RFS feel-good update (4/19): Thoughts on last week, reverse coattails in the NYT, new endorsements & more
This is a long email. Sorry not sorry - we have a lot to say!
Hi all -
First: We don’t have the words to describe how our team feels around last week’s acts of both gun violence and police brutality — anger, sadness, and grief doesn’t seem to cut it. These problems are rooted in centuries-long support of white supremacy and state-sanctioned violence against communities of color. They will not be solved overnight.
We wish there was more we could say. We wish things we were different. We wish, we wish, we wish.
While we wish, here’s what we’ll do: Keep fighting to elect more young diverse leaders to state and local violence who will change the system from within, govern with anti-racist values, and build equity in all possible ways.
As we always say: Elections can’t solve every problem, but elections must be part of the solution.
In other news from last week… Reverse coattails are in the New York Times — reporter Isabella Grullón Paz talked with local candidates, state party directors, and even GOP strategists about how investing in local candidates can drive top-of-ticket performance. You absolutely must read this. And as NYMag notes, even if the top-of-the-ticket impact is limited, “there’s no question that building up party infrastructure in what are considered hostile areas is essential if you want to make them less hostile over time.”
If all that wasn’t a good enough positive reason to engage in local politics, let me offer up this terrifying story: QAnon candidates are taking over local government.
Also last week: We endorsed 53 more 2021 candidates! This month’s class includes 3 veterans, 20 parents, 11 first-generation immigrants, and 6 candidates that identify as members of the disabled community.
That brings our grand total for the year up to 193 incredible young leaders. A few fun stats:
56% women
2% non-binary
27% LGBTQIA+
57% BIPOC
38% women of color; 20% men of color; 7% LGBTQIA+ of color
17% people with disabilities
77% have low-income backgrounds
43% are caretakers of kids
You can see the full list of 2021 candidates in our candidate directory. Check ‘em out.
In 2021 candidate updates…
NYC Council candidate Sara Lind explained to the 19th why she had to quit Twitter as a candidate because of the extraordinary harassment she endured. This is unfortunately too common for women candidates.
New endorsed candidate Dr. Tyler Titus made history when they became the first openly trans person to win office in PA in 2017 after running for Erie City School Board; now they’re running for Erie County Executive to manage a massive $484 million budget.
Jamie Piotrowski believes her background as a licensed social worker makes her a good fit to serve on the Pittsburgh school board - we agree!
Dayton native and DPS graduate Shenise Turner-Sloss’s campaign for Dayton City Commission is off to a strong start.
If they win their campaign for district magistrate, housing organizer Xander Orenstein will be the first non-binary person in all of Pennsylvania.
Miranda Schubert — an academic advisor, radio DJ, and talk show host — is challenging a two-term incumbent on the Tucson city council in order to fight for more affordable housing and alternative policing strategies.
Activist and science teacher Rich Floyd is running for St. Pete City Council in FL to fight for better housing, increasing public transit, and reimagining public safety.
Jasmine Flores is running as part of a slate for Erie City Council — she talks openly about the burden of student loan debt, working low-wage jobs and feeling poverty's impact in her own life.
Rebecca Maurer is running for Cleveland City Council, inspired by the many times she’s seen Clevelanders shut out of civic engagement by the current city council.
Congrats to Carl Jacobs, who was finally declared winner up in Alaska.
Congrats to new Anchorage School Board member Carl Jacobs -- our 499th winner and FIRST winner in Alaska!Well folks, it’s (almost) official - we did it! The latest results confirm our campaign will be victorious in the race for Seat G on the Anchorage School Board. Thank you for all the support! Full statement here: https://t.co/Ll0SJBJTjx https://t.co/yz9YksqOkz
Carl Jacobs @carl4anchorageDavid Ward and Grant Fleegle are running together as candidates for New Castle city council in Delaware — David is a family development specialist and Grant works as special skills assistant for youth with autism.
We worked with Liliana Bakhtiari on her first campaign for Atlanta city council back in 2017; we’re thrilled to re-endorse her for a second run against an incumbent that has limited public engagement with the council.
Roxanne Martinez, candidate for Fort Worth school board, is pushing for the district to roll out personalized plans to help students recover from the pandemic year.
Dr. Aditi Bussells, a public health researcher, is off to a strong fundraising lead in her campaign for an at-large seat on the Columbia City Council.
100 women are endorsing Shahana Hanif in her campaign to be the first woman to represent the 39th City Council district in NYC.
Spokane City Council candidate Zack Zappone talked about his vision for using evidence-based approaches to homelessness, policing, and affordable housing.
The San Antonio Express-News endorsed Jalen McKee-Rodriguez for city council: “McKee-Rodriguez strikes us as a talented and youthful candidate who would provide a needed voice to LGBTQ issues. He supports Proposition B, which would do away with police collective bargaining, as a way to foster better accountability. He also has spoken about extending the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance, developing more affordable housing and providing housing-first options to the homeless, closing the Spruce II coal plant and being responsive to infrastructure concerns in the district.”
Meanwhile, we’re tracking RFS alumni across the country:
VA Delegate Danica Roem talked with the NYT about what’s driving the wave of anti-trans legislation, what drove her to run herself and why she keeps asking people to run for office, too: “What people have to understand is that being trans influences my worldview, but it wasn’t my qualification to run for office. My qualification was the 10 and a half years I spent as a professional news reporter, including over nine years at The Gainesville Times covering the district for a living … Data shows that women are more likely to need to be asked to run for office, while men are more likely to take the initiative to run for office. Like a lot of other women, I was asked; I was recruited.”
This is a really well-told story on how 28-year-old Adrian Tam became the only out LGBTQ+ person in the Hawaii state house and by first beating a 14-year incumbent in the primary and then beating the founding member of the state’s Proud Boys chapter.
Indianapolis council members Crista Carlino and Jessica McCormick introduced a proposal to pilot a legal protection fund that would help immigrants seeking asylum or pursuing citizenship.
Minnesota State Rep. Cedric Frazier talked with NPR about his vision for police reform and reimagining public safety. He’d previously written on the need to outlaw white supremacy in law enforcement.
On behalf of the Black caucus in the Florida state house, Rep. Fentrice Driskell is leading negotiations on a police reform bill that is likely to get bipartisan support.
Allegheny Councilwoman Bethany Hallam is leading on bills to create a countywide independent police review board.
Much like she talked about on the RFS podcast, Chloe Maxmin talked with the Christian Science Monitor about how she won in a deep red district while staying true to her core value as a climate activist.
As a Black queer Muslim non-binary organizer, Mauree Turner is used to standing out — they’re not letting discomfort stand in the way of their work in the Oklahoma state legislature.
AZ Rep. Alma Hernandez introduced a bill to mandate Holocaust education in Arizona public schools.
In Kentucky, Lexington city councilwoman Liz Sheehan introduced an ordinance to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth.
Missouri Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins has introduced legislation to spur the opening of more grocery stores, especially in food deserts.
WI Rep. Francesca Hong has joined with a Republican colleague to officially mark May as Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month in Wisconsin.
NH Sen. Becky Whitley and a colleague are arguing forcefully for the need to hold the governor accountable for his failure to strengthen the state’s mental health services.
Brevard school board member Jennifer Jenkins is dealing with protestors at her home after she voted against removing protections for LGBTQ people in schools. This is outrageous.
TX Rep. James Talarico is leading on a bipartisan bill to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin, inspired by his own personal experience with diabetes.
Shoutout to RFS regional director and NH state Rep. Manny Espitia for being elected president (and the first Latino president!) of the NH Young Democrats.
Denver City Councilmembers Candi CdeBaca and Amanda Sawyer are pushing a proposal to protect low-income renters against eviction by creating a legal defense fund.
MD Del. Vaughn Stewart led on passing a bill that bans contracts with ICE and from subsidizing the construction of any privately-run immigrant detention centers.
L.A. City Councilwoman Nithya Raman has proposed a set of amendments to protect tenants from harassment, like reduced housing services, failing to perform necessary repairs, abusing the right to access a rental, and physical harm, among other things.
Here’s the latest on the RFS bench watch:
Jezebel talked with Jennifer Carroll Foy about her campaign for VA governor, Black maternal health, and her vision for the Commonwealth. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t flag the cash-on-hand situation for the VA gubernatorial primary.
In Pennsylvania, Malcolm Kenyatta picked up a big endorsement from Democracy for America.
In some related reading…
The LGBTQ Victory Institute put out a fascinating report on the challenges LGBTQ women specifically face in running for office.
A newspaper in California tested out exclusively running op-eds on local news and issues for a month — the experiment showed a reduce in polarization. Pretttttty interesting!
Last week, the FL state house passed an anti-trans bill that in addition to banning trans women from playing on sports teams, would also require “genital inspections.” We need to elect more LGBTQIA+ allies to state legislatures.
This week is a big one for Run for Something events! Starting tonight, we’ll be holding Front Row Seat events every evening at 8pm ET. Speakers will be announced at 10am each day — join the host committee now to claim your seat for all four nights or keep an eye on social to join the event that speaks most to you.
This week on the Run for Something podcast: IL State Sen. Robert Peters was born to a mom with addiction problems and was then adopted by a social worker and a civil rights lawyer, who raised him in the politically-active Hyde Park area in Chicago. He had a tough childhood -- he was born deaf, had a speech impediment, and tended to get into trouble as a kid. In spite of deaths in his family, unemployment, and a little bit of aimlessness, Robert's grit and commitment to his community brought him home. Now, he's the state senator representing the neighborhood he grew up in -- following in the literal footsteps of Barack Obama -- cosponsoring 13 different bills in his first year, and leading on making Illinois the first state to end cash bail.
This was a long email. Thanks for reading, and thanks for making this all possible. We’re proud to be doing this with you.
- Amanda