First we rest, then we fight
It's been a long two and a half weeks since the election. I've been processing a lot of emotions in response to the outcome that we worked so hard to avoid. And I'm certain that the processing and the grieving are far from done. This may quite possibly be true for you, too. At the same time, I've worked to find moments of light amidst the worry and anxiety, and truthfully, I hadn't done that for some time. I'd been so focused on the election and the demands of my daily life, that I'd forgotten to step back and appreciate all the goodness that exists in my world despite the future occupant of the White House and the Speaker of the House. I've promised myself that moving forward, I will work harder to pull back - at times - and savor the good in my life regardless.
To that end, I'm sharing a photo of me and Ryan at last night's thank you dinner hosted by the President and Dr Biden at the White House. I have been remarkably lucky to work with a group of people who care so much and so deeply about our country. That love of country does not and will not end on January 20th. For my part, I have committed to taking a step back to consider what went wrong, to learn from those around me, to think strategically about what lies ahead, and to recommit myself to the ideals and values we hold dear. I am not foolish enough to think this will be easy. But it is the work.
I am grateful for you and for your commitment to our country, our values, and our democracy. I hope that like me, you will take some time over the coming week to surround yourself with the love of friends and family. I hope you'll eat too much food and maybe drink an extra glass of something tasty. I'll be spending a lot of time considering next steps and preparing myself for the weeks and months ahead. We have so much worth fighting for.
But first, we rest. And then, we fight.
In solidarity, always,
Shannon
Introduction
This was not the email that I expected to write. Riding the train to DC on Tuesday afternoon, I really thought we were going to win this election. I thought that our joyful warrior at the top of the ticket, our unprecedented ground game, and our historic fundraising would win the day. I've been aware for a while now that there is a large portion of the American psyche that I don't understand. Clearly, there's a lot more to unpack there than I previously thought. As we begin to grapple with the learnings from this election, I encourage us all to try and take it in with a growth mindset and a genuine desire to evolve in ways both strategic and constructive. It's a lot to process.
We are down, my friend, but do not count us out. I remember waking up after Trump's 2016 election in shock, and it took a while to find my bearings. Today, I woke up resolute. Resolved to make a difference in this country, in our democracy, and for our kids. It's the same 'why' that's gotten me up for years, but it feels different now. We've come so far, only to slip back. We have a lot of work to do moving forward, but I'm here for it.
For this reason, I'm calling my new newsletter 'The Resolution.' It's my hope that you will join me on this journey and that you'll bring along some friends (Forward To Friend). Take some time to process what's happened, but make the kind of resolution that lasts longer than what we tend to do on New Year's Day. Make a resolution to be in this for the long game. Because we need you now and we will need you moving forward. Like never before.
The single best thing that came out of 2017 was the group of like-minded warriors who committed themselves to fighting back, who demonstrated across the country in the Women's March, who came together and supported our candidates, and particularly those who left it all on the field to win back the House in 2018. That level of energy and commitment is what will be required moving forward. It will take all of us, again, to make progress toward a more perfect union. And some days will be really hard. But there is a gift in the community we build together.
My goal will be to use this newsletter to provide opportunities for engagement and encouragement moving forward. On that note, we have an urgent need in Nevada's Senate race. Senator Jacky Rosen is currently up in the count, but there are still ways where the race could tighten significantly with a fair amount of the rural vote still outstanding. The Rosen team is working with the DSCC to start a paid canvass program and other efforts to bolster the ballot cure program. It's going to cost around $1.1M and you can give up to $3,300 to their recount account to help fund the ballot chase and cure program. This is very important in order for us to hold this critical Senate seat. You can donate here and volunteer to help make calls or send texts here. Let's start by helping Jacky as much as we can in the next week and go from there.
In solidarity, always,
Shannon