RFS feel-good update (9/7): More than ever
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Hi all -
In a year+ of shittiness, the last few weeks have been particularly horrible.
But they have reinforced for us exactly how important this work is.
As the Washington Post explains:
New laws took effect last week in Texas that make it easier to openly carry a handgun and nearly impossible to seek an abortion procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. On the governor’s desk is a measure that would dramatically limit options for voting. All of them are Republican wins that cap off a banner 2021 for downballot conservatives.
This year alone, 12 states have passed income tax reductions, 17 states have increased voting restrictions that are expected to hit Democratic constituencies more critically, and 18 states have enacted new or expanded school choice programs, according to the tallies kept by interest groups.
Republican governors in several states have also had success in undermining President Biden’s efforts to require masks for schoolchildren and others in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus. …
The success has rewarded a long-running Republican strategy of looking beyond the top-line national ballot trend to focus on state and local elections and judicial appointments.
As we have been saying since day one: It is never enough to win in D.C. We have to win power everywhere, at every local of office in every state & community — both for the political foundation it lays and more importantly, because these elections have meaningful consequences for people’s lives.
The NYT sums it up pretty well:
“But more fundamentally, the real point of the spear of Trumpism is appearing at the state and local level. State legislatures not only are keeping the flame alive, but nurturing and growing it.”
My co-founder, Ross, has a powerful thread on how we got here on Twitter. Click through…
As Ross, explains, the end of abortion in Texas was not an accident: It was the intended outcome of decades of GOP control of state and local government.
Our alum in Michigan and Florida, among other places, are prepping for similar outcomes in their states. As Rep. Anna Eskamani explains in her op-ed:
“At this point, we’ve already seen Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson, and Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls all say they are actively exploring bringing this Texas abortion ban to Florida this coming session. Even more offensive, when asked by a reporter to confirm the rumors, Senate President Wilton Simpson sent a sunglass smiley-face emoji to confirm that yes, he wants to ban abortion in Florida. The arrogance alone is appalling enough.”
Meanwhile, GOP mega-donors are funding culture war fights in school boards to “lay the groundwork for a comeback in congressional elections next year.” It’s worth reading this overview of how school boards are ground-zero for these kinds of deeply engaging debates.
(As an aside: The “Moms For Liberty” network that’s leading some of these fights was founded by a school board member that RFS alum Jennifer Jenkins unseated down in Brevard County, FL. )
In small spots of mostly good news from the RFS network:
Sheleah Harris, Shelby County School Board Commissioner, has a powerful op-ed on the need for mask mandates in schools, in spite of the Tennessee governor’s executive order prohibiting them.
Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Baez Geller has a similar op-ed on why she voted to defy Gov. Ron DeSantis on the mask fight.
Rep. Ashton Clemmons’ legislation to limit the use of restraints on pregnant people in prison passed through the NC Senate.
GA Sen. Kim Jackson is one of only two Black women on the state’s Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee — a natural fit for her given she comes from a farming family and now owns a farm outside Atlanta. She’s name-checked as one of the key Black women driving new agricultural policy.
In Allegheny County, PA, councilmembers Bethany Hallam and Tom Duerr are leading on paid sick leave for county employees.
AZ Rep. Andrés Cano is pushing for the legislature to prioritize water conservation.
Hammond, IN is renaming a street in honor of their first Black city councilman — an honor that’s only happening because of RFS alum Katrina Alexander and Barry Tyler, who together are the first Black leaders to serve together on the council.
WV Del. Kayla Young continues her work fighting for clean energy and urges her state to invest in electric cars.
Incoming NYC council member Chi Ossé is going to bring a real party-promoter spirit to the council (along with his exhaustive knowledge of his neighborhood’s problems and the city’s issues.)
City Councilmen Sergio Lopez has a great op-ed in Time Magazine about how to fix the housing market:
”Campbell, Calif., where I serve, is part of the San Jose metro region, the most unaffordable housing market in the entire United States. I grew up here and experienced housing insecurity myself—my childhood family home was lost to foreclosure—so I’ve made housing a central focus. The pandemic has sharpened the inequality in the housing market, with single-unit prices in the Bay Area reaching their highest ever and tenants across the country facing an eviction crisis.The problem is worsening nationally, but new research is increasingly clear on a solution that can be implemented locally: just build more housing.”
Mark Brave, the first Black sheriff elected in New Hampshire, has been delivering on his promises to diversify his agency.
In our ongoing bench watch:
Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr. is considering a run for Tennessee governor. We lovvvvvve to see it.
In Arkansas, Daisy Bonilla is announced she’s running again for state house.
CO Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a pediatrician and incredible progressive advocate in the legislature, is running for Congress! If she wins, she’ll be the first Latina to represent the state in D.C.
Malcolm Kenyatta (PA) and Jevin Hodge (AZ) are highlighted as rising stars of the Democratic party, emblematic of the Black millennial men who are a key part of the party’s base moving forward.
In related terrifying reading:
There are more than 8,500 new GOP precinct captains who signed up inspired by Steve Bannon’s call to action. The entire Republican Party is Trump’s party at every single level office.
We’ll have updated recruitment numbers later this week but it’s been a small bright spot to see folks all across the internet encouraging people to run for office:
There’s no new episode of the Run for Something podcast this week, but if you missed it, last week was our 50th week of publishing — Ross and I caught up about the Biden administration, what we’re excited about in 2021+2022, and the episodes we’ve loved most. Tune in!
Thank you for being part of this community and making this work possible. We’re so lucky to do this with you.
- Amanda