John --

This past Tuesday, Country First held the Civic Duty Campfire, if you were able to attend, thank you for being a part of it. I wanted to personally reach out because like Congressman Kinzinger said, we need your support. We need you. 

Volunteers like you are needed to help us stand on the frontlines to help save our Democracy, defend democracy and defeat MAGA and ensure Donald Trump never steps foot inside the Oval Office again.  Thousands are standing side by side with us, and we invite you to join us by signing up here. 

You can mark which priority you want to be a part of, and we will let you know first about upcoming opportunities to take action. Our volunteers hail from all parities and none, and they are the backbone of this movement. It’s what makes Country First so special, and a home to the Reasonable Majority.

If you have questions, reply directly to me and I’ll answer your questions and help get you plugged in to the movement. If you want to get connected, meet the thousands of other democracy loving volunteers like you, and hear about opportunities near you to defend democracy, then join:

Our Private Facebook group
Our Private Volunteer Slack

This is a year that matters like never before, so Country First is mobilizing like never before. And this will take all of us. I hope you’ll join us in the field.

All things Country First,
Dave Rapids
National Grassroots Director

One of the best ways to feel encouraged is to be in community with others who want to be part of the solution. That's why our Campfires and Region Team Gatherings are so critical: They help preserve and grow hope, inspire us through the actions of others, and shine light on opportunities for us to get involved.

Our Region Teams -- Western, Central, Southern, and Northeast -- will be meeting in the first half of February, and you'll have a chance to learn all about the good work and opportunities in your "neck of the woods." Whether you get fired up to pour your time and talent into an initiative, or just feel better coming to learn about what others are doing, there's a spot for everyone on our teams.

Each week, Country First and the Communications Working Group will highlight a key volunteer 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 Andrea Kesack

Where are you from?

I’ve lived in Pennsylvania for the majority of my life. I was raised in Kingston, PA in Luzerne County. I have resided in Horsham, PA, which is a Philadelphia suburb, for almost 25 years.

What has been your focus at Country 1st? 

Trying to reduce extremist influence in both parties, but my area of focus is the Republican Party since I remain a registered Republican.

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

I was motivated to join because I felt Adam Kinzinger was the type of Republican we needed. He prioritized moral and ethical values and doing what is right above identification with party.

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

My hope is to stabilize democracy and make the changes we need in order to preserve the great experiment that the writers of Constitution envisioned. Democracy is a gift. I have visited quite a few places that don’t have it. They will never thrive like we have.

Do you think we can right the ship?

I’m not sure. It’s going to take every single moderate to save us in 2024. I think it was Ben Franklin who is credited with saying something like it’s a democracy if we can keep it. Those words have been ringing in my ears since 2016. We can’t sit home and hope. We have to be part of the solution for our sake and for every generation that follows. I don’t want to be known as the generation that let democracy slip through our fingers.

Thank you Andrea, for your contributions to Country First, and democracy more broadly!

Democracy

Brennan Center for Justice: Citizen-Led Redistricting Reform Ballot Initiative in Ohio The nonprofit, nonpartisan Citizens Not Politicians campaign is working to amend the Ohio Constitution this November to establish a citizen-led independent redistricting process for creating fair voting maps. “The need for this reform is urgent. For decades, Ohio has been one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.”

DL-Online: Automatic voter registration system certified in Minnesota The system includes an intensive review process by state and local government officials to verify registrants' identity and residence and confirm their eligibility to vote. “On Monday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon certified that the state’s new Automatic Voter Registration system is ready for use.”

Silicon Hills News: AI-Fueled Misinformation Threatens U.S. Democracy in 2024 Elections “Will Hurd, a former 2024 presidential candidate, cybersecurity expert, and former undercover officer in the CIA, spoke at a Thursday half-day summit at Google’s downtown office in Austin. Defending Digital Campaigns, a Google Partner, put on the event…Hurd said the future of cybersecurity will be a battle between good AI versus bad AI.”

Ranked-Choice Voting

WBEZ Chicago: What is ranked choice voting? And what could it mean for Illinois? Ranked choice voting could be an option in Illinois in 2028. This piece dives in on what that change would look like and why it matters. “Ranked choice voting could be a monumental shift in how citizens, candidates and election authorities approach the electoral process in Illinois.”

Contra Costa News: Richmond to Discuss Ranked Choice Voting “On Tuesday, the Richmond City Council will consider a possible ballot measure to transition to a ranked choice voting system. If approved, it would direct staff to further examine the issue and draft a ballot measure language and related ordinance for the city council to consider at a future meeting. Thus, moving away from its current municipal voting method.”

WATCH This week’s Civic Duty Campfire. Country First Founder, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, offers a breakdown of our plans for 2024 and how YOU can get involved. 

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

SHOP the cause by ordering our Limited Edition “Politically Homeless” cap, signed by our Founder, Rep. Adam Kinzinger