Since the 2020 election cycle when we mobilized hundreds of activists to phone bank through our Democracy Dialers campaign (we made over 200,000 calls!), we’ve campaigned for the For The People Act, the fight for fair maps in Baltimore County, the Vote4More petition drive to effect structural change in local governance, and have launched a new series of voter engagement workshops in southwest Baltimore.
Our goals for 2022 are simple: 1. Win the Senate 2. Build our movement in Baltimore
Canvassing in South-Central PA
Although most prognosticators believe that Democrats are likely to lose control of the House of Representatives this November, the 50/50 Senate presents a different story, in part because the Senate races are statewide and therefore are not subject to gerrymandering, and in part because the Republicans appear poised to nominate extremist candidates in a number of those races.
Control of the Senate is likely to hang on what happens in Pennsylvania, the only state in the nation that has both an open gubernatorial contest and an open Senate seat. In Pennsylvania, recent polls show likely Democratic candidate John Fetterman leading likely Republican and Trump endorsed candidate Mehmet Oz 44% to 42%, within the margin of error. That provides a great opportunity for us to make a difference!
As in 2020, we will be using the “reverse coattails” strategy and working closely with our partners at Turn PA Blue to identify races in nearby South Central PA that are key to building a Democratic majority in the State legislature. By supporting compelling local candidates in these down ballot races we will get out the vote for PA’s Senate and governor’s races!
Electing a Democratic governor in Pennsylvania is an important goal in itself, as the governor provides a backstop against the extremist bills and Electoral College schemes of the Republican-controlled PA legislature. The governor appoints the state’s secretary of state, who will play a critical role in overseeing fair elections in 2022 and 2024 and certifying PA’s electors for the Electoral College in 2024.
We’ll also be working with the New Pennsylvania Project, an offshoot of the New Georgia Project led by Stacey Abrams, to register new voters in Pennsylvania. That way we can reverse the losses of 2020, when Republicans registered 202,396 new voters while the Democrats registered only 114,497, because Republicans went out door-to-door during the height of the pandemic, while Democrats waited until October, when Covid rates declined.
Read more about our candidates and partners
Building the movement in Baltimore County
Thanks to the continued mobilization of activists across Baltimore County, we now have a range of community organizers and activists who are running for offices up and down the ballot. Supporting these campaigns is critical to mobilizing voters at home and turning them into activists, thereby extending and strengthening our grassroots network not just for this cycle but for years to come! We’ll be devoting a day of action every month to supporting one or more of these excellent local candidates. Through our regular weekly canvasses, we’ll retain the ability to be nimble and responsive to those races that need us the most!
Allies for Democracy 