This past Monday, I attended the monthly meeting of the Henrico Democrats (Henrico is a mainly suburban county right outside of Richmond, VA). I’ve been a member, and sometimes an officer, for more than a decade. The meetings are open to the public, and the Chair usually asks visitors to introduce themselves. This time, an older couple stood up and said that they were Republicans and that they were there for one reason: to dump Trump. They got a rousing round of applause. They seemed both desperate and determined and were clearly seeking like-minded folks.
No one can remember Republicans ever attending one of our meetings, never mind for the purpose of attacking a sitting Republican president, but like so much else we’ve experienced in the last few years, this too is unprecedented. While we tend to think of all the things that Trump has done that no president before him has and that cause us continual outrage — the “unpresidented” things — let’s keep our courage and spirits up by noting all the signs of the backlash that’s to come: the unprecedented things, like the appearance of elderly suburban Republicans seeking solace at a meeting of Democrats.
The bellwether state of Virginia has elections every year. There are crucial
Being a bellwether: First, you have to be a castrated ram. Then you wear a bell so the shepherd knows where you and the flock are. Nothing to do with the weather.
elections coming up this November, with every seat in the state legislature and many county-level and local elections on the ballot.
In 2017, our massive — and unprecedented — turnout caused 15 seats in the state legislature to flip blue. Some had been in the Republicans’ grip for decades and had been considered unflippable. That 2017 Virginia blue wave was the distant thunder for Republicans and an energizing force for Democrats for the 2018 midterm tsunami, where we picked up Congressional seats no one thought we could.
And we are doing it again this year. Let’s note the following, all good signs for Democrats in this increasingly blue state:
- unprecedented jumps in voter turnout for post-presidential years since Trump was elected;
- an unprecedented increase in the number of registered voters since Trump was elected;
- an unprecedented number of Democrats running for state delegate seats;
Juanita Jo Matkins is among the record number of Democrats running for the Virginia state legislature. VA 7th for Progress is offering a 2-for-1 matching contribution in her support for a limited time. Contribute HERE.
- an unprecedented 81% of Virginia voters support the ERA, which Republicans killed in committee this year;
- an unprecedented number of Virginians support tighter gun control laws, while the Virginia GOP killed a special gun violence prevention session called for by the Governor, refusing to even debate the issue. Several older suburban Republicans I recently talked with expressed their disappointment to me over the failure of their party to consider a ban even on assault weapons.
90 for 90 is an organization started in 2015 in honor of the 90th birthday of Dr. Fergie Reid, Sr., the first African American to be elected to the Virginia legislature after Reconstruction. Dr. Reid remains active in Virginia politics and has been a staunch advocate of voter registration and of voting rights.
These are but a few of the unprecedented factors that can start us on our path to unpresidenting Trump — and Trumpism — in 2020. We need to rid the political landscape not only of him and his family, but of all that he has stood for.
Help Virginia Democrats begin the 2020 tsunami this November. You can find a list of Virginia’s 2019 Democratic candidates HERE at the 90 for 90 website. Find a candidate to your liking and if you can, donate.
Sheila Bynum-Coleman, Democratic candidate for Virginia House District 66.
But if you’d like to take immediate action, let me suggest four candidates to you:
1. Sheila Bynum-Coleman, running against the current House majority leader. The district is recently ungerrymandered, and Democrats now stand a fighting chance.
Contribute to Sheila Bynum-Coleman HERE.
2. Herb Jones, running against the current entrenched Senate majority leader. It’s an uphill battle, but Herb is a vet and ready for the fight.
Contribute to Herb Jones HERE.
Herb Jones, Democrat running to flip Virginia’s SD 3.
3. Ann Ridgeway, running against a far-right wing incumbent who failed to get on the ballot and who’s running as a write-in.
Ann Ridgeway, marching for environmental justice in Richmond, VA.
Contribute to Ann Ridgeway HERE.
4. Juanita Jo Matkins, running against a far-right wing opponent who’s become too extreme for suburban Republicans.
Double your impact! As mentioned above, VA 7th for Progress is offering a matching fund challenge is support of JJ Matkins.
Contribute HERE to take part in the matching fund for Juanita Jo Matkins.
