John,

It was a thrill to be in Chicago last week for the DNC. After a few days of reflection, some major take-aways stand out:

1. This election was *always* going to be decided by pro-choice voters, and that’s even more true today. Courageous patients told their own stories of being denied abortion care and the devastating consequences, and candidates shared personal experiences with IVF. These moments culminated in a single underlying message: we ALL deserve the right to decide if, when, and how to start a family.



2. There is a deep bench of pro-choice talent. All week, rising stars endorsed by Vote Pro-Choice took the stage, from Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05). We’re proud to meet candidates like these at the starting line, often when they first run for local or state office. And of course, Vice President Harris also began her political career locally, and we’re proud that she’s a previously endorsed Vote Pro-Choice champion too.



3. The threats of this election are real. Many speakers came with receipts: they outlined exactly how Trump and his Project 2025 cronies plan to decimate our basic freedoms. As Vice President Harris noted, “he and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress.” And while Trump continues to lie about his intent, Gov. Walz pointed out: “When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re going to use it.”



4. We’ve got big opportunities down the ballot. The enthusiasm of this moment is palpable, and Vice President Harris delivered a clear and compelling message on reproductive freedom that resonates with voters across the country. We need to win the White House, but we’re setting our sights beyond that: to deliver on Harris’s agenda for working families, we must also hold the Senate, win back the House, and elect pro-choice legislative majorities in state houses across the country.



5. To win in November, we must invest in reaching pro-choice voters now. There are only ten Tuesdays until Election Day, and just a few short weeks until early voting begins. We’re excited to see the Harris campaign breaking fundraising records, but we cannot neglect down-ballot races. We must ensure that voters know about EVERY reason to turn out this year.
   
   State and local races in key districts and swing states provide nested opportunities, and investing in pro-choice voters through direct voter engagement programs will win political power all the way up the ticket.