Indivisibles,

Jim Jordan has lost his position as the Republican Party’s nominee for Speaker of the House after he called three votes last week and lost support in each successive ballot. 

As satisfying as it is to watch him lose, Jordan should never have been in a position to possibly be second-in-line for the presidency. A staunch Trump ally, his furthering of the Big Lie that Trump won the election puts him in league with the January 6th insurrectionists, his lack of an ability to pass a single bill in his career reveals him as a historically bad choice, and his position of supporting a national abortion ban places him in direct opposition to the American people. 

And yet, 12 of our Unrepresentatives voted for Jordan last week revealing, once again, that they are out of step with the very constituents they claim to represent.

With Jordan out, the Speakership is in a free-for-all. There are now 9 GOP candidates vying for the role, each more cartoonish than the last (just check out their voting records). From election denyers, to faux-problem solvers, to someone who legitimately told voters he was, “a strong, Trump-supporting, gun-owning, liberty-loving, pro-life, politically incorrect Black man,” as a selling point -- House Republicans have continued to leave themselves at the mercy of the most extreme members of their party making governing impossible.

Republicans will meet today to hold a candidate forum but, as of right now, there is no telling when we will have a new Speaker. It’s important to remember: This dysfunction was completely avoidable. Republicans chose to play in the mud, and they can’t complain now about being dirty. 

But with a government funding deadline looming and a pressing need for Congress to function, we are all victims of their foolishness. Remember that as we head into the 2024 election cycle, and make sure to take a glance down below at the 2024 endorsements guide for some thoughts on how to get started. 

With that, here are your weekly to-dos:

 Your 5 weekly to-dos 

1. If an Unrepresentative is your representative, join us for our Unrepresentatives Cohort Call this Thursday, October 26 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. We will be preparing, once again, for a potential MAGA shutdown of our government in November and discussing the actions and narratives that will be most successful in combating your MAGA Representatives. Lastly, we’ll have a new endorsements resource for you that will give you a boost in your 2024 planning for when we take back the House and unseat your Unrepresentatives! 
2. If you have a Democratic representative, call and tell them to hold the Supreme Court accountable by co-sponsoring the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (SCERT). SCOTUS is facing a legitimacy crisis with MAGA justices like Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito accepting lavish gifts from billionaires. These actions call into question their ability to be impartial and fair in their rulings. Check out our new unrigging the Supreme Court page to learn more and take action. When you’re done, call your representative again and demand they cosponsor the Judiciary Act of 2023. The court has been stacked with extreme MAGA justices and the only way to protect our rights is to expand the court. Call now to make it happen!
3. If you have a Democratic senator, call and tell them to hold the Supreme Court accountable by co-sponsoring the SCERT Act. We must pass SCERT through both chambers in order to restore legitimacy to the court. It is clear that the highest court in the land must be held to reasonable ethical standards, call now to make sure your senator agrees. When you’ve finished, call your senator again and demand they co-sponsor the Judiciary Act of 2023. In addition to the ethics crisis, we’ve seen just how far-right the court-packing MAGA Republicans have pushed the Supreme Court. Expansion is the only way we return to a balanced and fair judiciary before it is too late.  
4. If your representative is a Democrat, call them now and ask them to champion reproductive freedom and protect abortion access. We introduced our new Reproductive Freedom Agenda to not only codify Roe, but also extend protections for reproductive freedoms even further. We need all Democrats in the House to cosponsor the entire agenda. Each bill is important on its own, but together they combine to create comprehensive protections for abortion access and care. Once you’ve called, write a letter to the editor (LTE) to your local newspapers encouraging your representative to be a reproductive freedom champion.
5. If your Democratic representative has already signed on to cosponsor all three bills, submit an LTE thanking them for being a reproductive freedom champion. Our representatives, and their constituents, need to know when we’re proud of their work. Write an LTE to let them know. Make sure to encourage your representative to keep showing up for reproductive freedom by publicly showing your support.

We're in election season, but fundraising has been down across the board. We need to raise to raise $116,094 by the end of October to get back on track and fully fund our campaign work. Can you chip in?

 Gaza 

As Indivisibles, we’re united in our commitment to protecting human rights and civilians in conflict, and to the belief that every child, no matter where they’re born, deserves to grow up in safety and freedom.

We continue to grieve the over 1400 Israeli and international lives lost since Hamas’ attack on October 7 and continue to echo calls for all hostages to be released immediately.

We are deeply concerned that Gazan families continue to suffer under the Israeli government bombardment and blockade, with over 5,000 people killed, over 10,000 wounded, and hundreds of thousands displaced. The two million residents of Gaza -- over half of whom are children -- are facing a dire humanitarian crisis, with food, water, and medicine severely restricted and hospitals running out of power. And the risk of regional escalation grows by the hour.

We’ve called for a ceasefire to save lives in Gaza, so that the hostages can be released, to establish a humanitarian corridor, and to avert regional escalation.

That Data For Progress poll reveals that 66% of likely voters agree that the US needs to call for a de-escalation and ceasefire.

To keep up-to-date on our most recent statements about the conflict, visit our Israel/Palestine Conflict statements page, and we will continue to stay grounded in the idea that our leaders must do everything in their power to protect innocent lives.

 2024 Indivisible Endorsements Guide 

Check out the 2024 Indivisible Endorsements Guide.

Hard to believe it, but the 2024 elections are just around the corner! 

In addition to doing the essential work of rooting out MAGA extremists at every level of government, we have the opportunity to elect the strongest Democrats to champion progressive priorities and defend progressive values. Since 2018, our movement has been doing just that: building power by helping to elect the next generation of bold leaders at every level of government. Indivisible groups across the country have pushed candidates on issues that matter, contacted thousands of voters, and shown that the power of our movement is impossible to ignore.

If your group is considering getting involved in 2024 elections, one of the most powerful ways you can have an impact is by making endorsements. We know elections can be intimidating! We also know that an endorsement, done correctly, is one of the most powerful tools to create change. This guide demystifies the process with advice on how best to engage in both primary and general elections.

Rep. Mark Pocan, WI-02

October is LGBTQ+ history month. 

While horrors persist in the Middle East and Republicans remain dysfunctional in Congress, MAGA Republicans are continuing the attacks they have been waging on the LGBTQ+ community with increasing intensity over the past few years. These attacks have a legacy in homophobia that extends back through Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the AIDS crisis, and long before. 

Rep. Pocan takes a moment to walk us through the discrimination he’s had to endure as a gay man in Washington, including a meeting celebrating LGBTQ+ representatives where “the security officials were wearing gloves out of fear that they would contract AIDS.” Read Rep. Pocan’s Op-Ed on his experience over the past few decades.

 Indivisible Project Updates

Join Indivisible Project for a meeting of the Indivisible Rural Caucus this Wednesday, October 25 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. The leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler. Let’s cozy up together with your favorite Rural Indivisibles to discuss local elections, the chaos in Congress, and find support and resilience during this difficult time globally. Molly will bring us up to speed on the potential shutdown, the challenging situation with the Speaker of the House, and what happened with the Farm Bill. We will share some resources for closing the rural voting gap, while thinking ahead to preventing election subversion in 2024. Lastly, Heather Thornton from Empowering Democracy will offer ways to strengthen your coping skills while imagining the world we want to see. So grab some hot cider or a pumpkin spice latte, and join us for our monthly Rural Caucus call.

Join Indivisible Project for the Ohio Fight for Reproductive Freedom Rights Phonebank on Thursday, November 2 at 6pm ET/3pm PT. Early voting is in full swing in Ohio, and Indivisibles across the state have been busy talking to voters about the importance of voting YES on Issue 1 -- a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedoms in the state. At the same time, postcard parties are happening across the country, with 75,000 postcards being hand-written by Indivisible groups now in order to reach pro-choice Ohio voters in the weeks before election day. Join Indivisible members nationwide as we talk to Ohio voters in a final GOTV push about voting YES on Issue 1, and the importance of ending Ohio’s six-week abortion ban once and for all!

 IndivisiWin of the Week 

Indivisible CLT hosted a member engagement and recruitment event with guest speakers North Carolina State Senator Rachel Hunt and Representative Jeff Jackson.

 Indivisible Civics 

Join us for an Indivisible Civics Truth Brigade Workshop and Neighbor2Neighbor training this Wednesday, October 25 at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT. All it takes is one person knocking doors and connecting with their neighbors to make a difference. Learn how Neighbor2Neighbor lets you fight disinformation while celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act in your own community. Our neighbors can’t take advantage of the benefits -- like historic investments in clean energy and affordable healthcare -- unless they know what they are. Help spread the word.  

Follow us on Facebook, Mastodon, Threads, and Instagram to keep up on the latest information, and text “INDIVISIBLE” to 59798 to opt-in to our text messaging program where we send rapid response actions a few times a month.

As always, it is our pleasure to be a part of this movement alongside you!

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team