Thread by @DanielSquadron

HISTORY. MADE. For the first time since 1934, the party who holds the WH didn’t lose a *single* state leg chamber. AND we gained 2 new trifectas. I believe that the @StatesProjectUS historic investment made the difference. Here’s why.🧵 axios.com/2022/11/11/sta…

First, we had a clear vision – more dollars, data, and candidate door knocking could do the impossible in state legislative races that had been overlooked and underinvested in by the national party. Our toolkit had four major parts:

1. Help campaigns find great staff
2. Run TV ads that were unique to the races & fully tested
3. Focus on local press
4. Get candidates off the phones with donors to knock 👏 on 👏 doors👏.
It wasn't rocket science – but none of it had ever been done at scale for state leg.

In the Michigan legislature, we contributed 8 times more than the next largest giver–and ensured we were playing for chamber control not just to hold ground. In the House, others said the majority was a pipe dream, we insisted it was possible. And turns out, we were right.

In Minnesota, we were the largest funder and similarly, stopped the focus from shrinking to only defend the House, believing we could also flip the Senate. We refused to leave any opportunity on the table. And now? A new MN trifecta.

In the PA House, the national party didn't spend a dime, but we thought a flip was possible…by ‘24. We were all in, the #1 giver by far–spending 80 times the next largest group. All we asked of candidates? Knock doors. And they did! Now a flip is within 2 votes–not seats, votes!

In Arizona, we were the #1 contributor – spending nearly 30 times more than the next largest giver. We’ve held ground in a state we were laughed at for believing it was possible – and, right now, are 425 votes away from breaking the Rightwing Senate majority.

To be clear, no one knew what was going to happen. That’s why our philosophy was simple: state leg is too important, & the stakes for our democracy too high, to give up before the votes were even cast. Our side’s been doing that for too long. So we played defense too.

In Maine and Nevada, major targets for the rightwing, we brought our toolkit to defend all 4 chambers. Voters reelected candidates who have improved lives with policies like paid family leave, an insulin price cap and salary fairness.

In Colorado, another GOP target, we partnered with @DemRedistrict to help fill late funding gaps. In Wisconsin, we helped @WisDems down the stretch to prevent a new supermajority in the Assembly.

In North Carolina, we boosted @DiamondForNC who won the tipping point seat that defended against a supermajority by ~400 votes, even as the GOP gained a supermajority in the Senate.

.@adampritzker and I started @StatesProjectUS because we recognized 5 yrs ago that state legislatures were overlooked and underfunded, while the rightwing wasn’t making that mistake. We saw how that was directly harming Americans’ lives. And we refused to accept the status quo.

I’m proud to say that our team & incredible candidates & leaders around the country have proven we can win when we treat state legislatures like they matter – because they do. By doing the work, our TSP community has built power for lawmakers who will improve millions of lives.