Thread by @benwikler

On 4/8, Trump endorsed Ron Johnson for ‘22. Johnson’s response was to get even more extreme—with anti-vax & anti-mask conspiracy theories. We have to ramp up. Our April goal deadline is tonight & we still need 293 new monthly donors—can you be one of them?
wisdems.org/Donate-Defeat-…

Ron Johnson has pushed anti-science extremism for years. But he’s taking it even further now. On Friday, he went on a right-wing radio show to say he’s “getting highly suspicious” of the “big push to make sure everyone is vaccinated.”

https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1385377375588859907

Ron Johnson’s megaphone is big enough that it fell to Dr. Fauci to explain on TV that Ron Johnson is entirely wrong. Johnson asks “what is the point?”—and Fauci responds, “we’ve had 567,000 people who’ve died... That is a really, really good reason.”

Johnson didn’t stop with questioning vaccines. This week, he also went back to questioning the science of masks. And not just for vaccinated people. Seriously: the more Ron Johnson talks, the more coronavirus is likely to spread in this country.

https://twitter.com/TheWorstSenator/status/1386804252576727040

Why is Johnson doing this? Regardless of whether he believes it, think of it as a strategy: a strategy to scoop up extreme-right voters whom Johnson worries won’t turn out when Trump isn’t on the ballot. I discussed this on @MSNBC:

Not every Republican agrees with Johnson’s strategy—a Republican pollster said “inartful doesn’t begin to describe” Johnson’s racist comment about Black Lives Matter protesters. But it’s a calculated bet by the GOP that an all-base approach can win in ‘22.
madison.com/wsj/news/local…

Take Johnson seriously. And recognize that if we want him to stop spreading bile and dangerous junk science, we have to make his strategy backfire. Helping @WisDems ramp up *now* helps show him that his strategy makes him more likely to lose.

If you can join thousands of other committed folks by signing up as a monthly sustaining contributor to @WisDems, you can help us build our powerhouse year-round organizing operation *now.* Johnson thinks he got a boost from Trump. Chipping in now turns Trump into a liability.

So often, as Democrats, we make the mistake of thinking that once we’ve won the presidency, things will take care of themselves. That we can return to normal, non-political life in the off-year. But 1994 and 2010 should teach us otherwise. Moments of triumph are moments of peril.

That’s why @WisDems is building. To defeat Johnson, we’ve got to lay the organizing groundwork now, build multi-racial, multi-generational coalitions, and talk to voters in rural areas, suburbs, and cities. That takes a strong, sustaining small-dollar donor base. That takes you.

If you believe in communicating and defining Ron Johnson as early as we can, become a monthly @WisDems donor. Our in-house digital and comms team is using every avenue to tell the truth about Johnson and his dangerous lies.

If you believe in year-round organizing, and not just showing up a few months before an election, become a @WisDems monthly donor. Our hundreds of neighbor-to-neighbor teams are trusted messengers, talking to voters—and *listening!*—all throughout the year.

If you believe in protecting the right to vote in our tipping-point state—despite GOP gerrymandering & voter suppression tactics—become a @WisDems monthly donor. Our voter protection team is educating voters and fighting for free & fair elections ALL year—not when it’s too late.

All of this requires long-term investment. That’s why our monthly donors are critical. You help us plan, and ensure we have enough resources for the months ahead. And when news like Trump endorsing Johnson drops, we know we have a war chest and a team of supporters backing us up.

By midnight tonight, we need 293 new monthly donors. We know this is a big ask. But we need to ramp up and grow our monthly donor base… otherwise, we risk falling behind the Trump-Johnson fundraising machine.

You chipping in every month will help us defeat Johnson for good. When lots of people make small monthly contributions, it adds up. GOP billionaires are plotting ways to reelect Johnson. Let’s thwart them, together. Sign up to be a monthly donor today:
wisdems.org/Donate-Defeat-…