Whether you feel surprised by the outcome of this election, whether you are upset because it didn’t have to be this way, whether you feel scared for yourself, your family, your community, or people you don’t know, whether you’re angry, sad, or just don’t know how to feel, know that we here at TakeAction Minnesota share those feelings.

Right now, everybody has a take about what happened last Tuesday. We’re not here to be another voice in your inbox pointing fingers, looking back. Instead, we want to talk about where we are now, and where we’re headed.

What Happened

Donald Trump won the presidential election. The GOP made gains in both chambers of Congress, taking control of the US Senate, and looking to widen their control of the House.

At the state level, we face divided government once again, with a one-seat DFL majority in the State Senate and a likely tie in the State House.

We are celebrating big wins in school board elections, county commission races and in the state legislature, while also knowing the grim governing landscape these candidates-elect will be in. 

There’s no sugar coating it: we lost a lot. It was a tough fight, and so many people people worked hard for a just world, in whatever way they could.

What Could Happen Soon

Project 2025 is set to begin. So far, Trump’s proposed appointments to each department are a list of yes men and ideologues who want to dismantle the departments they are set to lead. Some of these appointments are even more extreme or absurd than expected. In other places, there are signs that obstruction is still possible. It’s too early to forecast the future, but there will be many moments ahead where we need to take action.

What We Can Do

We know whatever may come, we will all be safer, stronger and more powerful if we face it together. In that context, we should be preparing to advance three key strategies: 

BLOCK the worst with all the levers we have - protest; community care, defense & aid; state levers. Over the next four years, we are going to need to protect people who are the the target of Trump’s fascist policies. We are also going to need to defend the institutions we have at our service, including democracy itself. And ultimately, we are going to need to be ready to disrupt and disobey at the points at which Trump’s fascist policies would require people’s compliance to succeed.

BUILD the power we need, not just to resist but to build a better future. We need to come together in political movements, building resilient organizations and coalitions, and win what victories we can in this moment, but also be ready to take opportunities that arise for bigger wins.

BRIDGE our work with the allies of democracy we have. Ultimately, we must build a majoritarian coalition, and eat away at Donald Trump’s support by making his authoritarian movement unattractive (including by highlighting the many actions his administration takes that will be unattractive to the majority of Americans).

What We Can Do Now

Push the Biden administration to pursue all available executive actions to safeguard the long-term health of our democracy.

Get to know your neighbors. Talk to your friends and family. Building political community starts with those closest to us.

Do what you need to ready yourself. The coming months and years will be stressful, chaotic, and to the most marginalized of us, threatening. We won't get through it without resilient systems of social and psychological support.

TakeAction Roundup

This is only the beginning. Stay tuned over the coming months and years as specific targets and actions arise.

In solidarity,

Mattias Lehman (he/him)
Narrative and Communications Director