Dear Friends,
Thank you for your work! The blue wave we built together over the past 6 years turned into a blue wall on Tuesday. We had some glorious wins and some devastating losses, yet, we’re in for the long game.
I am so glad that we were able to re-elect Representatives Spanberger and Wexton. In Northern Virginia, we had successes electing Catherine Read as Fairfax City mayor and re-electing Matt deFerranti to Arlington County Board. Of the two Loudoun County School Board seats, Democrat Erika Ogedegbe won one, while the other race is currently too close to call. Kelly Burke also held the seat of Leesburg Mayor. Congratulations are in order to Alice Parker Woods, Michele Dixon Edwards and Brad Arrowood who won in Staunton for City Council and Kristin Siegel, Fontella Brown-Bundy and Stephanie Mason who won for School Board in Staunton! Roanoke City Council now has 4 new members with Joe Cobb, Peter Volosin, Vivian Sanchez-Jones and Luke Priddy. To learn more about the local races, check out VPAP.
We are definitely disappointed with Representative Luria’s loss, which we in the Virginia Grassroots worked so hard to hold. This conservative wave also impacted the school board in Virginia Beach. On the positive side, there was a good shift in the VA Beach City Council, with 2 new moderates being elected, giving moderates a majority on the council for the first time in many years. Kiggan’s win triggered a special election on January 11th for her Virginia State Senate seat. Information on the announced candidates, Kevin H Adams (R) and Aaron Rouse (D) can be found here.
It was a good night for abortion rights in several states. Michigan voters approved a Governor Whitmer-backed amendment to the state’s constitution that will guarantee abortion rights and will scrap the state’s 1931 law that banned abortion. Voters in California and Vermont also green-lit constitutional amendments enshrining abortion rights. In Kentucky, voters defeated an antiabortion amendment.
Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and discuss what happened and where we go from here. There are many opportunities below, including the Center for Common Ground, the Friday Power Lunch, the Virginia Grassroots meeting, the annual After Virginia Votes and offerings to learn how to debrief with your crew during this critical time where we examine our work and look forward.
ALL IN for the Long Game,
Stair
Thursday, November 10th, 8:00pm
2022 Midterms Debrief – Center for Common Ground
The Midterms are over and run offs are around the corner. Now what?
Join the Center for Common Ground for a reflection on what went right, what went sideways on November 8th and what we will be doing during the Georgia runoff.
Friday Power Lunch: 2022 ELECTION RECAP from the Grassroots
11/11/2022, NOON ET
The Election RECAP from the Grassroots is a first look and unpacking of the 2022 Midterms where we discuss the data with Tom Bonier, Executive Director at TargetSmart. Then, we will discuss Virginia’s Congressional races and results with Kéren Charles Dongo, State Director, Office of United States Senator Tim Kaine. Finally, we will hold a Grassroots Roundtable with three notable leaders who have been knee-deep in elections and democratic politics: Lynlee Thorne, Political Director for Rural GroundGame, Jim Rogers, GOTV Director for the Wexton Campaign and Luisa Boyarski, Coordinator of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition.
Hold on to your hats as we digest the first reactions and result of this long fight to hold on to the progress we have made in Virginia and across our Nation.
BALLOT CURING PHONE BANKS: North Carolina, Nevada and Arizona are all high priority!
NEVADA – November 10th through 14th
NEVADA – November 10th through 14th
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/
ARIZONA – November 10th through November 15th
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/
NORTH CAROLINA – November 10th through 17th
Training – https://www.mobilize.us/ncde
Phone banking – https://www.mobilize.us/ncde
NEW YORK – November 10th through November 15th
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/
WASHINGTON – November 10th through November 20th
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/dccc/event/539362/
Sunday, November 13, 4:00pmVirginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Virtual Virginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting Join 50+ grassroots groups as we debrief the 2022 elections and plan for the 2023 Virginia legislative session with updates from our working groups, who focus on the following topics:
- Education
- Clean Energy and Climate
- Gas and Pipelines
- Gun Violence Prevention
- Campaign Finance Reform
- Women’s Reproductive Health
Tuesday, November 15th, 7:00pm
After Virginia Votes 2022 – VPAP
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Virginia’s statewide races, a free public forum organized by the Virginia Public Access Project and hosted by George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. Special guests:
– Kéren Charles Dongo, State Director, Office of Senator Kaine
– Danny Laub, Partner at Poolhouse
– Bob Holsworth, Managing Partner at DecideSmart
– Mark J. Rozell, Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University
Wednesday, November 15, 5:30pm, virtual
Please join Virginia Redress Network’s monthly meeting to learn what progress Virginians are making on restitution and the many issues relating to racial and social justice. REGISTER HERE
NDTC Expert Q&A: Deciding to Debrief
All month long, NDTC programming is focused on equipping our teams with the best practices in debriefing. While things settle down, this is the prime opportunity to learn from the triumphs and challenges your campaign or local party faced along the way. Kelly Dietrich, NDTC Founder & CEO, will lead a discussion that relies on interactive participation from you – so bring your questions!
Saturday, November 19th, 9:00am to 5:00pm
Running for Office 101 Training
Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax, VA 22035
The Fairfax County Democratic Committee is excited to host its first-ever candidate training! There are over 50 offices on the ballot in next year’s pivotal local and state elections, and the FCDC is committed to preparing Democratic candidates with the skills they need to effectively run their campaigns. The training will consist of discussion sessions led by notable current and former elected officials and campaign staff. Discussion session topics include: 1) Setting up your campaign committee, 2) Qualifying for the ballot, 3) Political fundraising, 4) Messaging …and much more! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get your campaign off to a great start! First-time candidates are encouraged to attend. If you were elected to your first term in 2020 or 2021, you are welcome to attend this training.
Be a BADASS, Power Map Yourself and Forward this Email to a Friend
