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Friend,
2025 felt like a year that would take everything we had just to get
through it. Shocking news came daily, in waves. The noise was relentless.
And yet, through all that, something else began to glimmer and then shine
through around our country - something deeper, steadier, more human: a
simple readiness to continue the work of democracy.
In small towns and big cities, on podcasts and porches, in late-night
conversations and on early-morning flights, I saw people leaning toward
each other instead of pulling apart.
Hope didn’t arrive this year as a feeling.
It emerged as a choice – created by action from people determined not to
give up.
Because of that, because of you, together we put hope into motion in ways
that truly mattered. So, I wanted to send along a recap of some of my
favorite moments from the year, and a preview of what’s to come.
Showing Up Everywhere
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This year I’ve spent a great deal of time, on the road and online,
listening to people about what this moment feels like in their lives, and
helping lift up candidates and causes that reflect our shared values. This
year, I continued the “go everywhere” approach that I have believed in
throughout my career in service.
In the spring, I joined the hosts of Flagrant for a three-hour unfiltered
podcast episode that reached a new audience that hadn’t heard enough from
our side of the aisle.
And in May, I held a veterans-focused town hall in Iowa to hear from
people on the ground about how the Trump administration’s actions were
affecting their lives.
Throughout the year, I continued this approach – connecting with digital
creators, sitting for podcasts of all kinds, as well as traditional media
interviews with outlets like GQ and the New York Times. Basically, if
someone wanted to have a good-faith conversation about the moment we’re
in, or about lighter stuff like Notre Dame football and my favorite
airports, I was ready to engage.
In September, I had the chance to join hundreds of Hoosiers in the Indiana
Statehouse to rally against Trump’s effort to redistrict their
congressional maps and undermine the voices of voters–supporting an effort
that would culminate in the stunning rejection of Trump’s personal pleas
in this very conservative legislature.
On the campaign trail, I visited Virginia and New Jersey ahead of their
gubernatorial races to rally voters for my friends Abigail Spanberger and
Mikie Sherrill. On Election Day, voters in those states and across the
country showed up in droves to send a clear message about the kind of
politics–and the changes–they want to see.
From red towns to blue cities, and all the purple places in between – as
well as the digital spaces where so many of us spend time – I’m going to
keep showing up. Politics is about who we stand for, not just what we
stand against, and we can show a better way forward for how we treat one
another and how we get things done.
What We Built Together
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Because you stayed engaged – through reading, sharing, reflecting, and
participating – Win the Era was able to live out its mission in real,
meaningful ways. Win the Era’s endorsed candidates had some big wins in
communities across the country: Susan Crawford in Wisconsin, Abigail
Spanberger in Virginia, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, Andy Schor in
Lansing, Randall Woodfin in Birmingham, Aftab Pureval in Cincinnati, Gina
Ortiz Jones in San Antonio, and Eileen Higgins in Miami.
I’m so proud of these and more leaders we have worked with, and glad to
have been in their corner.
Looking Toward 2026
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As we step into 2026, the work ahead feels both urgent and full of
possibility.
Next year is not just a political milestone – it’s a test of what kind of
country we want to live in. And Win the Era’s mission has never been more
timely:
* Amplify principled leaders who approach service with humility and
seriousness;
* Support candidates who ground their work in belonging, not in fear or
division;
* Reach people in every corner of the country, continuing the “go
everywhere” approach that defined 2025
Most importantly, to build community around hope, serving a vision shaped
not by the chaos of the moment but by what we believe is possible for our
country and our lives.
If 2025 was about stepping into rooms where people felt unheard, 2026 is
about deepening those relationships – returning, listening again, and
making sure no community is overlooked.
If 2025 was about widening the conversation, 2026 is about further
strengthening the coalition of people who still believe in a better kind
of politics.
And if 2025 was about finding hope in unexpected places, 2026 is about
giving that hope durable momentum.
I am more convinced than ever that the work we’re doing – the work you are
part of – can help shape a future where our politics reflects our best
values, not our worst impulses.
Thank you for everything you brought to this year.
Pete
Pete Buttigieg is a husband, dad, veteran, writer, and proud Midwesterner.
He formerly served as the 19th US Secretary of Transportation and Mayor of
South Bend. Now, he’s committed to supporting emerging leaders, showing up
in communities we too often ignore, and helping win more elections.
[ [link removed] ]If you support Pete, and would like to help him to keep up the
momentum, consider becoming a monthly sustaining supporter to Win the Era
today.
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Win the Era
PO Box 1226
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