Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced last week that she will not run for reelection. The Michigan Democrat has served for more than 20 years, and we wish her well in retirement.
This certainly complicates the U.S. Senate map for Democrats in 2024, when Republicans can easily take back the majority. Not only will Democrats defend twice as many seats as Republicans, but many of the seats we must keep in blue hands are in red or purple states.
In fact, all three Senate Democrats who represent states that Donald Trump carried in 2020 (Ohio, Montana, and West Virginia) are on the ballot in 2024. We also have to reelect incumbents in swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, as well as stop Sen. Krysten Sinema's seat in Arizona from flipping red.
Michigan should be the least of our problems in 2024, but having to keep an open seat in blue hands with no incumbency advantage is an added challenge.
The good news? We are up to that challenge.
Chip in $1 now to help ensure high Democratic turnout in 2024.
Daily Kos has identified six civic organizations in Michigan that are doing the hard work to mobilize front-line communities and get out the Democratic vote. Rather than asking you to donate to a politician or a Democratic committee, we are helping these grassroots organizations in Michigan who work all year long to engage communities.
Get-out-the-vote mobilization takes time, and to be effective, it also requires building trust in a community. So giving $1 to each of these groups in January 2023 will go a lot further than a $100 donation in October 2024 for a last-minute voter pitch to people's doorsteps.
Here is a little bit about these organizations that are doing the good work in Michigan:
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The Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition has organized against the Detroit water shutoffs, the Flint water crisis, air pollution, environmental racism, and more.
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We The People Action Fund builds long-term organizing infrastructure among Michigan's communities to hold politicians accountable.
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Michigan People's Campaign is a statewide organization of leaders working for economic and racial justice with members in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo.
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ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) is the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the United States, based in Dearborn, Michigan.
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Michigan Voices is a backbone organization that seeks to help build civic engagement capacity in progressive nonprofit groups that are led by and engage BIPOC people.
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Flint Rising is a coalition of grassroots, community organizations and allies working to ensure that directly impacted people are building the organizing infrastructure and leadership necessary for this long-haul fight for justice and creating the future that Flint families need and deserve.
Chip in $1 today to each of these excellent grassroots organizations in Michigan that work with communities that can make or break elections in 2024.
2022 was a great year for Democrats in Michigan. Voters reelected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and flipped both houses of the state legislature—and the Michigan state Senate had been Republican controlled since 1984! Michiganders also passed a ballot measure protecting abortion rights.
RELATED STORY: Michigan, my Michigan: We won it all, so what's next?
But none of this happened by accident. After all, Michigan is a battleground state that Donald Trump carried in 2016. The reason Democrats had such a good election in 2022 was thanks to a historically high voter turnout—made possible by hardworking grassroots organizations.
We need to prepare for 2024 now. Republicans could very easily take back the Senate. Making sure we have a strong ground game in Michigan now can help keep Debbie Stabenow's seat in blue hands, even as we shift focus to far more difficult states.
Donate $1 today to support these six grassroots organizations mobilizing the Michigan communities that can help Democrats keep the Senate in 2024.