washington d.c. – In response to the current state of the midterm election results, leaders of progressive organizations released the following statements:
“It was supposed to be MAGA’s triumphant evening. It turned into a huge embarrassment. While we’re still awaiting final results, the big picture is clear: Democrats have overwhelmingly executed on the midterm fundamentals. Voters don’t like anti-abortion fanatics. Voters don’t like Holocaust deniers. Voters don’t like Trump. And voters don’t like MAGA. Trump lost more than 40 seats in his first half. Obama lost over 60. Clinton over 50. Local indivisibles and volunteers across the country prevented a MAGA wave and defied history in the process. The MAGA will continue their assault on our elections and our rights. But this halfway point, we have shown the world: we outnumber them. And we will win.
—Ezra Levin, Undivided
“The Democrats’ victories were fueled by organizers and voters – the people ignored by the relentless political reporting on horse racing. Our people are driven by their belief in democracy at its most fundamental level – not the abstract invocation of democracy as a concept, but the real, messy democracy that allows us to build a society where everyone can thrive. . They focus on empowering low-income people of color to truly build a multiracial democracy that works for everyone. Invest in the people and organizers who are building the future we deserve. Voters got a taste of the people-centric economic policies the Dems have offered over the past two years and reaffirmed that vision as the way forward. Voters will support you when you give them something to believe in.
– Lorella Praeli, Co-Chair of Community Change Action
“Last night, Democrats defied political gravity and won the most successful midterm election of a president’s first term in 20 years. Voters turned out in droves to support Democrats who passed bold policies to meet the needs of the American people and pledged to protect our reproductive health freedoms and our right to vote. There are still many races to be called and we need to make sure every vote is counted. But we are waking up to a country that has once again seen a broad and diverse coalition come together to reject the dangerous MAGA movement and its attacks on us and our nation. And it’s a big win.
– Rahna Epting, Executive Director of MoveOn Political Action
“Faced with a crisis, voters across the country chose reproductive freedom over fear wherever they had the power to decide last night. In Michigan, Kentucky, California and other states, voters backed campaign initiatives to protect the right to abortion and contraception or frustrated efforts to restrict reproductive freedom. And in key battleground states, Democrats committed to reproductive freedom have won huge victories. There are more results to come, but we should be proud of the work we have started and look to the future to ensure that we protect and grow our gains.
–Mini Timmaraju, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America
“The record turnout, including among women and women of color, sent a powerful and hopeful message that voters will show up to protect our rights and our democracy, and see voting as a way to make a real difference for our families and our future, to protect what matters to us and reject what will harm us. Domestic workers have mobilized in unprecedented numbers to vote for candidates who care about protecting the women, working families and carers who support us.
We must continue to count every vote. We believe in the power of the millions of people who made a plan, overcame voter suppression and showed up to vote. We know that issues of concern to women and women of color will continue to motivate voters and we are committed to continuing the work to advance on these issues and ensure a healthy democracy where all of our voices are heard.
– Jenn Stowe, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and senior advisor to Care in Action
“What we know for certain is that Care in Action’s strategy of building political power for women of color in the Sunbelt and Michigan is critical to winning and building power over the long term. Without women of color, the extremely thin margins we needed to seize key elections would be lost. Care in Action made more than 12 million voter contact attempts this year in seven states through door-to-door, telephone banking, text, direct mail to voter households and organizing life-changing community care events in areas too often left behind – all of which focused on Black, Latina, Indigenous and AAPI women. And for the United States Senate run-off in Georgia: while Georgia is mourning a tough election defeat by our forever leader Stacey Abrams this morning, Georgia organizers are poised to win a runoff to re-elect Senator Warnock. We have done it before and we will do it again. »
– Executive Director of Care in Action, Hillary Holley
“When abortion is on the ballot, we win. Proponents of abortion access and reproductive freedom are in the majority, and we have sent a clear message: politicians have no place in our personal medical decisions Voters want candidates who are bold fighters for their reproductive health and rights, and politicians who attack access to abortion or any of our freedoms represent a radical fringe movement – not the will of the people.
“This fight is far from over and it will take more than one election to undo the harm caused by the Supreme Court’s devastating decision that allowed state politicians to ban abortion. But policymakers have been warned: they must stay out of our doctors’ offices.
–Jenny Lawson, Vice President of Organizing and Engagement Campaigns, Family Planning Action Fund
“Working people and voters of color have come forward and made a difference by defying expectations in this midterm election, expressing their anger at companies that raise prices and keep wages low while making record profits, paying little or no taxes, and being union busters. Even though the final balance in the House and Senate remains too close to call, workers’ votes represent a collective demand that cannot be ignored: Elected leaders must act to hold corporations accountable, support workers fighting to win unions and protect our freedom to make our own choices about whether to have children. The results so far are a rejection of disgusting race-baiting ads that have played on public safety and immigration fears as voters turn out despite efforts to use race to divide us, voter suppression, gerrymandering and attacks on our democracy.
– Mary Kay Henry, International President, SEIU
“From the start, progressives refused to accept the inevitability of a ‘red wave’. We believe voters reward parties that fight for people’s material needs and basic rights. We are thrilled to send at least six WFP Champions to the next session of Congress to continue the fight for working people, whether it’s defending Social Security and Medicare, protecting the right to abortion or to stop climate change in its tracks. The lesson of 2022 is that when we deliver for workers, we can push back against right-wing authoritarianism and protect our democracy.
– Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party
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