Dear MoveOn member,
Texas Governor Greg Abbott just signed an executive order banning schools, businesses, and local governments from requiring masks and vaccines, even while the state is becoming an epicenter of new COVID-19 cases.1
In Arizona, GOP state lawmakers passed a bill allowing local businesses to ignore mask mandates.2
And across the country, as COVID-related hospitalizations skyrocket, state and local GOP officials are spreading wild conspiracy theories about the pandemic and COVID vaccines that are putting our health and lives at risk.
We need to defeat these dangerous extremists and elect real leaders who follow the science and believe in facts. But shockingly, in as many as 75% of races for elected office in America, Democrats don't even compete, allowing Republicans to build a dangerous amount of power at the local and state levels that is detrimental to all of us but especially our communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants, and women.3
Which is why MoveOn is expanding our partnership with Rapid Resist Action's Contest Every Race program, a coalition working to end GOP rule in America by making sure that no Republican runs for office without a fight. Together, we will help end GOP dominance in local races and elect leaders who will put science and public health over right-wing propaganda.
John, a terrifying report from NBC News shows that QAnon conspiracy theorists "have hatched a new plan: run for school board or local office."4
The National Education Association warns that "conspiracy theorists and proponents of fake news are winning local elections. And their new positions give them a powerful voice in everything from local law enforcement to libraries, trash pickup to textbook purchases."5
Make no mistake: Conspiracy theorists are infiltrating and radicalizing local school boards, city councils, and state governments. Once they're in office, they're spreading dangerous misinformation and putting in place policies that could result in the deaths of tens of thousands of people.
They must be stopped.
With your help, MoveOn and Contest Every Race 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, turn out voters to the polls, and more.
The 2022 elections may seem far away, but in many states and localities, candidates are already filing paperwork to run for office.
Thanks for all you do.
–Chris, Nita, Oscar, Casey, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Gov. Greg Abbott bars mandates for vaccinations and masks in Texas." The New York Times, July 31, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/154933?t=4&akid=303311%2E40999114%2EZx5swW
2. "Gov. Ducey signs HB 2770, Arizona businesses not required to enforce mask mandate," KOLD News 13, April 9, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/154931?t=6&akid=303311%2E40999114%2EZx5swW
3. "It's time to Contest Every Race." Contest Every Race, accessed August 3, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150396?t=8&akid=303311%2E40999114%2EZx5swW
4. "QAnon's new 'plan'? Run for school board," NBC News, July 7, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/154932?t=10&akid=303311%2E40999114%2EZx5swW
5. Ibid.
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