John,

A week ago, we got knocked down. Hard.

Now, it’s time to start picking ourselves up and getting back in the fight.

There are countless ways we’ll need to hold the line for freedom and democracy over the next four years — organizing our communities against harmful and hateful policies, fighting Trump’s overreach in court, supporting local community organizations, and generally looking out for one another.

And there’s one other fight I’m thinking about: Flipping North Carolina’s Republican senate seat in 2026.

Once we retake the U.S. Senate, we can stop Donald Trump’s most extreme policies, block his most far-right judicial nominations, and slow down the incalculable damage he’s going to try doing to our country.

We’ll need to flip 3-4 Republican seats in 2026 to retake the majority, and North Carolina will be Democrats’ top target. After all, we just won at least five statewide races here, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State.

John, I know how down so many of us have been feeling over the past week. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared and saddened, too.But we cannot give in to hopelessness or inertia. We need to get back to work — the sooner, the better.

Chipping in to turn North Carolina bright blue in 2026 is one way you can take action right now. Your investment will help Democrats register new voters, organize, and start running early ads to highlight how bad Thom Tillis is for this state.

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If you can’t give right now or aren’t quite ready to get back in this fight, that’s OK. Care for yourself. Take all the time you need.

I’ll be in touch regularly with new ways to help each other get through this.

Until then, stay strong.

— Wiley