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John,
I write
to you today from Charleston, South Carolina, where longtime SC
Independence Party leaders were joined by national and local Forward
Party leaders to announce the
two organizations are merging to build a new, powerful, and durable
political home for all South Carolinians.
In short, effective immediately the Forward Party
of South Carolina is an officially recognized political party with
ballot access!
South
Carolinians are FED UP with their representation at all levels of
government. One party controls the governorship as well
as both legislative chambers (including a House
supermajority). SC
legislators have been accused of some of the worst gerrymandering in
the country, which disproportionately impacts communities of Black
voters. Local school boards in the state have been
overrun with extremists.
And, meanwhile, at the federal level, lawmakers like SC Congresswoman
Nancy Mace, once held up as a chance for the GOP to move away from
extremism, have abandoned any former interest in governance in favor
of social-media-click-chasing performative politics.
There are
bright spots in South Carolina, though. Five State Senators, all women but a mix of
Democrats and Republicans, have come together in an unusual effort to
beat back extremism around women’s reproductive
rights. This is exactly the
kind of cross-partisan energy the Forward Party aims to harness as our
leaders in South Carolina roll up their sleeves to reimagine politics
in the Palmetto State.
Impacting real change means
recruiting high-quality candidates to run for office, building a
community of volunteers, and working together to ultimately win
elections. Now that we have
ballot access in the state, we are excited to expand our operations in
South Carolina with this merger and build up from the ground level
with candidates for local and municipal races. This is badly needed in
a state where gerrymandering and extremism have removed the everyday
American from having a say.
Together, we will continue our
fight for political reform and bring new options to all communities
who have been marginalized by the legacy political
machinery.
Thanks
for your continued partnership in this journey. Please
consider making a small contribution today to help our efforts to
build a national infrastructure for our movement and field candidates.
Not Left. Not Right.
Forward.
Lindsey
Williams Drath
Forward
CEO
PS. Our
national leadership hosts quarterly Q&A virtual events with
monthly donors. Become
a monthly supporter at any amount →
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