[1]Swing LeftSwing Left
Hi there,
Today, I’m thrilled to announce the nationwide launch of Swing Left’s
[ [link removed] ]Ground Truth program!
It’s a bold new approach to voter contact that represents a radical shift
in how Democrats connect with voters. Because we know we can’t keep doing
the same old things to win competitive elections and flip the House.
Despite strong wins in states like Virginia, California, and New Jersey
this year, the Democratic brand is still damaged after the 2024 elections,
and we can’t take anything for granted. If we want to carry this year’s
momentum into 2026 and 2028, we need to know more about the people who
swung toward Democrats this year—and could swing our way in the future.
Ground Truth is designed to help Democratic campaigns find, understand,
and serve these voters. To win, we need to start earlier, knock every
door, listen, not lecture, and leverage new tech to effectively share what
we learn with campaigns and party committees. This is so they can
effectively strengthen their messaging, targeting, and outreach strategies
in ways that haven't been possible before.
If you’re interested, here’s the first action you can take: [ [link removed] ]Sign up for
our "Inside Ground Truth" national strategy call on Tuesday, December 9th.
You'll get an inside look at what we’ve learned this year, and how you can
get involved with Ground Truth as we expand it to the most important swing
districts nationwide.
[ [link removed] ]RSVP Now
We’ve spent the past few months piloting Ground Truth in swing districts
across the country, and what we’ve seen has been illuminating.
At one door in New York’s 17th congressional district, a man told me he
used to vote for Democrats but wasn’t sure anymore. He said he felt like
politicians talked at him, not with him. We talked for ten minutes about
the cost of living, his kids, and what he wanted for his community.
He didn’t need a pitch—he needed to be heard. And that conversation was
just one example. Voters consistently say they are surprised—and
encouraged—that Democrats are showing up to listen rather than just ask
for votes. Many are eager to talk, underscoring that deep listening can
help rebuild trust in places where it has eroded.
Our pilot canvasses also revealed potential gains to be made among voters
whom voter files classify as Republican. About 1 in 4 of those voters
actually expressed explicit concern about Trump, openness to voting for
Democrats, or alignment with progressive priorities. This shows that
expanding who we talk to and improving how we talk with them can uncover
meaningful new support that traditional voter outreach methods would miss.
That’s why Ground Truth is so important. Volunteers have real, human
conversations with every voter—starting with listening, not transactional,
shallow scripts. Then, using new technology we helped design, we’ll share
what we learn directly with campaigns, so they can respond to what voters
actually experience in their daily lives.
The results from the elections earlier this month show we have the
potential to win back many of the voters Democrats lost in 2024. The data
we’ve gleaned from hundreds of Ground Truth conversations so far have
reaffirmed for me that this is the pathway to doing so.
To get an inside look at what we learned from Ground Truth pilot canvasses
and what comes next, [ [link removed] ]sign up for the "Inside Ground Truth" national
strategy call on December 9th.
[ [link removed] ]RSVP Now
I hope to see you there,
Yasmin Radjy
Executive Director, Swing Left
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