Thread by @etwhitehill

I’m seeing a lot of reports about the CA primary results as inevitable, or just a result of a lot of $$ spent.

They’re missing the bigger story.

The story of how the grassroots pulled together to drive ASTRONOMICAL Dem turnout in these at-risk Swing Districts.

THREAD (1/12)

Everyone talks about how divided Dems are. But we created a coalition of local @IndivisibleTeam groups, @RegistrBlue, @Civic_Sundays, @RealCodeBlue etc to work with our chapters like @Ca25Left, @SwingLeftSGV, @SwingLeftSoCo, @SwingLeftSF, @SouthBaySL and @SwingLeftCoCoCo. (2/12)

And we all worked together with @CA_Dem, the local Dem Party and the @dccc who provided infrastructure so we could run a candidate neutral GOTV campaign."

Yes, you heard me right. The #Resistance worked with the Democratic Party. And nobody’s lunch money got stolen. (3/12)

We got wonderful support. @jonfavs and @jonlovett came out to canvass, as did @handlebrody. (Yes, the star of “The OC” came to the OC.) @ZoeListerJones hosted a virtual phone bank. @ashleyn1cole and @FullFrontalSamB threw a block party in CA-39. (4/12)

What was the result?

Combined, our coalition reached out to nearly 150,000 VOTERS in the at-risk Swing Districts, almost half in person at the door.

The message was simple: if you want to vote for a Democrat in the fall, you better get out and vote for one now.

(5/12)

AND IT WORKED.

Dems made the ballot in CA-39, CA-49, CA-10, and CA-48, in some cases by 1000 votes or fewer.

Dem turnout in the at-risk OC districts was up 66% over 2014, while GOP turnout was down 8%.

THAT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN.

(6/12)

Also worth noting: @SwingLeft donors and fundraisers have pooled over $1M from tens of thousands of grassroots donations for CA Swing District nominees. We’ll be handing out a lot of big checks this month, like this one to @tjcoxcongress in CA-21.

(7/12)

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So what’s the point? Simply this:

We need to vote, yes. Everyone needs to vote. But in an election as important as 2018, VOTING ISN’T ENOUGH.

(8/12)

We need to volunteer.
We need to donate.
We need to organize.
We need to fundraise.

We need to do everything we possibly can to make the outcome of 2018 different than 2016.

Remember what 2016 felt like? Right. Want to feel that way again? Yeah, me neither.

(9/12)

Most of all, we need to do all this TOGETHER, the way we did in CA this past month. The way @SwingLeft teams and other groups have been doing all across the country since Trump was inaugurated.

We are large, we contain multitudes.

And when we work together, we win.

(10/12)

If you are inspired, as I am, by the work put in by the grassroots in CA this past month, then JOIN US.

Start by finding YOUR closest Swing District where your work will matter most.

Fun fact: 75% of Americans have one within 50 miles of them.
swingleft.org/join?source=20…

(11/12)

Because if we can join together to reach out to 150,000 voters just to make sure a Democrat is on the ballot in four districts in California, imagine what we can do when the stakes are even higher: TAKING BACK THE HOUSE.

(12/12)