John --

Five months ago, Country First issued a call to action for the formation of a unity governing coalition within the House of Representatives. At that juncture, staunch hardliners were actively seeking to unseat Kevin McCarthy, who sold his soul for a fleeting nine month tenure as Speaker of the House (hope it was worth it, Kevin). This maneuver resulted in a three-week standstill within the House, severely compromising the welfare of both American citizens and our international allies. Reflecting on my final years serving in Congress, it was both disheartening and infuriating to witness such a glaring disregard for the representation of constituents.

Fast-forward to now and history seems to be repeating itself. Another hardliner, Marjorie Taylor Greene, is even more engrossed in performative politics and has initiated the process to oust the Speaker of the House for working (just a little bit) with Democrats.

Now, I’m no fan of the Speaker Mike Johnson. When Johnson asked me to support the absurd lawsuit he led that aimed to overturn the free and fair 2020 election, I had to drop some knowledge on him and quickly reject his un-American request.

At this moment in time, this situation unveils a strategic opening for the Democratic Party. Speaker Johnson finds himself in a tough position: The loss of just a few Republican votes could spell the end of his speakership. Democrats could save Speaker Johnson’s position by cutting a politically savvy deal, providing Johnson with the necessary votes to save himself in exchange for a guaranteed vote on Ukraine aid funding.

At Country First, we have consistently spearheaded advocacy for vital support to Ukraine in its struggle against the tyranny and injustice of Vladimir Putin's criminal war against them. It is imperative that Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries seizes this moment to solidify the commitment to a vote on Ukraine aid.

As we progress through 2024, Country First remains steadfast in our commitment to championing democracy, both here and around the globe. Through our Primary First initiative, we are determined to challenge -- and ultimately depose -- the hardliners, election deniers, J6 sympathizers, and any other elected leader who dares to blatantly spit in the face of democracy, betray our allies, and fail to live up to their oath of office.

This work isn't easy, but someday, when we face our children and grandchildren -- and the future we created for them -- we'll know it was worth it.

Country First,

Adam

Each week, Country First will highlight a key member who has demonstrated placing Country over Party. If you would like to submit someone who has made a positive impact on your experience with Country First, please email [email protected]. 

MEET COUNTRY FIRST INTERN THEO KATKOV

Where are you from? 

Los Angeles, California

What has been your focus at Country First? 

My focus so far at Country First has been working on spreadsheets related to Country First's Ukraine Initiative and Republican Members of Congress who voted against the certification of the 2020 election (and if they are facing primary opponents). This contributes to Country First's Primary First initiative. I also have been working with a team of volunteers in the West who are all committed to defending democracy.

What was your motivation for joining and how did you hear about us? 

I connected with Andrew Regalado on Linkedin and met with him to learn more about his career and Country First. I was drawn to Country First because of the organization's ability to bring people from both parties together. That is something I care about greatly and also feel is lost in today's political climate.

What are your hopes for America in the coming years and generations? 

My hopes for America are that people will put their differences aside and understand that what we want from our elected officials and society is not that different. I want Americans to appreciate what our elected officials can do when given the right resources and possess the ability to work with others – specifically those they disagree with. If this happens in the future, it could change society for the better, as I believe our government can create real change by how they act and carry themselves.

Do you think we can right the ship?

Yes, I believe Country First can right the ship. The work we do motivates others to want to get involved and make a difference. Specifically, as I mentioned above, Country First doesn't care about your political party label. They instead choose to recognize members of the organization as Americans. It is different things like this that make me incredibly confident Country First is making a difference and working to end the extremism that has infiltrated our political system.

Thank you, Theo, for all of your hard work and dedication to promoting and preserving democracy!

2024 PRIMARY FIRST

Business Insider: GOP Rep. Ken Buck rejects Lauren Boebert’s claim that he’s leaving office early to hurt her chances of winning his seat: It’s ridiculous

Lauren Boebert isn’t thrilled that fellow GOP’er Ken Buck is leaving office earlier than expected. 

RANKED CHOICE VOTING

The Oklahoman: Ranked choice voting ban would be a slap in the face to Oklahoma military members

"Oklahoma should…follow the example of other Sout. ern states that have used ranked choice voting to empower patriotic Americans to fully participate in our democracy. Service members and their families give up so much. The last thing they should have to sacrifice is their right to vote.”

VOTER REGISTRATION

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Bill seeks to bolster Georgia voter registration challenge law

Georgia senators are trying to strengthen a state law allowing conservative activists to challenge voters’ eligibility by questioning their residency. A Republican-sponsored bill debated Tuesday comes in response to activists who have challenged over 100,000 voter registrations during the past three years. Activists say outdated registrations could be used for election fraud, but very few cases of ineligible voting have been proved in recent years.

STATE OF DEMOCRACY

NBC News: Experts war-gamed what might happen if deepfakes disrupt the 2024 election. Things went sideways fast.

Dubbed “The Deepfake Dilemma,” the exercise illustrated how AI-enabled tools threaten to turbocharge the spread of false information in an already polarized society and could sow chaos in the 2024 election, multiple participants told NBC News. Rather than examining a singular attack by a group or hostile regime, the exercise explored a scenario with an array of both domestic and foreign actors launching disinformation, exploiting rumors and seizing on political divisions. The organizers and participants in the war game spoke exclusively to NBC News about how it played out.

Rollingstone: Potential 2024 Chaos: Election Deniers Refusing to Certify Results

Election officials in eight states have delayed or refused to certify results since Trump’s 2020 loss — a likely preview of this year’s elections

AZ Family: Increased protections for Maricopa County election officials due to threats

There have been increased threats to election officials in Maricopa County since the 2020 election after former president Donald Trump lost Arizona to President Joe Biden. Watch the video in link for a full report.

WRITE a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, demanding your Congressional Representative fund Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Putin’s tyranny.

BOOST the poll worker recruitment campaign for our partner, “Power the Polls”.

DONATE to Primary First and help support the simple, bold plan to take-on and take-out the most toxic partisans in Congress.

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