The Last Frontier leads the way
<[link removed]>
Hi Friend,

 

We’ve made it: the last week of January. 

 

January has felt long — and a lot has already happened. Fortunately, a long
January has given us lots of time to plan for the year ahead. We have new
reports, new videos, and new campaigns we’re tracking.

 

But more on that later…

 

Here are three things to think about this week:

Putting the pieces together
<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>
.

You might have heard us talk about Alaska’s Final-Four election system
<[link removed]> that
passed via ballot initiative this last November. We were supportive of the
driving campaign behind the ballot measure, Alaskans for Better Elections, and
were thrilled that Alaskans would be leading the nation in changing the
incentives for elected leaders. And now it seems, the rest of the nation is
noticing. 

 

“The Political-Reform Movement Scores Its Biggest Win Yet
<[link removed]>
” writes Russell Berman of The Atlantic this week. Through the tireless efforts
of grassroots organizers across Alaska, and bolstered by support from the Unite
America network of political philanthropists, Alaskans succeeded in carving a
new future, not only for themselves, but for the nation as a whole. Instead of
elected officials looking over their shoulders for primary challengers, thanks
to the system of Final-Four voting (which combinesnonpartisan primaries <> with
aranked choice voting
<[link removed]> general) Alaskan
leaders are now pushed to represent all Alaska voters, not just primary
election voters. The impact has been immediate. As Berman writes, "[Republican
Senator Lisa] Murkowski was the first GOP senator to demand Trump’s exit after
the deadly riot... Alaskans effectively gave their long-serving senator a fresh
infusion of political freedom: She no longer needs to worry nearly so much
about a conservative primary foe defeating her next year."


Even our Executive Director, Nick, gets a shoutout: “Troiano is now trying to
elevate “political philanthropy” from a bit player to a major force in the
industry of politics, with a long-term plan to change election laws in enough
states to change Congress itself,” Berman writes. “The big idea: If more
lawmakers in the House and Senate are, like Murkowski, rewarded rather than
punished for working together, the institution as a whole will be far more
responsive to voters.”



<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>
Primary challengers are wreaking havoc
<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>.

In the days following the violent attack on the capitol, Republicans were in
disarray. The president, leader of their party, had seemingly incited an attack
on our democratic institutions. Now, they faced a choice: walk the party line,
or break rank. If they broke rank, a primary challenger would be imminent, and
their political futures would be in jeopardy. In the end, 10 representatives
did; almost immediately, all 10 faced a primary challenge from the more extreme
wing of their party. 

 

It’s a sad reality of our current political system: shaking off the shackles
of party politics will almost certainly invite a primary challenge. These
misshapen political incentives drive politicians to listen to the extremes of
their party rather than the majority.

 

This week, the Washington Post
<[link removed]>
profiles Adam Kinzinger, one of the 10 Republican dissenters who chose to
break with their party, protect the constitution, and as a result, may lose his
job. Kinzinger understands this; he understands the risks of his actions. But
at this point, he doesn’t care. Says Kinzinger, “Leaders have got to start
telling the truth.”



<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>
Ranked choice voting is useful!
<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>

We love ranked choice voting. It’s simple — voters rank candidates in order of
preference; it’s cost effective — eliminating the need for costly runoffs; and
it ensures a majority winner by requiring the winner to win at least 50%
support. 

 

It’s why states across the country are considering ranked choice voting as a
way to improve election outcomes for voters by giving them more choice, voice,
and power. Maine and Alaska both use the ranked choice voting for statewide
elections, and cities across the country have taken up the issue as well. 

 

Now, Denver7
<[link removed]>
breaks down why Coloradans may want to consider the reform. Thousands of
Coloradans were disenfranchised this past March when multiple candidates
dropped out of the Presidential race ahead of Super Tuesday; ranked choice
voting could have helped ensure voters’ voices were heard. Voters should come
first; reforms like ranked choice voting can make that possible. 



<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>
See you in February. 

 

Brett
__
Brett Maney
Senior Communications Manager
Unite America
Support the work of Unite America!
<[link removed]>


Want to stop receiving our weekly Three Things Thursday emails? Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>
 from Three Things Thursday, or Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>
from all Unite America communications.

Unite America | 1580 Lincoln St Suite #520 Denver, CO 80218
Paid for by Unite America.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
www.uniteamerica.org <[link removed]>