John,

As ballots continued to be counted across the country, I wanted to give you an update on where our alums currently stand. On Tuesday, we had 691 alums on the ballot in 27 states and the District of Columbia at all levels of office.

We’ve known for months that it would be several days before ballots were counted, so while we continue to wait for final returns, I wanted to share some notable victories we’re celebrating.

The biggest takeaway from 2020 so far? In a year when the presidential race was at the top of everyone’s minds, Emerge alums down the ballot were stepping forward, running and winning to safeguard our democracy to help build a better future for us all. And, we pledge to continue this important work. So, if you’re able please make a contribution today to help us continue to build the bench of Democratic women candidates across the country.

In Congress, Emerge alums Deb Haaland (NM-1) and Lucy McBath (GA-6) have won re-election. Kim Schrier (WA-8) is leading in her race, as is Abigail Spanberger (VA-7).

I’m excited to share that early returns show us that Nevada and Colorado are expected to retain their status as majority-woman state legislatures due to Emerge alums, and the New Mexico State House is poised to join their ranks.

We also saw new women elected to state legislatures including in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Iowa and more.

Emerge alums continue to be trailblazers in their communities, breaking down barriers in their states, including: In New Mexico, Shammara Henderson will be the first Black appellate judge in the state. In Arizona, Gabriella Cazares-Kelly is the first Tohono O'odham woman to win a county-wide election in Pima County. In South Carolina, Kirstin Graziano made history as the first LGBTQ+ person and the first woman elected sheriff in the state. In Arkansas, April Legere became the first woman of color elected to the Rogers City Council. In California, Cristina Soto DeBarry will be the first woman of color elected to Fire District and the only woman of color serving at this level or higher in Marin County. In Georgia, Nicole Love Hendrickson became the first Black woman elected Chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. In Nevada, five alums were elected as public defenders after attending Emerge Nevada’s first judicial boot camp earlier this year.

We will continue to share information as it comes in, but there are a few more things we know to be true, including that having strong Democratic women running for office at the local level continues to elevate the top of the ticket — something that has been clear every cycle for the past four years.

2020 has also made it more clear than ever that Black, Brown, and Indigenous women, LGBTQ+ women, young women, and unmarried women not only fueled Democratic victories as organizers and voters but were some of the most exciting candidates on the ballot. As we move into the next chapter of Emerge, the women of the New American Majority will be front and center in the work we do.

As we look ahead and gear up for the fights to come, there’s never been a more important time to invest in long-term infrastructure that recruits and trains women across the country, which is why I couldn’t be more proud of each and every alum who stepped up to run, regardless of their election outcome.

Thank you for being a part of our incredible community,

A'shanti F. Gholar President