Follow this newsletter to keep current on the events shaping our state and the work our party is doing to win in 2020 and beyond. |
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| Dear fellow Wisconsin Democrats,
Trump’s down in the polls. His response? Retweeting supporters yelling “white power!” and denouncing the phrase Black Lives Matter being painted outside of Trump Tower as a “symbol of hate.”
It’s what we’ve seen every single time from Trump: when he’s losing, he inflames racism to divide and distract us.
And we’re not going to let him do it. Because the stakes are too high. In the fight against anti-Black racism. And, in so many ways, for Americans of all races.
Coronavirus is exploding again, and the GOP leaders have not only wasted time they could’ve used to address it, they’ve actively undermined the response—from, as Trump has bragged about, slowing down testing, to suing to torpedo Governor Evers’s ability to direct health officials to issue emergency response measures here in Wisconsin.
Millions of Americans are out of work, and the premature reopening that Republicans have sought seems likely to slow and imperil the road to recovery.
And the profound crises that predated COVID, from systemic racism and police violence to the brutal wave of bankruptcies haunting Wisconsin’s small farms, underscore the grief-stricken cries for change.
Ignore the polls. Instead, redouble your work. This year, these next 123 days, all of us must do everything within our power to keep Trump away from a second term, deny Robin Vos his dreams of a GOP supermajority, and elect Democrats up and down the ticket. It’s our job to cut through the GOP’s noise machine and help voters leap over the barriers to the ballot that the GOP is rushing to impose. We can do this. But it will take all of us. From here on out, no matter what they do to divide us, our unity is our strength.
Ben |
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| FIGHT on the Issues & FIGHT to Win |
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| Coronavirus: Protecting Our Communities & Our Staff |
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| As the situation around coronavirus changes, we are thankful for Gov. Evers and Team Biden’s leadership in prioritizing the health and safety of Americans. Things are changing quickly, and in order to keep our communities safe, we are staying flexible.
DPW is committed to keeping all Wisconsinites safe as we make plans for our own staff. Accordingly, we, along with all national coordinated campaigns and the Biden for President team, are officially extending remote work and our office closures to August 1st. We will continue to monitor the local health situation closely and will re-evaluate and give another update by mid-July. During this time, we’ll continue our vital work virtually. Additionally, we know that masks and social distancing are effective, so going into this holiday weekend, we are strongly encouraging everyone to wear a mask, and wash your hands |
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| GOP Appointees suppress Wisconsin’s vote |
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| This week, Republican-appointed judges on the 7th Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled against voting rights in Wisconsin. The court waited 3 years to rule on this case, which rolls back early voting, expands residency restrictions, and limits the methods for delivering absentee ballots. This amounts to explicit voter suppression — the judges literally stated in their decision that “early voting is not a fundamental right,” just as coronavirus cases have started to rise again in Wisconsin. This act of right-wing judicial activism will disproportionately affect Black and Brown voters. We’re currently considering our legal options in this case, and no matter what, we’ll organize to help those affected cast their ballots in other ways—because democracy must continue, despite pandemics and right-wing judges and GOP suppression. |
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| On the bright side, this week the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided that they will not hold oral arguments for the voter purge case until September. By that point, GOP operative Dan Kelly will be replaced by Justice Jill Karofsky, who won her race against Kelly by a landslide in April. The timing of that hearing makes it unlikely that the Court will rule to purge the voter rolls before election day. We are remaining vigilant, and expect a lot more fights when it comes to preventing the GOP’s corrupt and anti-democratic measures, but this is certainly a reason for hope! Why did three conservatives on our state Supreme Court choose to rule this way? Maybe it was because they saw how voter suppression backfired in the spring election. |
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| Fundraising for the future |
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| With the FEC quarter deadline on Tuesday, DPW raised $100,000 this week on digital channels alone! This fundraising fuels the work we are going to do this November and beyond. These numbers are a tribute to the entire party’s hard work and to all of you for donating your time, energy, and resources toward building a brighter future in Wisconsin. We could not be more excited to get to work, and Republicans up and down the ballot should be scared of what we can accomplish as a united party. We are going to win the election this cycle–and create the change we want to see all across the state for years to come. |
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| Coronavirus and the 4th of July: Mask not optional! |
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| Unfortunately, this week we witnessed another uptick in cases of coronavirus even before heading into the 4th of July weekend. It is vitally important that we continue to follow the advice of experts, wear our masks, and practice safe social distancing measures. Republicans have worked hard to put Wisconsinites in danger by first attacking Gov. Evers’ power to protect our neighbors, and are now fighting local counties trying to implement their own protective measures. Their disregard for the safety of Wisconsinites and desire for chaos during this time has hurt and even killed people across the state.
We are thankful for Gov. Evers leadership in the face of senseless opposition and implore everyone to wear their masks this weekend and follow safety guidelines. As Vice President Joe Biden said this week, “Everyone needs to wear a mask in public. Period. It’s not just about you; it’s about your family; it’s about your neighbors; it’s about your colleagues; it’s about keeping other people safe.”
DPW has even made our own masks! Order one today to keep your friends and loved ones safe while supporting local Democrats this fall → use the code JULY for 15% off! |
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| Sen. Baldwin, DPW, and Team Biden Celebrate Pride Month |
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| On Tuesday, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Team Biden hosted a virtual celebration to bring Pride month to a close. DPW Executive Director Nellie Sires and DNC Secretary Jason Rae joined them to talk about the importance of voting this cycle, and how vital it is that we continue to fight for marginalized communities. The LGBTQ+ community has faced discrimination throughout our nation’s history, and President Trump and his administration’s actions are the face of bigotry and ignorance in this country when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. Sen. Baldwin, who is currently calling for federal funding to go toward HIV/AIDS in the next coronavirus relief package said, “There could not be a starker difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on issues of unifying this nation, empathy and absolute commitment to equality and equity.”
We also want to honor our LGBTQ+ state legislators this week including JoCasta Zamarripa, Mark Spreitzer, Tim Carpenter, Marisabel Cabrera and Greta Neubauer. These leaders inspire us every day with their bravery and commitment to justice in Wisconsin. |
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| 4th of July for Black lives |
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| This 4th of July, amidst protests that have awoken white America to the injustices constantly faced by Black Americans, we are called to ask what freedom should mean in America. In celebrating Juneteenth this year, DPW reflected on the fact that Independence Day in 1776 was a celebration of freedom only afforded to a select few, and we are still reckoning with that injustice in Wisconsin today. In his 1852 speech, Frederick Douglass said, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”
That hypocrisy still exists today. We live in a state that is one of the hardest places in the country for Black people to live, and that has deeply entrenched systems of racism. DPW is committed to dismantling those systems and living up to the values that our country has professed since its inception, but has never lived up to. As flags fly all across the state this 4th of July, let’s resolve anew to make good on the promise for freedom for everyone in this country, especially those that have been left behind since our nation’s founding. |
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| Huge wins on our Weekend of Action! |
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| Last week, for our Weekend of Action, members of hundreds of DPW neighborhood action teams and county parties completed thousands of volunteer shifts, making hundreds of thousands of phone calls to voters across the state! We are so thankful for everyone that volunteered, and are so excited about the enthusiasm we are seeing all across the state, especially among young voters. This is what will make the difference in November: |
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| Volunteer for the Voter Protection Team! |
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| We need your help to ensure that the election this November is safe, fair, and accessible to all Wisconsinites. Volunteer to help make that happen! We are looking for official poll workers, poll observers, phone bankers, and hotline volunteers. Please follow this link to fight for our very democracy: https://wisdems.org/voter-protection/ |
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