John --



Are you on other political email lists?



If so, you probably receive urgent and breathless emails asking for money on a daily basis. Too many politicians and organizations see their grassroots supporters as an ATM machine. They use fear, guilt, shame, and often downright lies to convince people to donate.



The trend was already bad, but was sent into hyperdrive by the Trump campaign. Unfortunately, both major parties have adopted his tactics because, sadly, they're quite effective. But we're determined to rise above that and treat you and the others in our movement with respect.



Here’s what Country First believes:



- Instead of scaring you to donate, we want to inspire you to take action.



- Instead of guilt tripping you for not donating enough, we want our emails to provide value to you. We try to send out informative, educational content (like our Movement Memo below this message).



- Instead of misleading you about fake 5X matches or faux threats, we're honest with you about what’s going on and how you can help.



- Instead of only hitting you up when Country First needs money, we also send you opportunities to volunteer or help other candidates and charitable causes (our Afghan Ally Relief Fund, Stand with Ukraine Fund, and Capitol Police Memorial Fund are huge successes).



But John, we aren't just focused on highlighting the problem and then holding our hand out. Instead:



- We're pro-actively fighting to save our democracy in battleground states, like Pennsylvania, where election administration officials are being elected this year.



- We're identifying, recruiting, and training pro-democracy, pro-freedom candidates who care more about problem solving than partisan games.



- We're supporting primary election reform campaigns across the country, and dramatically scaling our Primary First efforts for 2024.



- We're building a community that allows good people to come together to discover there's nothing Americans can't overcome when the reasonable majority bands together.



- And we're forcefully calling out the liars and cheaters who are working daily to tear us apart -- like Fox News and Tucker Carlson.



John, we're about to make an audacious request. Would it be crazy to ask you to invest just $3, $6, or $9 today? Any donation, no matter the size, ads up to a big difference and helps us fund our bold Primary First <[link removed]> initiative and other exciting programs in the works. We’d really appreciate it.



<[link removed]>Contribute $3, $6, $9 or whatever you can today <[link removed]>



If you can’t make a donation today, that’s okay too. This movement has always been rich from your moral support, and that will always be more valuable to us than money.



So, maybe you can’t donate right now. But maybe you’ll get something of value, like the Movement Memo below, from reading our emails. Or perhaps you’ll take action as a volunteer <[link removed]> or join our private troll-free Facebook Community <[link removed]>.



No matter what, we're glad you’re here. Thanks for being part of this movement!



Country First Team







See something of interest? All are welcome! Click on the event to register.



Check out our Volunteer Working Groups!



As a grassroots coalition, Country First is dedicated to providing each member with the opportunity to contribute to the success of the movement. National Volunteer Working Groups (NVWG) are separated by interest and are aligned with one of Country First’s key pillars. 



- Election Reform <[link removed]>

- Political Research <[link removed]>

- Finding Solutions <[link removed]>

- Communications <[link removed]>

- Mending Divisions <[link removed]>

- Inspiring Speakers Series <[link removed]>







BIG LIE ACCOUNTABILITY



ABC News <[link removed]>: After Dominion settlement, Fox News 'ready to defend' against lawsuit from 2nd voting machine company, Smartmatic



A day after Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, a Fox spokesperson said Wednesday that the network will be "ready to defend" itself against a similar suit from a second voting machine company. The statement came after the company, Smartmatic, issued a statement Tuesday reaffirming its commitment to its own lawsuit in the wake of the historic Dominion settlement, saying that "Dominion's litigation exposed some of the misconduct and damage caused by Fox's disinformation campaign. Smartmatic will expose the rest." <[link removed]>



CNN <[link removed]>: Tucker Carlson out at Fox News



Fox News and Tucker Carlson, the right-wing extremist who used his primetime perch at the talk network to exert a firm grip over the Republican Party, have severed ties, the network said in a stunning announcement that rocked the media and political worlds Monday. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” Fox News said in a short statement that did not offer an explanation for his ouster, adding only that his last show was on Friday, April 21. <[link removed]>



OUR PETITION AND ADVERTISEMENT WORKED! TUCKER IS OUT AT FOX. SIGN <[link removed]> OUR TRUTH PLEDGE AND WATCH <[link removed]> THE UPDATED ADVERTISEMENT



NBC News <[link removed]>: Mike Lindell ordered to pay $5M for losing 'Prove Mike Wrong' election data challenge



Mike Lindell has to pay $5 million for losing his "Prove Mike Wrong" 2020 election challenge, an arbitration panel has ruled. In a decision dated Wednesday, the panel found software developer Robert Zeidman had won Lindell’s 2021 contest challenging experts to prove that data he had was not from the 2020 election, and directed the MyPillow founder to pay him the reward money he'd promised in the next 30 days. <[link removed]>



GERRYMANDERING <[link removed]>



Anchorage Daily News <[link removed]>: Alaska Supreme Court, in landmark ruling, says partisan gerrymandering violates state constitution



In a landmark decision, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled Friday that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the Alaska Constitution’s equal protection doctrine. The decision follows a contentious recent reapportionment cycle: The Alaska Redistricting Board was twice found by the state’s highest court of having unconstitutionally gerrymandered the state’s political maps by attempting to give solidly Republican Eagle River more political representation with two Senate seats. Following a court order, the board approved an interim map last year for November’s general election that kept Eagle River intact in one Senate district.



ELECTION REFORM <[link removed]>



Daily Item <[link removed]>: Lawmakers again pushing to open Pennsylvania's closed primary elections



As the current primary election season continues, Pennsylvania lawmakers renewed efforts to open future spring elections in the commonwealth to the mass of voters who have no party affiliation. The commonwealth is one of nine states that have closed primaries. Republicans vote among Republican candidates. Democrats vote among their own, too. Primary election participation would change if proposals introduced in the General Assembly this legislative session became law. <[link removed]>



19th News <[link removed]>: Ranked-choice voting is gaining momentum. So are efforts to stop it.



Ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to choose multiple candidates and which supporters say encourages more fair and representative elections, is gaining momentum, particularly in Democrat-led states and cities. Now some Republicans are now trying to ban its use and other forms of instant runoff voting, often preemptively. The number of proposals to ban the practice is nearly double the legislative activity from last year, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed bills into law that prohibited their use, making their states the first to do so. <[link removed]>



2024 ELECTION



Yahoo News <[link removed]>: Poll: How do Americans feel about a Trump-Biden rematch? Exhaustion tops the list.



President Biden announced his re-election this week, and more Americans say they feel “exhaustion” over the prospect of a 2024 rematch between Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, than any other emotion, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. The survey of 1,530 U.S. adults, which was conducted from April 14 to 17, found that 38% chose exhaustion after being shown a list of eight feelings and asked to select all that “come to mind” when considering another Biden vs. Trump campaign.  <[link removed]>



NBC News <[link removed]>: Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally announces presidential bid



Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally announced his 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday with a series of criticisms of the Biden administration as he outlined his policy plans, saying he would get the “economy back on track” if elected. Throughout his speech, Hutchinson touted his leadership record as positioned himself as a Republican who has “continued to fight the establishment.” He noted a time when he assisted an FBI hostage rescue team in negotiating the surrender of an armed terrorist group, his support of law enforcement and opposition to defunding it, and his commitment to ensuring the stability of Social Security and Medicare. <[link removed]>







Actions you can take right now to help make a difference!



WATCH <[link removed]>our newest advertisement, updated after the ousting of Tucker Carlson at Fox News! Share it with your friends! 



SIGN <[link removed]>the petition pledging your support for the recent removal of Tucker Carlson and reaffirm your commitment to the truth!



SHOP <[link removed]> our merch item of the week.  



BRING a friend to one of our events! Your unique recruiter link: [link removed]



<[link removed]>Get Involved <[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Support the Mission <[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Wear the Cause <[link removed]>







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Country First - PO Box 2385, Ottawa, IL 61350, United States

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