Those of us in red states have heard it all about the problems our states represent. Trust us, we know it — because we live here. Democrats working in red states every day recognize that their views can be unpopular in states that stream with Trump-lovers. For a while during the election, when I would leave my house, I had to drive by a neighbor with a nice six foot Donald Trump flag hanging on a pole in his yard. Dang, these red states!
Over the last few years as a community organizer at Daily Kos, I spent the first year traveling to many of these states and meetings, the second year and this year doing them virtually. It didn’t matter if the state was red or blue, you find exactly the same thing: people who believe in Democratic values who fight for it, every single day. Some who fight for it in bright red states just have to fight a little bit harder because they face an uphill climb. I just wanted to write a brief thank you to our red-state Democratic members who read, follow, and comment at Daily Kos.
This morning, I received a message from two friends in Western Kansas. Their candidates did not succeed in their races for the statehouse, but, they were taking their time to organize and send funds to Georgia. During the election of 2020, when they were finished working for their statehouse candidates, they had signed up to call, write letters, and pledged funds into Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and all over the country.
The election has been over for some time now, and yet, instead of licking wounds, this weekend, Democratic leaders from several red states held meetings about what they could do to support Georgia. Georgia stands out to so many of them as a symbol. A red state for so long, it flipped blue. Democrats who live in red states see it and say: I wish that could be us. When it isn’t, they say: what can I do to help them?
This is the journey of Democrats who live in red states. Some face battles that are, frankly, hopeless. I’ve been on the end of those calls, where the national party leadership and campaign committees tell them no resources are coming. Swing states receive a huge influx of capital. Bright blue states like California and New York can operate as ATMs, with pin numbers of 90210 and 10007, respectively. If you’re in a red state, though, you find the ability to gain access to any resources can be difficult. Your state party can’t give you a sign — you have to buy it, because they have to buy them. It is easy to lose faith because you struggle with communities that show no interest in even considering an alternative view.
So, what do red-state Democrats do? They donate to out of state candidates. They can win US House seats with effort. They deliver electoral votes — thank you Nebraska’s second district. They offer Democrats nationally a chance to see into the world of rural America, where the Democratic message isn’t popular.
I’m proud to be a Democrat in a red state. I wouldn’t change it. Every day I know in the statehouse, lobbyists for Koch Industries, and those who oppose my issues will be going in and out of offices. I know that Republicans will outnumber my viewpoint. Democrats in so many states know the same story. They continue to get their message out. To fight for it.
In North Carolina, cases for voting rights have been ongoing for years. While we did not win North Carolina, the reason it came back to be competitive is in large part due to the efforts at undoing so much voter suppression that has taken place over the years. In South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana, Democrats joined with Native American organizations to help provide the right to vote. The math was simple, and even if every single Native American voted Democratic, it would be unlikely to flip a state — but the effort mattered because it was just because it was the right thing to do. We are the party that believes in justice for justice's sake. Not justice based on zip codes or justice based on backgrounds and wealth.
If you are a Democrat living in a red state — don’t despair. we celebrate your effort, your determination. People cannot choose where they are born. You cannot determine your gender, race, or creed. All of those are under fire in statehouses under Republican control. You are there and you are fighting not just for yourself but for others who don’t have a voice. On top of that, so many of you took the time to put whatever extra effort you had to help states that could turn the presidential election.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You may not hear it often. You may taste a bitter defeat in your own home state. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed. So many people just need someone to wave a light to provide them hope in the face of darkness. Thank you, red-state Democrats, red-state Daily Kos readers, red-state volunteers, for everything you do.