So I woke up to winning the House, losing the Senate, taking several gubenatorial seats, record-high turnout, 1.4m people with their right to vote restored in Florida, and a WHOLE lot more women in political power than there were yesterday.
Guys, this is a good day.
It’s not a perfect day. The Senate seat losses are crushing and the disenfranchisment that allowed them (and have Stacey Abrams on tenterhooks instead of solidly winning, and and and) is enraging.
But today I have hope again. I’m angry and inspired instead of despairing.
There are races we’ve lost that are heartbreaking, and it’s fucking awful, but in most of them we knew the odds were against us. Beto winning against Cruz was a long shot, but he did _incredibly fucking well_.
In Alaska, Alyse Galvin has taken nearly 46% of the vote in a race against a man who has literally been in office my entire life. That’s huge and it sets her up AMAZINGLY for 2020, when Don freaking Young will be 87. (I’m incredibly dismayed by Begich’s loss, but I’m gonna put that aside right now.)
I want all us to sign up to @make5calls. Those of us stuck w/GOP reps: give them hell. Those w/Democratic reps, tell them to hold the fucking line. Don’t give those bastards an inch. Don’t reach across the aisle. Obstruct the living fuck out of Trump’s agenda. NOT. ONE. INCH.
We already know the GOP is going to cheat in 2020. The truth is we know SO MUCH of what we need to #BeReady for.
Electronic voting machines not working because they forgot the power cords? BRING POWER CORDS.
Machines just not working? Push, push, *push* for paper backups.
ID? Let’s get everybody a fucking passport if we have to.
Gerrymandered districts? We’ve just won back 8 gubenatorial seats. #BeReady to push to fix that shit in every state we can.
Voter intimidation? WHITE PEOPLE, SHOW THE FUCK UP. Just #BeReady to be there, being white and politely unrelenting.
There is a *lot* we can #BeReady for. Let’s *do* that.
We did a big thing yesterday. Today, hold on to that.
Today, be proud of yourselves & of those who have stood up against cheats and liars & gerrymandered districts & who have won, or nearly won, or, shit, *just shown up* when they were told it was impossible and not to bother.
Take today. Take tomorrow. Take a week or a month.
Be glad. Be sad. Be angry. Be joyful.
We’ve made a powerful statement today. We’ve got two more years to hone it, and in 2020 we’re going to take it and gut these motherfuckers.
Be ready.