John —
In a moment, I am going to do something I try not to do very often -- I am going to ask you to make a contribution to my PAC. Let me explain why.
Since the election ended, I have gotten a lot of questions like why am I talking to far-right Republicans like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon on my podcast? Why am I going on Fox News? Why am I running ads on Fox News? Why do I read so much right-wing news?
It boils down to two reasons:
First, I am trying to understand folks on the right -- and yes, even the far right. I want to know their motivations, their goals, how they operate and organize, what they are thinking, and most critically get a sense of what is coming next from them.
I can guess at that. I can wait to read someone else's opinion about that. Or I can talk to them and try to figure it out myself.
This is not trivial stuff. These are folks who, in the case of the cultural right, are leading the fight to take away abortion access, banning books, trying to radically transform our schools, and much more. And on the economic right, the chainsaw mafia at DOGE is cutting critical services that are a lifeline to so many people across this country.
It also helps me better understand the six million Californians (38%) who voted for Donald Trump.
Second, there is no persuading without talking to people you disagree with. This a divided country and the MAGA side is living in a filter bubble that locks out any dissenting point of view. They live in a world filled with conspiracy theories about the left and a media that tells them Trump can do no wrong.
Those folks need to hear other voices. They need to know why California is the largest manufacturing state in the country - by far - and that, on balance, we actually contribute tens of billions to the federal government while Texas takes tens of billions of dollars. They need to hear about the chaos Trump's tariffs are causing. They need to know that the Delta Smelt is not responsible for the LA wildfires and we did not reduce our firefighting budgets in California before they happened.
That is why I run ads on Fox News.
That is why I talk to people I disagree with, in the hope that some of their audience comes over to listen as well.
That is why, last year, I was taking trips and talking to people in deep red parts of the country like Mississippi.
That is why I was the first Democratic elected official to post FACTS on Truth Social.
That is why I helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for state Democratic parties in South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and more. Because people in those states need to hear from Democrats, as well.
A good portion of that work is possible thanks to the generous support of donors like you who believe Democrats need to take the fight DIRECTLY to Republicans and right-leaning independents, and to do it in all fifty states.
If you agree, I am asking:
Thank you for reading, and for your continued financial support. It means a lot to me.
- Gavin
