The August primaries were revealing, bringing both disappointments and successes. Can we get past the slings and arrows that typically go airborne after tough races and contentious ballot initiatives? We must have a sober discussion about how to move forward if we want to save our struggling democracy and the rights and liberties that accompany it. We must protect our gains and expand our victories.
We can learn from the bitterly fought races between Cori Bush and Wesley Bell and between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, where corporate money gushed in. We can draw inspiration from the voter smackdown of Amendments 4 and 5 in Missouri. We saw a young Justin Pearson beat the odds by winning the Democratic nomination for a Tennessee congressional seat despite the GOP rigging the map in hopes of seizing all nine seats after the midterms.
With billionaires empowered by all three branches of government, true defenders of democracy must confront the reality that money will heavily influence our elections until we collectively say it will not. This means our ground game must be nearly flawless to offset the limited budget we’re working with. Campaign organizations must be disciplined, energetic and focused. We have to deal with widespread cheating, rigging, and stealing on top of lies and deception.
This playbook includes an ongoing voter education campaign that projects a vision of what our city, our state, and our country can look like. It means exposing the people, corporations and laws that are obstacles to an inclusive and just democracy that reinforces the human needs of its people. It means having a clear and concise message that motivates your people to act on that vision.
Some believe candidates or campaigns should not be talking about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) or defunding law enforcement. But these two don’t fit in a democratic vision. Candidates who accept AIPAC support should be pressed on whether that support affects their willingness to challenge the Israeli government’s agenda. That is no small matter for those of us who view Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and the destruction of Palestinian land and communities as indefensible. The Trump regime has poured billions of dollars into the control and containment of citizens, while drastically cutting back on critical social services and programs. The demand to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is consistent with a democratic agenda.
The August primaries affirmed that we could win even if it looks impossible. It showed us where we should fortify our campaign tactics. We must prioritize engaging a vigilant electorate as we roll into November. Trump and the MAGA monsters are putting into place unprecedented obstacles to our full participation in the voting process. Voters don’t like billionaires telling them who to vote for, where they can vote, when they can vote, or how to vote. So you know how we’ll respond if we cannot vote or the election is stolen.
Voting is one component of our democracy, but not the only one that needs serious protection under the current regime. Still, I believe the November elections can change the trajectory of this country. We who believe in freedom have our assignment. Now it’s time to soldier up for the battles ahead.