Dear fellow MoveOn member,
This is America: A Black Democratic representative from Georgia was
handcuffed and charged with two felonies last week for trying to watch her
state's governor sign an egregious voter suppression bill, while sitting
Republican members of Congress face no consequences for inciting January's
deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.^1
Georgia's new law—which Governor Brian Kemp signed behind closed
doors—goes so far as to criminalize handing out water to people waiting in
line to vote.^2
The truth of the matter is that Republicans are getting away with the
greatest assault on our right to vote since the Jim Crow era—an assault
that progressive leader Stacey Abrams calls "Jim Crow in a suit and
tie"—because just like in Georgia, Republicans control the legislature in
a majority of states.^3,4
State and local elections matter, John. They matter a lot. And
here's a shocking statistic: In as many as 75% of races for elected office
in America, Democrats don't even compete.^5
We're not even trying to win! The result is that while millions more
Americans now identify as Democrats than Republicans, Republicans hold far
more seats in state and local government.
That's why I'm writing to you today to tell you about a major MoveOn
initiative to recruit hundreds of diverse, progressive MoveOn members to
run in down-ballot races across the country.
MoveOn just announced that it is expanding its partnership with Contest
Every Race, a coalition working to end GOP rule in rural America by making
sure that no Republican runs for office without a fight. Together, we will
help end GOP dominance in down-ballot races by making sure that no
Republican runs for office without a Democratic challenger in the race.
But recruiting, training, and helping to power candidates to victory is
expensive work, so MoveOn needs your ongoing help to make it possible.
Will you chip in $5 a month to help fuel the effort?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
306. That's the number of voter suppression bills that have been
introduced in state legislatures just this year.^6
And now that Georgia's governor signed the sweeping voter suppression law,
the battle to stop voter suppression bills moves to Arizona, Florida, and
Texas—all states with Republican governors and Republican majorities in
the state legislatures, which means that these bills will likely pass and
become law.^7 In Florida, for example, S.B. 90—a top priority of Governor
Ron DeSantis—would ban drop boxes, limit mail-in voting, and criminalize
handing out water or food to people in line to vote.^8,9
Let's be clear: Republicans are advancing these bills to disenfranchise
people of color. According to an analysis by The Washington Post, the
bills would create new hurdles to voting for tens of millions of
Americans.^10
We have to rise up, John. And we have to do it right now. The
very survival of our democracy depends on it.
Which is why MoveOn's effort to recruit hundreds of diverse, progressive
MoveOn members to run for office and challenge the GOP's stranglehold on
state and local offices is so important.
But this is a massive undertaking that will require sustained support, and
MoveOn needs your help. Will you chip in $5 a month to
power MoveOn's effort to recruit and train progressives to take on the GOP
at the ballot boxes?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Of the local elections that Republicans win, 70% have no challenger.^11
It's time we fight back. It's time we stop letting the GOP win elections,
stroll into office without ever facing a challenger, and trample on our
very democracy.
With your help, MoveOn will be able to provide strong support for endorsed
candidates, including offering training on how to recruit and organize
volunteers, raise grassroots donations, most effectively use social media
to get their message out, and more.
The next election may seem far away, but in many states and localities,
candidates are already filing paperwork to run for office.
We don't have a moment to spare. Please, if you can, start a
$5 monthly donation to help power MoveOn's effort to
challenge the GOP in state and local races.
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
Thanks for all you do.
–Robert Reich
Sources:
1. "'We're going to fight this' says attorney for Georgia lawmaker charged
with 2 felonies after knocking on governor's door," ABC, March 27, 2021
[link removed]
2. "Georgia law makes it a crime to give food, water to people waiting to
vote," The Hill, March 26, 2021
[link removed]
3. "Abrams on GOP efforts to target voting: 'It is a redux of Jim Crow in
a suit and tie,'" CNN, March 14, 2021
[link removed]
4. "State Partisan Composition," National Conference of State
Legislatures, March 16, 2021
[link removed]
5. "It's time to Contest Every Race," Contest Every Race, accessed April
2, 2021
[link removed]
6. "The States Where Efforts To Restrict Voting Are Escalating,"
FiveThirtyEight, March 29, 2021
[link removed]
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. "Another Ban On Water For Voters: Sweeping Florida Bill Would Make It A
Crime," Forbes, March 29, 2021
[link removed]
10. "How GOP-backed voting measures could create hurdles for tens of
millions of voters," The Washington Post, March 11, 2021
[link removed]
11. "It's time to Contest Every Race," Contest Every Race, accessed April
2, 2021
[link removed]
Want to support MoveOn's work? Together, our diverse and vibrant coalition
elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. We have an opportunity to make
progress, but only if we give it our all to call for bold progressive
legislation to expand health care, solve the climate crisis, address
systemic racism, and more.
Will you chip in to power the fight for bold, progressive change?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.
[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
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