Summer is on its way. The primary election season is more than halfway through with most of the important face-offs decided. So, it’s time to start organizing for the general elections on November 3rd! Let’s get started!
It was a cold winter for democracy. The Republicans’ redistricting push was largely successful thanks to The US Supreme Court which decided to help Trump by permitting partisan gerrymandering and legitimizing racial discrimination in the composition of districts. This hurt but it will not be decisive if we show up for the general election. The electorate is angry about the illegal war, inflation and tariffs, along with a host of other issues like Trump’s open corruption and waste and the blatant racial and gender discrimination in the military promotions.
As we just said, most of the important primary battles are behind us and there is clear path to taking back both the House and the Senate. In the race for House of Representatives, all the Republicans’ gerrymandering will not outweigh a strong Democratic showing at the ballot box November 3rd. As we write, the generic House ballot has a +7% lean for Democrats. The only trick is making sure we get our voters to the polls. That is our #1 job!
The Senate battle will be much harder, but we can win! Democratic challengers are surging in six states: North Carolina, Maine, Texas, Ohio, Alaska, and Iowa. We need to win four to take control of the Senate. If you live in one of these states or have family or historical ties, join that state campaign. Work and donate for Roy Cooper, Graham Platner*, Sherrod Brown, James Talerico, Mary Peltola and Josh Turek. Accept no excuses - this is our team; vote for it; work for it! (If you have an Act Blue account, go there and search for these candidates; if you don’t, Google each candidate separately and click on Donate.)
Sing Out for the First Amendment!
You may have heard that Donald Trump is putting on the mother of all jingoistic rallies for Flag Day, June 14. Juvenal tells us that the Roman emperors provided “bread and circuses” - free grain and gladiatorial spectacles - to keep the restive populace quiet. Donald Trump has organized a gladiatorial spectacle of his own by holding an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight on the White House lawn to celebrate his birthday. Ever on the lookout for a payout, the fight is pay for view even if it is supposedly celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Additionally, there was supposed to be a concert as part of the show, but no serious entertainers would show up, so Trump is going to give the nation an epic campaign style rally instead.
The Committee for the First Amendment has a better way to spend that Sunday evening. They are producing and broadcasting an “evening of song, solidarity and action” starring Rufus Wainwright, Bette Midler and Patti Smith, and many others. If you are in NYC there are a few seats left for the Concert for the First Amendment, but for the rest of us, we can watch at home or at one of the hundreds of neighborhood watch parties around the country. Scroll down the link for information on how to live stream or find a neighborhood watch party.
This strikes us as a far better way to kick off the campaign season than watching the gladiators and the Divider in Chief. And its free!
*At publication, this campaign is a work in progress. Do what you think is best.