RFS feel-good update (5/23): More big wins!
19 folks moved on after last Tuesday - we've got another 27 folks up tomorrow.
Hi all -
We’ve hit prime time for elections — some fun updates from last week! 19 of our 33 folks either won outright or moved on from the primary. A few to highlight for you:
In the first contested race for Portland City Auditor in 36 years, Simone Rede handily won!
Millicent Rogers beat an incumbent to take a seat on the Durham school board (and was part of a broader wave of NC candidates who beat the far-right slate!)
Izzy Smith-Wade-El won their primary for PA state house - if they win, they’ll be the first non-binary state legislator in PA and the first Black state lawmaker from Lancaster County.
Carla Catalan Day easily won her primary for a seat in the NC state house; if she wins in november, she’ll be the first Latina woman in the chamber.
For a full rundown of winners, you can check out this thread on Twitter. Scroll through, feel good!
On Tuesday, we’ve got another 27 candidates on the ballot in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas. Stay tuned!
A new section here, before we get into community updates, reminders on why winning the presidency isn’t enough and to save democracy, we have to deeply invest in all 50 states:
This is a terrifying read at how extremists have taken over Idaho, winning county offices, city councils, and state legislative seats and using their power to lay the groundwork for a white nationalist state. As one local activist says:
“If these groups can get a win, if they can put a stake in the ground and say, ‘We own north Idaho,’ or ‘We own Idaho, we have our own state,’ then in my view, the potential there is that the floodwaters are about to break. Once you knock over that first domino, then it’s not just going to happen in Idaho; it’s going to happen in Texas or Arizona, or Nevada or Wyoming or Montana.”The rot runs deep, part 1: 1 in 5 Republican state legislators nationwide are affiliated with far right groups.
The rot runs deep, part 2: 44% of the Republican state legislators in 9 battleground states have used the power of their office to discredit or overturn the 2020 election.
In more cheery RFS community updates:
A swearing-in ceremony!! Congrats, Councilmember Jamell Johnson.
In 2018, WA Sen. Emily Randall won her election by just 104 votes — since that, she’s been a fierce advocate for reproductive rights. She talked with Daily Kos about what she’s hearing on the doors she’s knocking now.
ME Sen. Chloe Maxmin continues making the case for why Democrats need to invest in rural organizing everywhere, so we don’t leave any community behind.
If Brandon Lamar wins his race for Pasadena City Council, he’d be the only renter on the body — amazing since 62% of the city are renters.
NY Assembly candidate Jessica Altagracia Woolford spoke with Zerlina Maxwell on MSNBC on why it’s personal for her to fight to close a loophole that allows rape cases to be handled differently if the victim consumed drugs or alcohol.
Saira Draper’s deep experience as director of voter protection for the GA Democratic Party informs her incredible candidacy for GA state house. Read more!
FL Rep. Fentrice Driskell is likely to on the post as minority leader in the state chamber next session. We love to see it.
MA Senate candidate Sydney Levin-Epstein was endorsed by Carole King, who performed at her fundraiser. So fun!
Big updates coming from LA-area races: The LA Times has endorsed Dulce Vazquez for city council and Rep. Maxine Waters has endorsed city attorney candidate Marina Torres.
After multiple senior residents died of oppressively hot conditions inside their apartment, Chicago Alderwoman Maria Hadden is pushing city departments to look into the situation and proposing changes to city rules around cooling.
Hollis school board candidate Eric Kuntz joined Lovett or Leave It at their show in Portland, Maine, to talk about how he’s taking on the far-right’s school board candidates.
As a teacher, Selena La Rue Hatch is ready to bring her experience in the classroom into the Nevada state legislature.
If Phil Olaleye wins, he’ll be the first Afro-Latino elected to the GA state house - a place where Latinos are wildly underrepresented.
In related reading & listening:
The GOP’s efforts to take over school boards keeps failing — not everywhere, but most places! Our positions are more popular; we just have to contest these races with great candidates. (That’s why our recruitment work is so important!)
I talked with Crooked Media’s What A Day about the primaries - listen in if that’s your jam.
Two upcoming events to flag for you:
On June 1, we’re hosting a call for folks thinking about running for office to stand up for abortion access. 100% free - help spread the word.
On June 15th, we’re kicking off summer with Party for Something in D.C. - get your tickets now!
Thank you for making all this possible. We’re so lucky to do this work with you.
- Amanda