Hi John, welcome to the July edition of our newsletter!
Every month, we will continue to share updates on the important work we’re doing to build enduring political power in states across the country and keep you informed about what role you can play to fight for a progressive future.
Thank you for being a critical part of our grassroots community. ❤️
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✨ ICYMI: Our 2nd Wave of 2025 Candidate Endorsements
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Last month, we announced our second wave of Virginia endorsements. With Democrats holding a razor-thin one-seat majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, Sister District is going all in to support incredible leaders running in the most competitive districts.
Learn more about our newest endorsements below:
💪 Jessica Anderson (HD-71) Jessica is a lifelong Virginian who knows firsthand how crucial and life-saving social safety nets are and will champion affordable health care and public education investments.
💪 Karen "Kacey" Carnegie (HD-89) Kacey is a lawyer and working mom who was born and raised in the 89th District.
💪 Lindsey Dougherty (HD-75) Lindsey is a mother of two with complex autoimmune disorders. She has navigated a broken health care system, crushing medical bills, and now she’s running to fight for working families like hers.
💪 Delegate Michelle Maldonado (HD-20) Michelle is a Virginia Delegate who made history as the first woman and first person of color to represent her district.
💪 Leslie Mehta (HD-73) Leslie is the former legal director of the ACLU of Virginia and served on Democratic Governor Northam’s Commission on Racial Inequity in the Law.
💪 May Nivar (HD-57) May is running to build a Virginia where hard work pays off, opportunity is within reach, and every family can thrive. If elected, she would be the first Chinese American to serve in the Virginia General Assembly.
💪 Delegate Shelly Simonds (HD-70) Shelly is a former Spanish teacher, environmental advocate, and dedicated community leader with a lifelong commitment to public service. In 2017, her race made national headlines after ending in a tie, which was decided by drawing her opponent’s name from a bowl. Undeterred, she ran again and won in 2019.
💪 Delegate Josh Thomas (HD-21) Josh is defending one of the most vulnerable seats in the House after flipping it blue in 2023.
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📣 When Women Lead: Inside State Legislatures
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Have you ever wondered what state legislatures actually do and how they impact your everyday life? State lawmakers are often the ones making the decisions that affect voting rights, health care access, public education, reproductive rights, and more.
Join Sister District and Red Wine & Blue on Tuesday, July 22 at 7:30PM ET for a conversation with three powerhouse women who are serving in their state legislatures as they share their journey into public service, the challenges they've faced, and how their diverse leadership is shifting priorities and policies.
RSVP now!
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On the West Coast, Sister District San Francisco showed up big time for Phil Hernandez and May Nivar, hosting an in-person auction and a series of house parties that raised over $50,000! Over a hundred supporters turned out — and Phil himself was in attendance for many of them to share his gratitude and energy with the crowd.
Meanwhile on the East Coast, we saw teamwork in action: our DC Metro Area, MA-RI, and NYC teams joined forces for a joint virtual phonebank supporting Joshua Cole. Together, they made over 10,000 dials with 30 callers on deck. That’s a whole lot of voter contact!
And our Organizing Fellows are getting in on the action, too! They’re hosting a virtual Good Trouble Trivia in support of Shelly Simonds’ campaign for Virginia HD-70, who will be making a special appearance! You can RSVP here to join them on Monday, July 21st at 7-8:30PM ET.
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Last month, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman was tragically killed in a targeted act of political violence.
Melissa was a dedicated public servant and a fierce champion for climate justice, workers’ rights, reproductive freedom, and the kind of inclusive democracy we all believe in. We hold her family, her colleagues, and the entire Minnesota community close to our hearts.
Violence has no place in our democracy. Yet, political violence is on the rise. A 2023 study showed that 43% of state legislators experienced threats, an alarming increase over the past decade. The numbers are even higher for women and people of color in office.
At Sister District, we are actively working to provide resources, as well as a safe space, for state legislators and their staff as they serve in these unprecedented times. This fall, we’re launching a three-part training series in partnership with Democracy Security Project, focused on:
- Digital Safety
- In-person security at the Capitol and beyond
- Long-term crisis preparedness, including legislative protections and combating disinformation
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That’s all for now, John. We hope you enjoyed reading this newsletter. We’re grateful to have you as part of our collective fight to win permanent progressive power in the states for our communities.
Thank you, and enjoy your weekend!
— Sister District
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Paid for by Sister District Project. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. Donations to Sister District Project, a 527 organization, are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
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