmakers passed — then overrode the governor’s veto — to expand access to abortion; Del. Emily Shetty spoke up loudly on the House floor as a mother who’d experienced a high risk pregnancy.
Rhode Island Sen. Tiara Mack is pushing forward on legislation that permit the taxation of private higher ed property and endowments.
From student body president to activist to candidate for county legislator — Justice Horn has always been a voice for his community.
Get to know Kent Lee, candidate for San Diego city council as he shares his thoughts on the city’s climate action plan, equity, housing, and infrastructure.
RFS alum leading when it matters most - you love to see this.
PA State Sen. Lindsey Williams is introducing legislation to make it easier for folks to change their names — a major bureaucratic barrier for trans folks in particular. Lindsey also stood up against legislation banning trans athletes from competing in women’s sports.
IL Sen. Robert Peters is cosponsoring legislation to change how Peoria police respond to emergency calls - they’ll be adding mental health care workers to their teams.
WI Rep. Kristina Shelton is not backing down on her legislation to provide free meals to students in Wisconsin public schools.
NY City Councilmember Chi Ossé talked with High Snobiety about his daily beauty routine and how he stays fresh while doing the work.
Loved this from Instagram reel from Columbia City Councilmember Dr. Aditi Srivistav Bussells.
Just flagging this for you.
If you're upset about this, I'm the Democratic Nominee for Kentucky's HD33. I support rape and incest survivors, and do not believe legislators should come between them and their own bodies. I'm endorsed by @runforsomething, and this is my ActBlue. secure.actblue.com/donate/kate-tu…NEW: Kentucky legislators override Gov. Beshear's veto of a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest, and imposing onerous abortion regulations. Kentucky is now the first state in the US without legal access to abortion-- effective immediately.Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen
This is cool - three RFS alum have written books lately!
Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It Through two successful elections in rural red districts, Maine Sen. Chloe Maxmin and campaign manager Canyon Woodward saw how the Democratic Party has focused for too long on the interests of elite leaders and big donors, abandoning the concerns of rural America. The book looks at how we got here and lays out a road map for progressive campaigns in rural America to build an inclusive, robust, grassroots politics that fights for equity and justice across our country.
Burn the Page: A True Story of Torching Doubts, Blazing Trails, and Igniting Change Virginia Del. Danica Roem made national headlines when–as a transgender former frontwoman for a metal band and a political newcomer–she unseated Virginia’s most notoriously anti-LGBTQ 26-year incumbent Bob Marshall as state delegate in 2017. But before Danica made history, she had to change her vision of what was possible in her own life. You can read more about Danica’s book in Time magazine.
100,000 First Bosses: My Unlikely Path as a 22 Year Old Lawmaker: The underdog story of Connecticut Sen. Will Haskell, who was elected in 2018 at age 22—taking on an incumbent who had been undefeated for Haskell’s entire life —and is determined to pave the way for his peers to transform government from the bottom up.
As we keep an eye on RFS alum running for higher office…
Malcolm Kenyatta rolled out his first TV ad - it’s worth watching.
In related reading:
We’re keeping an eye on this trend: Young lawmakers are leaving state legislatures because of the low pay and bad work/life balance. There’s not a ton we can do from the outside but we can definitely support lawmakers as they pass legislation to raise the pay and reform the structures of these institutions.
QAnon candidates are on the ballot in at least 26 states.
We talked with Rolling Stone about the way book bans are inspiring people to run for office. There’s not a ton Congress can do about this — but there’s a whole lot that local elected officials and candidates can do!
On the same topic: Conservative local electeds are removing books from public libraries and gutting library boards.
Meanwhile, that “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida has led to the state denying 41% of submitted math textbooks because of references to CRT. (???) This is just the beginning.
What happens in red states never stays in red states — yet another reason why Democrats can’t just care about presidential or congressional battlegrounds.
Just one upcoming event: On May 4th, we’re partnering with New American Leaders Action Fund to host a free call for AAPI folks considering a run for office. Spread the word far & wide!
Seriously, thanks. We’re lucky to do this work with you. Onward we go!
- Amanda