RFS feel-good update (8/26): Our bright future is just about here
You made this happen
Hi all -
For the last nearly 8 years, I've been regularly saying: The present may be bleak but the future is bright.
One thing is clear over the last week: the Democratic bench is so deep, talented, diverse - that bright future is just about here. And the Run for Something community helped make it happen.
You may have seen MI Sen. Mallory McMorrow, PA Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, or Cong. Jasmine Crockett (TX) take the stage and make waves with their powerful speeches.
Maybe you noticed Broomfield (CO) City Councilmember Kenny Nguyen or or former candidate Jaheem McLaurin’s fashion on the convention floor, as highlighted by the Washington Post, or you saw alum Joeigh Perella casting New Jersey’s votes during the roll call. There were countless RFS alums from across the country serving as delegates, leading our party forward.
And while she unfortunately didn’t speak at the convention, it’s worth watching GA Rep. Ruwa Romman’s interview with Chris Hayes afterwards on the speech she would’ve given had she been asked.
I’m obsessed with this stat in particular: At Monday night of the convention, a majority of the elected officials who spoke were under the age of 50. That’s the beginning of a generational shift in power that RFS has both been advocating for and enabling.
We are just getting started — but I hope you take a moment to reflect on what you’ve helped accomplish: The meaning of leadership is wildly different (and better!) than it was when we first started. Whether you’ve been with RFS since 2017 or you’re a new supporter, you made that possible.
Now we’re kicking off the final sprint to election day. (After all, ballots start dropping in the back half of September!) Keep the good vibes going from last week with a call on Thursday night, 8/29, at 8pm ET, celebrating and highlighting amazing women running for state and local office.
We have amazing special guests, including Ilana Glazer, Amber Tamblyn, VA Sens. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Danica Roem, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Her First $100k founder Tori Dunlap, WI Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, TN state house candidate Allie Phillips, incoming member of Congress Emily Randall, MT Rep. Zooey Zephyr, and so many more amazing leaders. Don’t miss this.
In other excellent news, last week we had HUGE wins in Florida: 7 of our 11 school board candidates either won their elections outright or are moving on to runoffs in November.
This is a big deal. They beat Moms for Liberty & Ron DeSantis acolytes across the state — “DeSantis takeover of Florida school boards has big setback” was one of my favorite headlines.
That includes leaders like Liz Barker, who won in Sarasota (home of the “MAGAmerican dream”; Rebecca Thompson, who beat a DeSantis-appointed incumbent who’d been endorsed by Moms for Liberty (and along with Sarah Leonardi, kicked MFL off the school board)
Keeping an eye on that bench:
After a very tight recount, former Phoenix City Councilmember Yassamin Ansari won her primary and is likely to take a seat in Congress this fall.
Former Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Baez Gellar won her primary for Congress in FL-27 and will be taking on a two-term GOP incumbent in November. Keep an eye on this race!
This means the RFS Caucus in Congress (!!) will likely include CO Rep. Yadira Caraveo (if she wins her re-election), TX Rep. Jasmine Crockett and newcomers DE Rep. Sarah McBride, WA Rep. Emily Randall and VA Rep. Suhas Subramanyan, along with Rep. Yassamin Ansari from AZ. An incredible, energetic, diverse group of leaders from all across the country who are just the beginning of our pipeline & bench-building work paying off big-time.
Even with all the energy and good vibes, this election will still be close — state and local candidates like the hundreds RFS is working this year are instrumental to running up the score this cycle — and building long-term sustainable power for years to come.
Don’t take it from me — our alum themselves are calling it out…
It’s great that the Harris campaign and affiliated orgs will likely have over $1 billion at their disposal. But if we don’t also supercharge the work of state and local candidates, we’re leaving much-needed votes on the table. We have to run up the score and also protect the count.
Rachel Maddow had an op-ed in the NYT articulating exactly what you read about in last week’s email: Local elected Republicans could undermine the results of this election unless we’re on the ground to stop them.
You can also listen to this story on Thursday’s episode of The Daily for more context. TL;DR: It’s scary as shit.
All this is why RFS’s work is so important and why every dollar you can give helps in this critical juncture.
Meanwhile, while most of the action was in Chicago, there’s a few small notes for you from across the RFS community, where good stuff is still happening:
AL Rep. Phillip Ensler is filing legislation to ban devices that would turn semi-automatic handguns into machine guns.
MT Rep. Danny Tenenbaum is reiterating the same calls we heard from the convention stage last week: We have to build more housing!
Watch PA Rep. Jessica Benham speak on MSNBC about her lived experience as a neurodivergent state representative.
And in some related reading:
I talked with the NYT about why I believe a woman can and will win this year.
We’re hearing this from RFS candidates & alum across the country: The vibes at the doors are SO GOOD.
Thanks for making all this possible. You’re the best.
- Amanda
Really impressive track record.
I’m so proud to be a long time supporter. Your vision and dedication is now reality.