11 weeks in. Here’s where we stand.
Hey there, Swing Left.
These last 11 weeks since we launched have felt like a sprint. Now that we’re making real headway on our mission to win back the House, it seems like a great time to take a step back and update you on how far Swing Left has come, what we’ve learned, and where we’re heading next.
You’re part of a movement.
More than 300,000 of you have enlisted in this grassroots movement to take back the House. Volunteers have held nearly 700 house parties to bring local teams together and get started on the important work of listening to voters. A whopping 12,000 of you have attended one of those parties.
More importantly, that’s translating into real, meaningful action: over 200 voter contact events planned across the country. The most important thing any of us can do right now is talk with voters.
Check out your district calendars today to find an event near you.
Your photos from these events are a daily reminder that we’re building something powerful together. Our Swing Left accounts have been re-posting a lot of your pics and videos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Keep them coming! (And post using #swingleft.)
This movement is about to get even stronger.
When we asked if people would be willing to make a small donation to help build Swing Left, we were blown away by the response. In just a few days, we raised over $150,000 from 3,522 grassroots donations. If you’ve been meaning to and haven’t gotten the chance, make a donation here.
In the coming months, we’ll be bringing on our first paid staff. (Yep, we’ve been an all-volunteer organization so far.) Our first formal hires will be some kickass organizers who will support our members in taking meaningful actions.
In other news, we’ve received invaluable guidance and leadership from numerous political experts, including two incredible people who will be joining Swing Left’s advisory board: Judith McHale, who was President and CEO of Discovery Communications for nearly 20 years and who served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs under President Obama; and Andrew McLaughlin, a former Deputy CTO of the United States in the Obama White House who is a longtime champion of civic technology and a veteran of tech companies like Instapaper, Digg, Medium, Tumblr, and Google.
We could flip our first House seat this spring.
Early voting has already begun in a special election to replace Rep. Tom Price in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. (Price left to join the Trump administration and spearhead the efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.) The primary ends on April 18th, and a Democrat is currently near the top of the pack. (If no candidate gets 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff in June.) The odds look strong that we’ll get a chance to flip that seat.
That’s why Swing Left is planning a Get Out the Vote Day in Georgia’s 6th on Saturday, April 15th in partnership with the 6th District Task Force. If you’re interested in making a trip to be part of it, sign up here.
Our Research Team is… just wow.
In just a few weeks, a dedicated team of over 7,000 volunteers has compiled an impressive amount of research for each of our 53 Swing Districts — check out what they’ve built. From the basic demographic info and recent electoral history to helpful places to hold events, these resources — many with Spanish translations — give every local Swing Left team a huge leg up.
The team is still at it and could use your help. Right now, we’re tackling a second round of questions like: What local organizations and experts should we partner with? What political issues are most relevant in each district? What are Republican incumbents up to?
If you live too far from your local Swing District to visit regularly, this is an impactful way to stay involved!
We’ll continue to respect your inbox.
Early on, when we envisioned what Swing Left could be and how it would work, we all agreed on a few golden rules: We’d never give or sell your email address to a third party, and we’d send only informative, relevant emails, not too often.
We thought we could pack all the information into a single email every week. Now, with all the amazing opportunities volunteers are creating for others to connect and get involved, we realize there will be times it makes sense to contact you a little more frequently. Our plan is to continue to send you regular updates on what Swing Left is doing across the country as well as opportunities to get involved with your local Swing District teams. That means you’ll likely hear from us a little more as we get closer to Election Day 2018, but we will still be just as thoughtful and selective with the emails we send you.
With that goal in mind, we made it possible for you to control which Swing District teams you receive updates for: Manage your email preferences.
One last thing: Miriam, Josh, and I didn’t fully know what to expect when we created Swing Left. What’s happened since — thanks to you — is more inspiring than we could have imagined.
That’s why we think it’s important to keep everyone in the loop. As we try things out, learn, and adapt, we’ll be transparent about all of it — from our strategy to growth to how we’re spending resources.
Swing Left belongs to everyone who is doing the work to win back the House next year. And we’re just getting started.
Thanks, as always,
Ethan Todras-Whitehill
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Swing Left
