Election Day countdown: 117 days
Hi friends,
I cede this space today to Rainesford Stauffer who wrote a brilliant piece on the successes and struggles youth organizing for The New York Times:
“Instead of focusing on just registering young people to vote, organizers...are engaging them to become involved in every aspect of democracy — showing up at school board meetings, recruiting voters, canvassing...”
“And the way they do this is also how Democrats can win in November and beyond — peer-to-peer, sustained investment, going where young people are scrolling and connecting voting to issues that feel personal — according to about a dozen young organizers I interviewed who worked for organizations that are part of the Alliance for Youth Action, a network of groups focused on local organizing. It’s not just about elections. It’s a lifestyle.”
Learn and Act
The average age of a state legislator is 56 and the average for a Democratic member of Congress is 58, compared to 53 for Republicans.
In addition to supporting youth organizing, we are working on an exciting opportunity to support young (<45), diverse candidates primarily running in swing districts, swing states, and those that we want to turn blue.
Know of a candidate who fits this profile, running for everything from county commission to the U.S. House? Reply to let us know.
Shout outs
Caroline Spears’ Climate Cabinet Action Fund was featured by CNN.
Eliza Nemser and Jon Foster organized an extraordinary event to support four Senate candidates with 750+ people from 40+ states.
Innovators for Biden is hosting a conversation with Deputy Campaign Manager Rufus Gifford on Wednesday, July 15th at 5:30pm ET.
Kamala Harris and friends are coming together *tonight* at 7pm ET to have fun supporting Joe!
The Next 50 made a meaningful investment in the Kansas State Legislature. One of the candidates shared she made her own website – we can do more than donating to support down ballot candidates!
Have political work you want to share? Reply and let us know.
Candidate of the Week
About the candidate: Sharice Davids is a Kansas native, born into a military family and a history maker! She is the first openly LGBTQ+ Native American ever elected to Congress, the first openly LGBTQ+ person ever elected to Congress from Kansas, as well as one of the first two Native American women ever elected to Congress. In 2016, she worked as a White House Fellow. She’s also a lawyer and was a professional mixed martial artist!
About this contested election: Sharice flipped her seat by 20 points in 2018. This cycle, we can help her keep her seat in Congress, flip a U.S. Senate seat, and end the state GOP supermajority. This is one of the lowest cost congressional races this cycle.
Support her here.
What we are reading
Embracing Black leadership: “Yet a sector of the white left remains in stubborn denial about the centrality of Black struggle and Black leadership to any successful and sustainable movement for radical change.” (The Nation)
Iowa is suddenly competitive: “In a Democratic Party that is moving ever leftward—latching on to big ideas like Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and defunding police—Greenfield’s focus on Social Security can seem a little retro.” (The Atlantic)
Young voters struggle to vote: “A number of students who voted in primary elections thus far, [have] experienced difficulties as mail-in methods favor those who have a permanent address – something that many students do not currently have – and many never received their primary ballots or had to jump through hoops to be able to vote.” (Vice)
In solidarity,
Zak
P.S. If you liked what you read, recommend a friend and provide feedback.