GOP leaders in red states aren’t afraid of our party, but they are terrified of these women
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Millions of disenfranchised minorities have been sitting out elections, and the Republican state legislatures have initiated an avalanche of voter suppression laws to keep it that way while our Democratic leadership has done nothing to respond. In fact, our lGOP leaders in red states aren’t afraid of our party, but they are terrified of these women
Millions of disenfranchised minorities have been sitting out elections, and the Republican state legislatures have initiated an avalanche of voter suppression laws to keep it that way while our Democratic leadership has done nothing to respond. In fact, our leaders are defending the filibuster and telling minority activists that they just need to “out-organize” the GOP in lieu of legislation. It’s not just insulting, it’s unrealistic: Republican candidates enjoy sophisticated operations targeting potential voters, while Democratic candidates in key states like Florida are forced to pay exorbitant costs just to access outdated voter data. The truth is that in most red states, the GOP isn’t afraid of the Democratic Party. Who they are afraid of are people like Stacey Abrams and LaTosha Brown. They are people who can’t be placated, compromised, or bought. Despite massive structural obstacles put in place to disenfranchise minority communities, they reached out, registered, and worked tirelessly to turn out ethnic minorities in lower-income communities throughout Georgia. Even worse for the GOP, they provided their playbook for others. Granted, they didn’t work alone, as other Black women stepped up to turn Georgia blue, including Nsé Ufot, Helen Butler, Deborah Scott, and Tamieka Atkins. The good news is that community leaders in other states are also stepping up. There’s a long and rich history of Black women’s groups fighting for full voting rights after white suffragist groups fell short or disbanded. That tradition continues as new leaders try to replicate the success in Georgia tailoring their approach to the unique challenges and unique communities in their states. As our national party flails in the face of Republican opposition to voting rights, our only hope lies with these leaders to save us from right-wing authoritarianism.Here are some efforts happening right now in North Carolina, Texas, and Florida. Read more
