Hi there,
I’m Zack Malitz, the Managing Director here at Swing Left. Last weekend, Swing Left volunteers launched the first in-person Ground Truth canvasses of the year in Oregon’s 5th and Arizona’s 1st congressional districts, in addition to a virtual Ground Truth phone bank that called voters in Nebraska’s 2nd.
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I had the opportunity to join a canvass in Oregon and met so many new people who are excited to connect with voters in swing districts like these that’ll be key to flipping the House. The canvass leaders didn’t know most of the people who showed up to volunteer last weekend—they were folks just like you who signed up after reading one of our emails.
That’s me on the top left 😀
Tragically, the canvasses last weekend coincided with yet another reminder of the violence that the Trump administration has unleashed in our communities—and why changing who holds power in this country matters so much.
But in order to win, we can’t keep relying on the same old tactics that led to big losses in 2016 and 2024—and even the temporary wins of 2018 and 2020. The American electorate has changed, and the math says that Democrats can no longer win control solely by driving “turnout.” To win governing majorities that are big and long-lasting, we need to persuade as many people as possible (no matter who they voted for last or whether they voted at all) to vote for Democrats, in election after election, starting in this year’s midterms.
And the first step to persuading is listening—which is why this program is so important. Rather than following a traditional script, Ground Truth volunteers ask open-ended conversations meant to foster genuine conversations and learn what voters really care about.
Starting with listening isn’t about being nice. It’s the tactical first step in building a massively-scaled voter contact program that will help form a national consensus that what’s happening in Minnesota and elsewhere is wrong—and that we’re never, ever going to allow ourselves to get to this place of authoritarian overreach again.
And here’s the part that gives me real hope. Even though everything online seems extremely polarized, what we’re hearing talking to people in-person tells a different story. The conversations we’re having right now are about beginning to rebuild a shared sense of what is and isn’t acceptable in this country. That’s how trust is rebuilt. And over time, that’s how the balance of power shifts.
Last weekend at these two canvasses, Swing Left volunteers knocked over 250 doors. Nearly two-thirds of voters who answered their doors had substantive conversations with Ground Truth volunteers, many lasting several minutes.
People are eager to talk. The most common topic raised was a lack of trust in government and political leadership—which came up in more than half of all conversations.
We also continued to identify new potential persuadable voters (meaning they were previously tagged in the voter file campaigns use as unlikely to vote for Democrats), who would not have been contacted through traditional canvassing.
This is ongoing, consistent work that needs to be happening now and continue through Election Day—and beyond. If you’d like to join this important effort, make sure to fill out the Ground Truth interest form here. It will guide you to the best volunteer opportunities for you, based on where you are and what you like to do.
It can be hard to knock on doors, call strangers, and empathize with people who have opinions so different from your own—but this community is doing it anyway, and that work matters. We’ve even heard from folks at the phone bank that they want to call more Republicans, not avoid them.
When I hear feedback from those participating in Ground Truth, I’m reminded why this work feels different. One volunteer named Phyllis told us that:
“This is the most rewarding canvassing I have done. It is easy to engage folks in conversation with an open ended question and not an ask.”
And another volunteer, Myra, said that:
“Going door to door with the intention of listening to all people, regardless of their point of view, feels like true democracy. Listening to people’s concerns and experiences with an open heart and mind is what we need in our country right now. I’m in!!”
Whether you canvass in-person, join a virtual phone bank, or make a grassroots donation to make all of this work possible, you are doing what it takes to help Democrats win and hold power. None of this happens without you.
Together, we can change the balance of power in Washington and put our country on a brighter path forward.
Zack Malitz
Managing Director, Swing Left
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Since 2017, Swing Left has channeled the energy of grassroots volunteers and donors to elect Democrats, up and down the ballot, focusing on the most competitive races that can swing the national balance of power. Right now, Swing Left is investing in early grassroots organizing in key swing districts and initiatives across the country to lay the foundation to win back the House in 2026. If you’d like to help support our work, you can make a donation using this link. |
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Paid for by Swing Left, swingleft.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
