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Hi John,
I wanted to get your eyes on Lindsey’s email again in case you missed our response to the election results. I’d like to take this second opportunity to reiterate our appreciation for our volunteers and members. We’re still waiting for 3 races to be called, but right now we know that we won 81.1% of all the races we endorsed in, and 90% (so far) of the races that we made significant financial and staff investments in.
In this election OLCV staff and volunteers combined knocked on 10,000 doors and volunteers submitted 11 letters to the editor (LTEs) in support of climate champs. A massive thank you to every single volunteer. Your effort and energy matters so much for the future of Oregon, and these election results reflect that.
It’s times like these that require us to come together and lean on our community. What we can accomplish within our communities and at the state level will be critical during the next four years. I’d like to share a story from a volunteer on our Washington County Leadership Committee, Ann Scherner:
“After the election of Trump in 2016 and the emotional roller coaster it brought, I wanted to “do something” to counteract the havoc of his presidency and administration. At the urging of my friend, Donna, I joined OLCV in 2017 and it saved my sanity. It has been vastly rewarding to be a part of this organization - as a volunteer in OLCV, I have learned how local and state politics is so important to what happens on a federal level, how to hold elected officials accountable, and how we can help protect Oregon’s natural legacy.
One of the most inspiring parts of my OLCV participation is interviewing candidates for office on local and state levels and to help elect officials who are for addressing climate change, environmental and social justice. I have learned so much (and have much more to learn) about environmental and climate change issues as a member of OLCV along with making new friends, meeting elected officials. I feel like I can make a difference through my involvement with this organization.
So here we are again with Trump 2.0. I along with millions of Americans are feeling desperation, grief, anger and other emotions but I am heading into “take action” mode again. As a volunteer with OLCV, there are many opportunities to take action to combat climate change and more - we need to fight back.”
Because of all of you, there is hope, and I hope you don’t lose sight of it in this dark time. Find your community and sign up to volunteer with us here.
Sincerely,
Britney VanCitters
OLCV Political & Organizing Director
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Hi John,
Just like you, I’ve been feeling the weight of the devastation after the results from the presidential election. We were here once before, but now we truly know what’s at stake. When Donald Trump steps into office, we must be prepared to defend our climate, people, and places. This time we know what we will be fighting, and OLCV is committed to fighting like hell (albeit peacefully) against threats to our climate, our clean air and water, and the environment we all depend on.
It’s hard not to worry about the future of our country. However, the presidential race reminds us of the importance of electing the right candidates here in Oregon. Our hard work this election cycle is not diminished by the presidential results, but is perhaps made more essential. As the federal government will backtrack on our progress and do damage to our climate and bedrock environmental protections, it’s up to states like Oregon to step up. While we are taking time to recover from and comprehend these results - and I hope you all do the same - we turn to look at the good news that is happening right here in Oregon.
The results will not be final until all the ballots are counted, but here’s what we know:
- We elected a new supermajority to the Oregon State Senate, and elected two new climate champions to the chamber with Senators-elect Khanh Pham and Anthony Broadman.
- We elected 3 pro-climate candidates statewide to join us in this fight. We elected Dan Rayfield, one of our strongest climate champions, as our next attorney general. We will need his leadership to defend against environmental rollbacks and protect Oregonians against corporate polluters. We also elected Tobias Read as our next Secretary of State. He is committed to safeguarding our election processes and ensuring access to free and fair elections for all Oregon voters.
- It’s still too early to call some House races, but we know that we will maintain at least a 35 seat majority in the Oregon House. This strong majority with our senate supermajority, gives Democrats a mandate to lead on climate.
I want to thank our entire team that made these state wins a possibility; that includes our staff, volunteers, donors, and supporters. Thank you to everyone who showed up to vote in this election. We wouldn’t be here celebrating these wins if it wasn’t for you. I’m grateful to be living in a state that prioritizes climate, safety, and progress, regardless of what happens at the federal level.
Thank you for your continued support, and for joining this fight with us. Together we can and will continue to make progress here in our beloved state of Oregon. It’s our time to step up, and we hope you will join us.
Take care of yourself. Don’t give up.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Scholten
OLCV Executive Director
P.S. There are other ways to support and join our fight. Check out other ways to get involved here!
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