RFS feel-good update (5/13): A note that made us smile
The best kind of email
Hi all -
First, good vibes! We got this really lovely note from a supporter and it’s such a beautiful reminder of why we do this work.
Second: I’m not one to ride the proverbial pollercoaster — or pay that much attention to horserace polls at all, especially this far out from Election Day… — but if you are, the new NYT/Siena polls this morning might be scaring the living shit out of you. (TL;DR: Biden is struggling, especially with young and non-white voters.)
We’ve got one key tool in our toolbox to help fix this: Reverse coattails. We’re gathering RFS supporters together on Wednesday at 2pm ET for a call to dig in on the research that proves out how local candidates can generate enthusiasm for this election, especially among younger voters, that can and will help the whole ticket. RSVP now if you can make it; if you can’t but want to learn more, sign up anyway and we’ll follow up via email with details.
Some RFS community updates:
A big win for democracy: Colorado has passed the first-in-the-nation mandate for voting centers in jails, led by CO Sen. Julie Gonzales — and to be implemented by alum like Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez, in a way that will expand access to the polls for thousands of people who previously hadn’t been able to cast a ballot.
More fighting for democracy: MN Rep. Kristi Pursell is fighting for a proposal that would, upon the request of any post-secondary institution, mandate that county election officials open additional polling places on campuses.
Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari is leading on a measure to reduce energy bills and fight climate change by creating a fund to pay for clean energy projects and improve energy efficiency.
PA Reps. Jessica Benham and Malcolm Kenyatta are leading on legislation to update laws in order to remove “outdated, unconstitutional, and unnecessary sections” that could possibly ban same-sex marriage if something were to happen on the state or national level.
Also from PA Rep. Jessica Benham: A powerful story on how she spent a day in the life of a home health care worker, as part of her advocacy for legislation addressing a work shortage for home care workers by taking actions like increasing their minimum wage.
San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera makes the case for hard choices ahead of this year’s budget cycle and levels with San Diegans about why the city’s public services are struggling.
RI Sen. Tiara Mack’s legislation to make it easier for Rhode Islanders to change their names — a meaningful process change especially for LGBTQ+ people and survivors of domestic violence — has passed the chamber with a nearly unanimous vote.
VT Rep. Taylor Small has successfully passed legislation to expand a pilot program of overdose prevention centers, aimed at slowing the state’s ongoing epidemic of drug-related deaths.
CO Sen. Julie Gonzales’s legislation streamlining the state’s marijuana regulations has fully passed and is heading to the governor for his signature.
Alum Tamarques Porter, who is now running for the board of education in Memphis, is inspiring cynics with his earnest and sincere passion for fighting for students, especially young Black kids.
NE Sen. Jen Day’s push to provide food for low-income kids during the summer has been approved by the federal government — 175,000 Nebraskan kids will get to eat this summer.
Civic engagement never ends after election day, even when someone loses their race. In Delaware, alum Coby Owens has been chairing Wilmington’s public task force on reparations and has come out with a powerful report.
NYC Councilmembers Amanda Farias and Pierina Sanchez argue forcefully for what the city can do to increase affordable housing, including funding a Homes Now plan that would create new homeownership opportunities for 31,25 families and rehab rent-stabilized units for nearly 9000 families.
RFS alum leading when it matters most: VA Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and Sen. Russet Perry have successfully sponsored two gun safety laws that the GOP governor just signed into law!
And in exciting ~building that bench~ news: RFS alum & NY Sen. Zellnor Myrie has announced he’s exploring a run for mayor against Eric Adams in 2025. As a New Yorker, I am personally very excited about this, and eager to do what I can in my personal capacity to support Zellnor. 😎
Some alarming reminders of why our 50 State School Board Strategy (and our broader local politics work) is so important for education:
A network of far-right Christian nationalists is intentionally and proactively activating their members to run for school board, especially in suburban communities.
Meanwhile, a school board just outside Houston is working to edit textbooks by removing chapters that reference climate change, vaccines, diversity, and human growth. Cool cool cool.
Schools are the only places under attack: Book banners are going after public libraries in California, Alabama, Wisconsin, Georgia, Washington, and Indiana, among other places. John Oliver went long on this in his show earlier this month — watch this.
In related reading & listening:
Turn on this episode of the Run Up from the New York Times, allllllll about what’s happening in Wisconsin, and listen to voters in real time describe why they’re showing up to vote because of state legislative races, even if they’re not super pumped about Biden.
Relatedly: For the first time in over 20 years, Democrats are contesting every state senate seat in Wisconsin. Candidate recruitment is a necessary first step to winning big. We love to see this.
I was thrilled to chat with Cosmopolitan for this gorgeous series of stories on what elected women actually need in order to not just survive but thrive office.
Thanks for making all this possible. You’re the best.
- Amanda