See below for a press release from Swing Left about how Virginia “will be the first test of campaign strategy and grassroots energy from Trump-resistance organizations working to maintain electoral momentum in the Biden era,” and the group’s campaign to protect the Democratic trifecta in Virginia in 2021.”
Swing Left announces campaign to protect the Democratic trifecta in Virginia in 2021 and reveals initial seven target races, including the group’s first gubernatorial race
Virginia, a bellwether state for the 2022 midterms and a national battleground, will be the first test of campaign strategy and grassroots energy from Trump-resistance organizations working to maintain electoral momentum in the Biden era
29 March, 2021 — Today, Swing Left, the national grassroots organization that fought back against the Trump presidency and helped Democrats win control of the White House and Senate in the 2020 elections, revealed its initial slate of target races in the 2021 Virginia state government elections as it officially commits to direct grassroots donations and volunteer capacity to protect the hardfought Democratic trifecta secured in 2019.
The Swing Left community will make an impact through online grassroots fundraising, donating through Blueprint to candidates and organizations engaging voters in Virginia, writing letters to voters in Virginia through Swing Left’s affiliate Vote Forward, and more. Swing Left’s new Keep Virginia Blue fund is raising critical early money for the Democratic nominees in each target race to support their campaigns during the transition period from the primary to defeating their GOP opponent in the general election.
Swing Left’s initial target competitive races include the race for Governor of Virginia and six key House of Delegates races (HD-27, HD-28, HD-66, HD-83, HD-84, HD-85). This marks the first time Swing Left will expand its strategy to support a gubernatorial candidate. The House of Delegates targets are clustered in the Virginia Beach and Richmond areas, and include three Democrat-held and three GOP-incumbent seats.
“From criminal justice reform to voting rights, Democrats promised change and they have delivered in Virginia. Swing Left is committed to protecting the progress we’ve made, doubling down on the work left to be done, and ensuring the Commonwealth stays under Democratic leadership in 2021 and beyond,” said Tori Taylor, the Executive Director of Swing Left.
The Swing Left community has been very active in Virginia since its founding in 2017. Swing Left supported several Congressional candidates in VA in 2018, and in 2019, Swing Left was one of the biggest overall drivers of grassroots volunteers and fundraising to 20 competitive Virginia state legislative races, helping Democrats win 14 seats. Swing Left’s grassroots community raised more than $863,000 directly to candidates, wrote more than 229,000 letters to voters in Virginia to increase turnout, knocked on more than 88,000 doors, and made more than 39,000 phone calls to speak with voters in Virginia. Thanks to the data-driven, down-ballot targeting strategy employed, 85% of Swing Left’s targeted races were decided by single digits; 89% of grassroots donations and 76% of letters written to voters went to races decided by single digits. This cycle, the goal is to produce similar precision and results.
Since 2019, Virginia has become the first southern state to abolish the death penalty and pass an LGBTQ nondiscrimination bill. The state government has also legalized recreational marijuana, repealed harmful abortion restrictions, implemented a red-flag gun control law, and expanded voter access.
In 2021, Virginia is competitive, but winnable for Democrats. Swing Left will support the Democratic nominees for each target race chosen by Virginians in the primary election process, and will continue to evaluate the field throughout the cycle to potentially add more targets as more information becomes available. Swing Left groups on the ground have been organizing in Virginia for several years and will be providing early support to Democratic candidates through grassroots dollars and volunteer capacity.
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About Swing Left
Swing Left is a national grassroots organization working to empower grassroots volunteers and donors from across the country to support Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in the most competitive races to shift the balance of power and protect our democracy.
Swing Left is proud to have been a part of the 2020 fight that helped elect President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris, and won the Senate for Democrats. During the 2020 cycle. Swing Left’s grassroots army of volunteers and donors raised $26.75 million for candidates and civic organizations, made 9.2 million phone calls, and wrote 21.5 million letters to voters with its affiliate Vote Forward and their partners.
Since launching in 2017 in the wake of the election of Donald Trump to take back the House, Swing Left grassroots volunteers and donors raised nearly $40 million for candidates and civic organizations, made 39 million combined phone calls, door knocks, and letters sent to voters through Swing Left and its affiliate Vote Forward.
Go to swingleft.org and find out how you can get involved today.
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