There Are No Small Races
From the desk of Bibek, Senior Digital Strategist
As my younger brother’s teacher told him when he was cast as Villager #8 in his school’s 2nd grade Christmas play, there are no small parts. I really do believe that, especially when it comes to the work we do.
As NDTC enters our tenth year, we’ve been proud of the fact that we’ve trained more than 130,000 learners across the country and in just about every level of government. This week we are celebrating another milestone: We officially crossed the threshold of 3,000 candidates on primary ballots alone this year. That is a first! NDTC-trained candidates represent seats from school board races to statehouses. Because there are no small races when you’re building the bench or generational change, and we fight hard for all of them.
One of our 130,000 learners was Megan Tennimon who flipped a Sarasota school board seat this week, one of two wins that ended the conservative majority that had held the board since 2022. A third race heads to a runoff. Megan’s win is going to deliver a tangible difference to the members of her community. That would have never happened if she thought that the school board wasn’t worth her time.
💻UPCOMING LIVE TRAININGS
How to Canvass, Phone Bank, and Text Bank
(in partnership with ActBlue)
08.24
10 am PT
Planning a Vote by Mail Program
08.27
10 am PT
Explore upcoming events + trainings coming up this month.
NDTC Learner Spotlight
NDTC learner Jackson Sayama, 29, watched rising costs, scarce housing, and limited job opportunities push local families off Oahu, and he decided to step up. He started on his neighborhood board in 2020, ran outreach for unhoused communities, and won a seat in the State House. That path culminated this month in a primary win over Sen. Les Ihara Jr., the longest-serving member of the Hawaii Legislature at 39 years, for Senate District 10.
SUBSTACK
A Security Checklist Can Save Your Campaign in The Final Stretch
We just released a new slate of security courses built to help you get through Election Day, intact.
ICYMI
Campaign Security Course Package
Every campaign runs into bad information, and most of it spreads before anyone corrects it. This two-part package covers where false claims start, how to answer them online and in person (campaign rumors included), and how to tell a reliable fact-checking source from a shaky one. No background required, just a willingness to get sharper. Start with part one, then take Combating Disinformation for Democratic Campaigns once the basics click.
What’s On Our Newsfeeds
Why this story matters:
In a shocking turn of events, Trump’s opposition to voting by mail was revealed to be not driven by a principled stance but a reaction to anyone who didn’t support him. More at 11.
Why this story matters:
Yet another reason why Democrats should be running for every position including Secretaries of State: to make sure anti-democratic cheaters like the Missouri Secretary of State don’t silence the people’s voices.
Why this story matters:
The Mississippi GOP operates on the same logic as infants do: if you want to get away with something bad, just pretend no one can see you. Unfortunately for the Republicans, the people of Mississippi saw and called out their blatant attempts at gerrymandering.
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