Hello Team,

2021 was a difficult year for Democrats here in Virginia. Despite the incredible achivements and policies that our Democratic majority delivered since 2019, we lost the House of Delegates and Governor's mansion to radical Republicans who lack government experience and cannot legislate. 

My team and I have been engaging our constituents, Democratic committees, candidates, organizations, and volunteers, trying to come to a collective understanding as to what exactly happened in 2021- and what we can do to guarantee victory in the future.

Too frequently, campaigns parachute into communities every election year, depending on the labor of local volunteers and then promptly disappearing post-election day, without establishing the structures and supports to sustain that organizing long-term. What has become abundantly clear to me is the need for consistent, year-round grassroots, relational, and community organizing that invests in local volunteers and makes them a part of the change they want to see in their county, Commonwealth, and country. 

My team is trying to do just that - working with our incredibly organized and effective volunteers and leaders to invest in a system that can outlast the cycles of individual campaigns, empower volunteers to have a long-term stake in the campaign process, and create lasting change from the ground-up. As you can imagine, the most pressing problem is funding the resources that will help create grassroots change in 2022, 2023, and beyond - so please donate today! 

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

As the month comes to an end, we are acutely aware that volunteer organizing is underfunded statewide. We need to make that a top priority going forward, and if we meet our monthly goal we will be in a much better spot to plan for those long term investments in the grassroots. Contribute what you can today to defend the progress we've made and fight for a Blue future in Virginia!

Always in your service,

Congressman Gerry Connolly
Virginia's 11th District