Expanded focus: Arizona & North Carolina
Swing Left recently asked our chapter to focus on at least two of the 12 Super States between now and November, and we’re excited to adopt Arizona and North Carolina. We’ve written a lot in the past about the importance of winning Arizona; North Carolina is equally compelling. According to 270toWin, they are two of five toss-up states for the Presidential race, with a good chunk of electoral votes (North Carolina has 15; Arizona has 11). Arizona and North Carolina also have two of the most flippable Senate seats. Go Mark Kelly and Cal Cunningham! And both state legislatures are very close to flipping as well. Additionally, in North Carolina, we must help re-elect Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. It’s hard to find many other states that are so important up and down the ballot! We’ll be writing GOTV letters and phone banking (and more) for these two critical states for the duration.
Your help is critical. Read on for details…
THE BIG SEND
Ten Million GOTV Letters to Underrepresented Groups
A very high portion of our GOTV letters go to people of color and young people (under 35). These are the voices we need to hear at the ballot box this November to vote out the Divider-in-Chief and his Senate enablers and to bring uniters into power. People of color and youth lead many of our country’s most progressive movements, from Black Lives Matter to climate action to gun reform and beyond. They need to believe that their lives AND their votes matter. We must consistently prepare letters for the next four months so we can mail 10 MILLION GOTV letters in October to these infrequent Democratic voters in the 12 Super States. Whenever possible, we will be working on Arizona and North Carolina letters.
Join the BIG PRINT for a BIGGER SEND!
Swing Left Peninsula has committed to printing 100,000 letters this summer. And we need your help getting them into people’s hands! Become a letter team captain! It’s easy:
- Reach out to your networks to tally how many of your friends and relatives can each write 100 letters this summer.
- Send us the total number of letters you need for your group, and we’ll get them to you. Please aim for a minimum of 1000 letters for your group. (That’s just 10 of you writing 100 letters each, over the next few months.)
- See details and a sample outreach email here. Contact us with questions: lettercaptains@swingleftpeninsula.org.
More Ways For More Letters:
Here are several other ways to increase the number of letters our Peninsula community can complete:
- Pick up or get letters delivered: Click here for our pick up and delivery options in several Peninsula cities.
- Write letters on your own at home: Why not set a time each week to complete 20 letters? It takes about an hour. Click here to learn how to get started with downloading and printing letters.
- Sue and Melissa are hosting zoom letter parties every Saturday, 2:00 – 4:00pm. Click here to rsvp for one or more Saturdays.
- Join Mariya’s zoom letter party on Thurs, June 25th @ 6:00 – 7:00pm
- You can also host your own zoom letter party. See Swing Left’s resources here.
Phone Banks
Democracy Action: Flip the Senate
Wed, June 24th, 10:30 – 12:30pm
One phone bank with two choices!
- Call for U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham in North Carolina. Cal is currently polling ahead of incumbent Tom Tillis by 2 points, but that’s within the margin of error.
- Call for Mark Kelly in Arizona. Mark is ahead in the polls by double digits, but Mitch McConnell’s PAC just dropped an ad falsely claiming that Mark Kelly is in up to his eyeballs with China. We have to stay on the offense.
Sign Up Here for the phone banks.
Flip the West: Flip the Senate
- Let’s Flip the Senate Blue! Currently calling Colorado Democrats
Five days a week! Mon, Tues, Thurs: 4:00 – 6:00pm; Wed: 3:00 – 5:00pm; Sat, 10:00 – 12:00pm
Join our friendly Zoom room. We will give you all the tools and support you need, for a rewarding and fun experience. Co-sponsored with Commit to Flip Blue. - Help Arizona Neighbors Stay Safe – Vote By Mail!
Thursdays, 4:00 – 6:00pm
A perfect opportunity for new phone bankers. Call registered Arizona Democrats to provide them with information they need to receive mail-in ballots. Co-sponsored with Indivisible Arizona. - Weekly Virtual Phone Bank Training with Flip the West
Tuesdays from 9:00 – 10:00am or from 5:00 – 6:00pm
Sign Up here.
Call and Text for Joe Biden
What can you do to help Joe?
- Choose a state and make calls!
- Or, join a local phone bank.
- And then join the Biden texting team!
Phone Bank for TJ and Josh:
- TJ Cox in CA-21 (Weekdays, 5:00 – 8:00pm): TJ Cox’s race is too close for comfort. Need training? RSVP here for Phone Banking and Trainings to help TJ Cox.
- Josh Harder in CA-10 (Mondays to Thursdays at 5:00 – 5:30pm): Trainings four nights a week. RSVP here.
Listen from Home
“Don’t Label Me” – Swing Left’s Podcast Episode 42
Today we have an important and challenging discussion with the author of “Don’t Label Me – An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times”, Irshad Manji. She is the founder of the Moral Courage College, and we talk about what it means to be courageous, and how to have effective conversations, even with people we don’t agree with. – From “How We Win” Website
Partner Organization Events
Local Event Calendar and Texting Help!
Our local DVC (Democratic Volunteer Center) maintains a fantastic calendar of events with phone banks, trainings, town halls, and more. Also, learn how to start TEXTING with the DVC’s Getting Started Guide, or get texting help and sign up for a weekly summary of current texting campaigns on several platforms at texting@demvolctr.org.
@Home Political Salon Series
The Washington Post Fact Checker Staff & Ambassador Mike McFaul
Wed, Jun 24th, 5:00pm
Join WAPO staffers Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo, and Meg Kelly in conversation with Ambassador Mike McFaul, as they discuss the WAPO Fact Checker’s new book “Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth.” Get the Fact Checker’s take on the motives behind President Trump’s 19,127 false or misleading claims since taking office. More than a catalogue of false claims, their book is a necessary guide to understanding the motives behind the President’s falsehoods.
This is a No Cost, virtual event via Zoom. Email Michelle nowbecause space is limited!
Meet the Future U.S. Senator Mark Kelly
With Special Guest: US Senator Kamala Harris
Thursday, June 25, 2020, 4:30pm sponsored by They See Blue
Mark Kelly is an American astronaut and engineer as well as a highly decorated former officer of the U.S. Navy. He has received numerous awards and medals for his distinguished service as a naval aviator. The husband of former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords, he is the author of multiple books and an aerospace executive and consultant. Kelly is running for the Arizona Senate seat to which Republican Martha McSally was appointed. Flipping this seat is crucial to taking back control of the Senate.
Political Communications Expert Anat Shenker-Osorio
Sun, July 12th, 3:00pm with Swing Left East Bay
Swing Left East Bay will be hosting a virtual event featuring Anat Shenker-Osorio, a renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor, and the host of the podcast Words to Win By. From electing the dynamic Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand, to repealing a national ban on abortion in Ireland, to beating back right-wing race baiting in Minnesota, Shenker-Osorio will explore what made it possible to engage the base, persuade the middle, send the naysayers packing, and win. Anat’s insights will help you to be as effective as possible when communicating directly with voters between now and November. RSVP Here.
Finally…
Follow us on Twitter (@SwingLeftPen) or join our Facebook group for updates on our latest events, actions and swing district news.
Questions? Email us:
Voter contact: votercontact@swingleftpeninsula.org
Letter Parties: letterwritingparties@swingleftpeninsula.org
Fundraising: fundraising@swingleftpeninsula.org
CA-10 Outreach: ca10@swingleftpeninsula.org
CA-21 Outreach: ca21@swingleftpeninsula.org
Arizona Trips: flip_arizona@swingleftpeninsula.org
Join our email list: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/slp_subscribe
If all else fails: info@swingleftpeninsula.org
As always, thanks for your support!
Barb Berry, Judith Bolker, Linda Brummer, Scott Carlson, Michelle Chang, Carole Flores, Anne Frahn, Mary Gill, Colin Gottlieb, Laura Gottsman, Barbara Kyser, Bruce Knoth, Victoria Maxson, Kirstin Sego, Karen Spiro, Deb Strichartz and Mary Takahashi.