RFS feel-good update (5/8): Winning by just 39 votes!
And more election results from across the community
Hi all -
First: The shooting over the weekend in Dallas was yet another absolute tragedy. There is nothing to say and yet everything to say: This is the third high-profile mass shooting in the past week, the second in Texas alone. We need comprehensive gun safety legislation. Run for Something alum across the country are passing legislation in New York, Delaware, Colorado, Hawaii, and elsewhere. We’ll keep fighting to win even in the hard places, because it’s never mattered more.
To last week’s election results…
Congrats to James Michael Bowers & Brodey Weber for winning their seats on the Lincoln City Council in Nebraska, where Democrats will hold their 6-1 majority, and shout out to all the folks heading to either the general or run-off elections, including Dylan Liddle, Barry Tyler, Katrina Alexander, Alexander Burton, Crista Carlino, Ali Brown, Brandon Simmons, Nick Roberts, Jessica Irvine, Jake Madore, Christopher Wyche, Melissa Green, Shaquille Alexander, Brandon Sakbun, Zach Cramer, Myra Scheurer, Brienne Delaney, and especially Kate Rosenberger, who ousted the city council president in Bloomington, IN, by just 39 votes!!
On Saturday, San Antonio Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez faced re-election and handily won, avoiding a run-off and breaking a decade-long streak in which the D2 councilmembers failed to win re-election. He dealt with so much homophobic, racist bullshit during his campaign - we love to see him overcome it!
We’ve got more elections this week in Texas & Delaware - 10 candidates are on the ballot. Stay tuned for updates!
In other RFS community updates:
There were so many stories about MT Rep. Zooey Zephyr’s bravery and the bullshit the GOP has put her through over the last few weeks. If you can only read one, I recommend this Q&A she did with Time Magazine about how courage is contagious.
This is a beautiful profile of CO Rep. Brianna Titone, the first trans lawmaker in the state, on how she worked to win over her GOP colleagues.
FL Rep. Michele Rayner-Goolsby on the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ laws: “I’m literally trying to exist. The harsh things we’re saying are in defense of our life.”
Austin City Councilmember Zohaib Qadri is putting forward a proposal to begin changing the city’s parking requirement for new developments.
Also in Texas, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is fighting back against a GOP-led bill to give the governor power to reverse elections, using some minutia about processes in Harris County as cover.
More in Texas: Watch this from Rep. James Talarico.
Multiple RFS alum on the NYC City Council - including councilmembers Sandy Nurse, Shahana Hanif, Chi Ossé, and Tiffany Cabán — protested the outrageous rent increases from the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. Keep fighting!
Sen. Megan Hunt on how they beat an abortion ban in Nebraska: Refusing to settle for defeat.
CO Rep. Jennifer Bacon spoke powerfully about the impact of gun violence on Black families and Black women especially at the signing of meaningful gun safety legislation.
NewDEAL Leaders’ newest class includes RFS alum GA Rep. Phil Olaleye, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, & Newport News VA Mayor Phillip Jones, and VA Del. Irene Shin.
In related reading & listening:
Winning at the top is necessary but also not enough: Check out what’s happening in Michigan under the surface…
The far right is pushing book bans in New Jersey and coming for education roles in New York City. Nowhere is off limits.
Relatedly: Stopping supermajorities in state legislatures is an urgent crisis, and one that the Democratic Party isn’t quite ready to take on, because the places we need to do the most work are the same places we have under-invested in.
I had a fun conversation with Molly Jong-Fast on her podcast about all things RFS and why we should still have hope!
An important reminder as we’ve been saying for a long time around here: “Battleground state” is not a static status - what was competitive in the past does not dictate what will be competitive in the future.
A quick Clerk Work-related story: Hillsdale County in Michigan voted out their election-denying county clerk who had been accused of mishandling voting equipment post-election. When we run, we win.
A less quick Clerk Work-related story: Election officials who’ve endured extreme harassment and attacks are now suffering from PTSD.
Thank you for making this work possible.
- Amanda
This news is all so great!