NC Democrats made history! Here’s how.

This spring, North Carolina Democrats announced we have a candidate running in every single legislative district for this year’s midterm elections.

That means every North Carolina voter from the mountains to the coast will have a Democrat on their ballot in November.

That is historic.

This has never happened before and it’s proof that the energy and enthusiasm that has been building across our state and our country is about more than words — it’s about action.

In the past year, we’ve seen more people getting involved in politics than ever before. Some are donating, volunteering, or calling their legislators for the first time. Some are attending precinct meetings and starting local chapters of grassroots organizations. And some are taking the fight straight to Raleigh by running for office.

This year’s slate of diverse, quality candidates are more representative of North Carolina than any other group before them. They are teachers, doctors, veterans, attorneys, and public officials. Of the full slate, 77 are women — half of our House candidates and a third of our Senate candidates — and 71 are people of color. Some grew up in North Carolina and others moved here in search of quality public schools and job opportunities, only to watch as the Republican General Assembly moved our state backwards.

Every single one of them is ready to fight for the issues that matter most to their communities and to all North Carolinians.

WHY IT MATTERS

Our 170-district strategy grew out of a simple concept: you can’t win an election that you don’t compete in. The successes in Virginia, Alabama, and in legislative elections across the south have made that abundantly clear. A blue wave is sweeping the nation and we have to be there to catch it.

But our strategy goes beyond that. Whether you live in urban, suburban, or rural North Carolina, you deserve to have a say in who represents you. Too often, races in our state go uncontested leaving some voters out of the decision-making process entirely. And it’s these uncompetitive races that have left us with a Republican-led General Assembly that’s more concerned with rigging the system for their partisan political gain than working for what’s best for the people of North Carolina.

In this year’s election — for the first time ever — every North Carolina voter will have the opportunity to make their voice heard.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The hard work is just beginning.

For the next nine months, North Carolina Democrats have to be more organized and energized than ever before. We have more calls to make, more doors to knock, and more money to raise. We’re reaching out to every corner of our state through our Rural NC Listening Tour and we’re hitting the pavement earlier than ever with a new year-round organizing program.

We can’t do it without you. You can join the movement by:

· volunteering

· donating

· supporting your local candidates

· sharing this article

· talking to your friends and family about why this year’s election matters

· and, most importantly, voting

We’re going to need all hands on deck this year, because it’s not enough to just make history in February. We need to do it again in November.

Wayne Goodwin
Chair, NC Democratic Party