The stretch run for general elections is supposed to start after Labor Day. At least that’s the way it used to be. Activists countywide aren’t waiting for Septemeber this year. Instead, they’re canvassing, phone-banking, and organizing at a level I’ve never seen before. My first campaign volunteer work was for Senator Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential run, and while I’ve taken a year off now and then, suffice it to say I’ve seen a few elections. This one is special.
There are 17 events for progressive-leaning candidates (that I’m aware of) that are directly campaign-related in this week’s calendar. Best of all, there’s a healthy mix of bigger and lesser name candidates: Monica Montgomery (SD City Council D4), Dr. Akilah Weber (La Mesa City Council), Dr. Jen Campbell (SD City Council D2), Ammar Campa-Najjar (50th Congressional District), Consuelo Martinez (Escondido City Council D1), Tommy Hough (SD City Council D6), Nathan Fletcher (County Supervisor D4), Mike Levin (49th Congressional District), Alan Geraci (State Assembly 75th), Michelle Gomez (County Supervisor D5), Jeff Griffith (State Senate 38th), Tazheen Nizam (Vista City Council D4), and James Elia (State Assembly 71st). Do check out these candidates at the links embedded in their listings.
Lest we become solely focused on electoral politics, there are three activist events that jump out at me as especially important. The UNITE for Justice rally (Sunday, August 26) to protest the runaway train that is Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the National City Council Meeting (September 4) provides yet another opportunity to keep the pressure up over the death of Earl McNeil at the hands of police, and the September 8th Rise for Climate Action rally at the Civic Center (September 8) is a necessary reminder of the incredible damage the Trump administration is doing to the environment.
Let’s do this thing, folks! The persistence of our resistance is starting to pay off. [Read more…]