Today is the first Tuesday in May, which means that we are SIX MONTHS AWAY from the first Tuesday in November, Election Day! On November 3, 2020, American voters will participate in one of the most important elections in the nation’s history.
At this point the Democratic Party has already decided that their candidate for this vital Presidential election will be Joe Biden. I have my reservations about Biden, in that I think he does not have the qualities to be a good President to address the many crises our nation is facing. But even more so, I’m terrified that his weakness leave him more vulnerable that other potential Democratic candidates to losing the election to Donald Trump! Nevertheless, the Democrats have made their decision, and they will now have to convince voters in America’s disaffected voters that it will be worth their effort to vote for Biden.
What I want to focus on today is the other elections that will take place on November 3rd. I often note that the election of Presidents is given inordinate attention while elections for Congress, state, and local officials are widely overlooked. These elected officials often hold the power that influences our daily lives but it gets very little attention at election time. Consider that Trump administration would not be able to cause nearly as much damage as they have had they not been supported by a Republican majority in the Senate (and in fact, Trump’s presidency may have been ended by now without them). Similarly, Barack Obama, who I believe tried to do the right thing most of the time, had his hands tied for most of the Presidency by Republican majorities in both house dead set on blocking his every effort.
With this in mind, I would like to get people enthusiastic about supporting Democratic (or progressive independent) candidates for Congress, state and local elections. Here is my challenge to you:
- find out who is running in your state for the Senate, House, Governor, and State Legislature.
- after researching the candidates, pledge to vote for the Democratic/progressive candidate you like most and help their campaign in any way you can (donations, telling your friends & family, sharing campaign information across social media, canvassing, volunteering at the polls, etc.)
- if there is no election for Senate and/or Governor in your state this year, chose at least one candidate from the lists below to “adopt” and support like they were your own
A good resource for learning about the candidates who are running and dates of primary elections is Ballotpedia. I’m also available to help with research if you want to leave me a comment.
Senatorial Elections
States where Republican incumbent is running for reelection:
NOTE: The incumbent Senators from these states all voted to acquit Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of congress in relation to the Ukraine scandal. All but one of these incumbent Senators (Lisa Murkowski of Alaska) voted to confirm the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh despite credible testimony of his committing sexual assault. These irresponsible, partisan-driven votes of the Republican incumbents (and many others) need to be front and center in the campaign against them.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Georgia (special election)
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- West Virginia
States where Republican incumbent is retiring:
- Kansas
- Tennessee
- Wyoming
States where Democratic incumbent is at risk of having seat flipped to Republican:
- Alabama
Gubernatorial Elections
States with Democratic incumbent running for reelection:
- Delaware
- North Carolina
- Washington
States with Republican incumbent running for reelection:
- Indiana
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Vermont
- West Virginia
State with no incumbent running:
- Montana (current Democratic governor is term-limited)
- Utah (current Republican governor is retiring)
UPDATED (5/6/2020): I saw this relevant information on Twitter regarding state legislatures. If you live in these states make sure to get involved!
We have six months to carry out a comprehensive, nationwide campaign to clear out the Republican deadweight and work toward creating a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”
Please share this post widely so as many people as possible can get involved.
Panorama of the Mountains 
Good information, thanks Liam!
LikeLike