RFS feel-good update (8/5): The momentum keeps go-go-going!

But/and: We can't forget about the small stuff.

Hi all -

The vibes stay good! Here’s another reason to be excited:

Last week we announced another amazing endorsement class. These 63 amazing leaders across 27 states are remarkable — they’re small business owners, community leaders, professors, veterans, educators, and parents who all share a passion for making their communities better in concrete and specific ways. We’re thrilled to be on their teams.

This class brings us to 523 endorsed candidates in 2024, more than half women, more than half people of color, and 31% LGBTQIA+ — with more to come!!

Meanwhile in elections last week, a few big wins:

• Gabby Salinas, a long-time RFS candidate, scientist, and cancer survivor, won her very competitive primary for TN House and given that she’s uncontested in the fall, is on her way to being the first Latina to serve in the Tennessee state legislature.

• In competitive races for Shelby County School Board, Sable Otey beat an incumbent and Tamarques Porter won over four other candidates in an open race. This will bring much-needed fresh energy to the school board.

• While not final-final, in Arizona, it looks like Lupe Conchas won his election to the Glendale City Council by just 64 votes, beating an incumbent to take the seat!!

• Haley Creighton handily won their primary and will take on one of the most MAGA-y (and QAnon-y) Republicans in the AZ state legislature this fall. We’ve got their back.

That being said, I do want to highlight one scary thing from last week’s elections: The results out of Arizona show us how deep the rot runs in the GOP. Nearly every Republican incumbent who stood up for democracy in 2020 lost their primary. Two headlines that illustrate the stakes here…

We have been saying it for years and it’s still true: Winning the White House is absolutely necessary and also not sufficient. If we don’t keep these anti-democracy Republicans out of state and local offices, every election will continue to be the most important election of our lifetimes. It will never not feel existential. It will never not feel like a crisis.

As Bolts says: “These contests won’t affect how elections are run this fall, since none of the winners will be seated until next year. But they’ll shape who will run, count, and certify elections in this state starting next year, at least through the 2026 midterm election and the 2028 presidential election.”

The presidential election is so exciting. I get it!! I’m hyped, too! But we can’t lose sight of the blocking and tackling that must be done in order to meaningfully win now and for the long-term.

That’s what Run for Something does. Your support makes that possible.

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In other RFS news & good vibes:

• We’ve got 72 (!!) candidates on the ballot this week running in MI, KS, WA, MO, and a few other special elections. Stay tuned for updates.

• The Washington Post joined RFS alum AZ Rep. Analise Ortiz on the trail for her campaign for state senate — take a few minutes to get inspired.

• Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija in PA is working toward structural solutions to the mental health crisis, including launching a county crisis center that will over rapid intervention services, in-patient capacity, and more.

• Newly endorsed WI state assembly candidate Maia Pearson talked with local public radio about her plan to fight for working families. This is worth listening to.

• VA Del. Irene Shin is fighting hard against the only private prison in the state.

• PA Rep. Rick Krajewski is leading on a new state program that will offer free legal representation to low-income tenants facing eviction or other housing-related issues.

• Thanks to a decision by RFS alum MI Supreme Court Justice Kyra Bolden, Michigan workers are about to get a pay raise.

• RFS alum TX Rep. Jasmine Crockett talked with MSNBC about how seeing Kamala Harris get elected to DA gave her the confidence to run for office herself. Watch this.

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In related reading: I talked with NYMag about “how I get it done”, if that’s of interest to you!

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out my co-founder, Ross, who in his spare time over the last few weeks, organized White Dudes for Harris, a massive feat that raised over $4 million for the presidential campaign. Proof that you can both get excited about the top of the ticket and fight hard for the bottom of it.

Thanks for making all this possible.

- Amanda