We are over the moon that VP Kamala Harris chose MN Gov. Tim Walz to join her on the ticket.
Three things to note about this moment:
Gov. Walz was able to be such a powerful leader for progress in Minnesota because he had amazing partners in the state legislature — including a dozen Run for Something alum who pushed forward on key legislation so he could sign it into law. A good reminder: Winning at the top is necessary but it alone is not sufficient!
One of the very cool things about Gov. Walz’s selection is that it potentially opens up the governorship for Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. She would be the first Native American woman to serve as governor; she got her start as a school board member when she was just 25 years old. Building a diverse bench pays off!
People LOVE politicians who are just normal people (and they especially love teachers!) Here at RFS, we know that: That’s why we recruit people just like Gov. Walz: Totally ordinary leaders who can do extraordinary things if given the chance. Specifically, we’ve worked with hundreds of teachers over the years, including nearly three dozen this cycle alone. If you like Gov. Walz, you’ll love candidates like Max Tuchman for school board in FL, Dr. Terrance Ruth for mayor in Raleigh, NC, or Bryce Berry for GA state house, among others!
It’s been very rewarding over the last few months to see Run for Something’s theory of the case play out: People want young(er), exciting, dynamic leaders who can communicate in a way that genuinely connects with them.
We’ve been helping thousands of people just like that run and win — your support has made that possible. Let’s keep it going.
And in our bench-watch: Congress will get its next RFS alum! Emily Randall has won her primary for WA-6 — she’d become the first LGBTQIA+ Latina in Congress; she’s been a fierce advocate for reproductive health in WA since she won a fiercely competitive state senate election in 2018. If you don’t know Emily yet, stay tuned - you’re going to love her just as much as you love other RFS alum in Congress (like Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, and soon-to-be-elected Rep. Sarah McBride!)
Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren), who emigrated with her family from the Ban Vinai refugee camp in the Loei Province of Thailand as a young child, remembers being 18, having gained her U.S. citizenship in seventh grade, but still not feeling a sense of belonging in America.
”I didn’t have anyone sit me down or knock on my door and say, ‘Hey, can you please vote for me? Because your vote is so important and your voice is valued’ — I didn’t have that,” Xiong said. “So it wasn’t until I became a parent and then I ran for local office and I had to go through this whole process of winning in a campaign that was when I really realized how important every single vote is.”
Every level of office can play a role in protecting and expanding abortion access - in LA, the county board of supervisors, led by RFS alum Lindsey Horvath, is moving forward on policies to create bubble zones (meaning: 8 feet of space for people to enter safely) around schools, abortion clinics, and places of worship.
In related watching/listening:
I chatted with USA Today about what makes this election different than 2016 — including the key context that in the years since Hillary Clinton ran and lost, we’ve helped nearly 2,000 young women run for office, changing in real-time what it means to be a female candidate. Watch/listen now.
We’ve got an exciting new tool launching very soon I’m excited about — keep an eye on our social media. We’ll also have more news to announce, so get pumped.
