Dear John,

Wow! Tuesday’s midterm elections were major. We used our voting power to take a stand on critical issues – abortion access, climate action, public safety, and more. Together, we defended our freedoms against right-wing extremist candidates attempting to divide us through fearmongering and lies. Read more about what the results mean for our communities on our blog.

To everyone who showed up this election season by being a voter and spreading the word about people-centered candidates: thank you. With so much at stake in tight races, every conversation, volunteer shift, and vote mattered. Special thanks to Movement Politics Deep Canvass leaders Claudia, Joey, and Charlie, and this year’s Movement Politics Fellows Yesenia, Conor, Kristen, Krista, Cristina, Marwah and Jaida – who helped us exceed our goal and have over 21,000 conversations with voters. Movement Politics Fellow Krista spoke with MPR’s Cathy Wurzer yesterday about her experience. Listen to the interview.

There is a lot to celebrate and learn from these elections. We’ve included several stories with highlights from Tuesday below, and we’d love to hear from you about the issues and candidates that you’re celebrating!

As we acknowledged in thousands of conversations with voters this cycle, we know that one election won’t save us. To win for our communities, we need ongoing organizing that builds our relationships and power. One way we do this is by coming together to take on big corporations like Amazon. We’re joining with workers to do just that on December 8th. Sign up to learn more and join us to organize beyond the ballot box.

Here's what we're reading, watching, and listening to this week:

1. Minnesota has a pro-choice trifecta

MinnPost details how the DFL pulled off a “miracle” – the first DFL-controlled House, Senate, and Governor’s office since 2014 – and outlines some of the issues the DFL should gear up to win.

2. An election of historic firsts

We’re celebrating lots of progressive candidate victories and firsts, including the first Black women ever elected to the Minnesota Senate, the first Hmong woman to serve as a County Commissioner in Minnesota, and LGBTQ+ and Gen Z candidates in Minnesota and across the country.

3. Justice over fear in Hennepin County

As our Hennepin County organizer Lindsay explains, Mary Moriarty won 91% of precincts in the race for Hennepin County Attorney. In her acceptance, Mary declared, “This is our time to forge a new path forward: one that keeps our communities safe while ending the cycles of mass incarceration that have deeply harmed communities of color and broken up too many families.” Read more about Mary in the Sahan Journal.

4. Justice over fear statewide

Keith Ellison defeated his police-union backed opponent Jim Schultz, whose campaign relentlessly tried to stoke fear and division – but failed. Read how Ellison’s vision and accomplishments defending workers and consumers prevailed. As Ellison wrote on the eve of the election, “We’re strongest when we stick together and help everyone do better. We know everybody counts, everybody matters. No exceptions.”

5. Gen Z

Gen Z voters turned out big on Tuesday with the second-highest voter turnout in decades. These voters were pivotal in battleground states. They are the most racially diverse voting bloc, and the only age group that overwhelmingly supported Democrats.

6. School boards

A remarkable 1,600 candidates ran for the 300+ school districts in Minnesota that had elections this year, and “most communities rallied to protect their students’ freedom to learn an honest history of America in a welcoming school,” Education Minnesota President Denise Specht shared with Minnesota Public Radio. (Special shout-out to TakeAction leaders Laura Gannon and Jessica Schwinn for running a powerful and courageous race in the Centennial School District!)

7. Paying for climate change

There’s no doubt the results of this election will be consequential for climate action in the United States. Globally, the COP27 United Nations Climate Change conference is currently taking place in Egypt. Read how a key debate is who will pay for climate action in The New York Times. In Minnesota, we’re gearing up to demand that Amazon pay its fair share of a just transition in Minnesota. Join us.

8. Native American sovereignty

The Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court case could have major consequences for tribes’ right to exist as political entities. Read more about how the case could impact tribal sovereignty in The Atlantic.

9. Post-election R&R

We’ll be celebrating and resting up this weekend after our work to get out the vote for these elections, and we hope you’ll be doing the same. Katie will be unapologetically enjoying season 5 of The Crown, which just came out! Jessica will be checking out a couple flicks at both the Sound Unseen and Twin Cities Jewish film festivals.

10. Big turtle energy

Did you see this huge snapper in Brainerd?!

And that’s a wrap!

Send us what you’re reading, watching, and listening to.

Until next time,

Katie Blanchard (she/her)
Basebuilding Director

Jessica Zimmerman (she/her)
Development Director