The Story of Tonight

“I may not live to see our glory, But I will gladly join the fight, And when our children tell our story, They'll tell the story of tonight...”

— Hamilton: An American Musical

If I have learned anything in my fairly short amount of time in the political sphere it's that it's hard. Whether you're the candidate, a staffer, or a volunteer, it is hard work—grueling at times and mostly thankless. And although I don't have much to compare it to, I think I can safely say that being a Progressive in the deep red South just might be the most challenging. We have long been written off, mocked, and/or ignored. We have been told there's no use in trying because the odds are stacked too high against us. And on the face of it, I can understand that argument. But if I may be frank...I call bull shit on that.

Have there been times where it has felt hopeless? Sure. More days than I can count. In Alabama during the 2018 election cycle, we ran many incredible candidates up and down the ballot—locally and statewide—that didn't win. I personally was fully invested in Amy Wasyluka's State Senate District 2 campaign as her Campaign Manager/Comms Director. We had the right candidate. We had the right platform. We had a great team. We had a genuine passion for what we were fighting for. We worked our asses off. And yet...we were still beaten by a 70-something flip-flopper with name recognition, tons of PAC money, little-no effort or platform, and a shiny new R next to his name. It's never fun to lose, but it hurts even more when you know you put in the work, were on the right side of the issues, and had the most qualified candidate for the job. (Also, if you're wondering if I will die salty about this...you bet your sweet bippy I will) As I said before, politics is hard and not for the faint of heart...especially if you're a Democrat in Alabama.

BUT...on the flip side of that, being a Democrat in Alabama inherently makes you special. Not only are you someone who adheres to Progressive values, but you are also someone who is willing to fight that good fight, again and again, even when it seems impossible because if not us, then who? And if not now, then when? We have to start somewhere. We have to be the catalysts for change to not only create a better future for our families and communities now but also to inspire and pass the torch to a new generation of Progressives and activists in our communities.

“Raise a glass to freedom, Something they can never take away, No matter what they tell you, Raise a glass to the four of us, Tomorrow there’ll be more of us, Telling the story of tonight...”

— Hamilton: An American Musical

So on that note, I want to acknowledge the many people I know who have put themselves out there to run for office in order to bring positive change to their communities, and I want to give even greater acknowledgment to the unsung heroes of these campaigns—staff and volunteers—who put in a tremendous amount of time and energy for little to no compensation. But we don’t do it for the money…we do it because our families and neighbors and communities are worth fighting for, to make them the best they can possibly be. We do it because sometimes the hard thing and the right thing are the same.

So win, lose, or draw, know that the work you’ve done—and hopefully continue to do—matters. Through your campaigns you have engaged those who had been disengaged, you have given hope back to those who had lost it, you have represented those who had felt underrepresented or unheard, and you have brought issues to light that had been ignored for far too long. THAT. MATTERS.

For those who have won their races, CONGRATS! I know you will represent us well!

For those who have advanced to a runoff or whose election is upcoming, KEEP PUSHING!

For those who may have fallen a little short, I hope you will give yourself due credit, allow yourself grace, and—after you’ve gotten a few decent nights of sleep—continue the work.

Because although it is not easy, it IS necessary…and so incredibly worth it. Every time we put ourselves out there, we move the needle...we chip away a little more...we add a few new cracks to the glass ceiling. Remember: victory isn't always measured by an out-right win, so take heart in knowing that you have made a difference. And I for one am proud of you and look forward to continuing the fight alongside you. So until then, let’s have another round tonight...

To All the Dems I Loved Before

“If by a ‘Liberal’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a ‘Liberal’, then I'm proud to say I'm a ‘Liberal’.”

— John F. Kennedy

Well...we somehow managed to make it to 2020. We have survived 29+ (serious?) declared Dem presidential candidates, 12 (interesting?) debates, and a whooole lotta social media posts (rants?) re: who our best bet is to win back the White House in November. And now Super Tuesday is upon us...

For some, determining who their #1 candidate is has been a journey. For others, they've been ride-or-dies since day one. Some have flip-flopped...some have made complete 180's...and (shockingly) some are still undecided. And though many see this as a problem—the fact that there's not one candidate that everyone wants to back—I get it. We all know that there is no such thing as a perfect candidate, but all of the candidates who have entered this race bring something different and meaningful to the table.

So to honor that (and to have a little fun), I thought I would create my own 2019-2020 Democratic Presidential Yearbook Superlative List:

• MOST LIKELY TO STAND UP TO THE NRA / MOST LIKELY TO PLAY THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT ON CBS' NEWEST PRIME TIME DRAMA: Rep. Eric Swalwell

• MOST GOOD VIBES / MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU GO "HUH?": Marianne Williamson

• MOST LIKELY TO STICK IT TO TED CRUZ / TINIEST MOUTH: Sen. Michael Bennet

• MOST BIPARTISAN / MOST SWOLE: Rep. John Delaney

• TALLEST / MOST LIKELY TO DEMONSTRATE HOW NOT TO EAT NY STYLE PIZZA: Mayor Bill de Blasio

• BEST CLIMATE CHANGE ADVOCATE / MOST LIKELY TO BE CAST AS CAPTAIN PLANET IN THE TV SHOW REBOOT: Gov. Jay Inslee

• MOST LIKELY TO WANT TO GRAB A BEER WITH / MOST UNFORTUNATE NAME: Gov. John Hickenlooper

• BEST LABOR & UNION SUPPORTER / MOST FORGETTABLE: Rep. Tim Ryan

• MOST LIKELY TO BRING U.S. TROOPS HOME / MOST LIKELY TO BE THE INSPIRATION OF A FUTURE DISNEY VILLAIN: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

• MOST IMPROVED POLICY STANCES / MOST LIKELY TO WIN AN ARM WRESTLING MATCH: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

• MOST LIKELY TO SUPPORT DREAMERS / MOST LIKELY TO PULL A "PARENT TRAP": Julián Castro

• ES MÁS PROBABLE QUE HABLE EN ESPAÑOL / BEST OLLIE: Rep. Beto O'Rourke

• BEST STYLE / MOST LIKELY TO MAKE A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE NOMINEE CRY: Sen. Kamala Harris

• MOST LIKABLE BILLIONAIRE / MOST LIKELY TO BACK THAT AZZ UP: Tom Steyer

• MOST PET-FRIENDLY / BEST DAD JOKES & SICK BURNS: Sen. Cory Booker

• BEST MATHLETE / MOST TECH SAVVY: Andrew Yang

• MOST HEALTH CONSCIOUS / MOST LIKELY TO MAKE ME SIGN AN NDA AFTER PUBLISHING THIS BLOG: Mayor Mike Bloomberg

• MOST LIKELY TO GET A BILL PASSED / BEST BANGS: Sen. Amy Klobuchar

• MOST (NON-POLITICALLY) ACCOMPLISHED / BEST ROBOT-DANCE MOVES: Mayor Pete Buttigieg

• BEST MODERATE / BEST SHOULDER MASSAGES: VP Joe Biden

• MOST CONSISTENT / BEST LARRY DAVID IMPRESSION: Sen. Bernie Sanders

• MOST LIKELY TO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT / MOST LIKELY TO MAKE A BILLIONAIRE CRY: Sen. Elizabeth Warren

In all seriousness, these candidates have dedicated their lives, sacrificed quite a bit, and opened themselves up to relentless scrutiny during this race all in an attempt to do what they could to push this country forward and make it better for us—for all of us. And regardless of whether you're a fan or not, that at the very least is to be admired and respected. I don't yet know who our nominee will be, but I do know that those still left in the race (and those we have lost along the way) all have the ability to realign our moral compass, inject a necessary level of empathy back into our humanity, and help shape a better and brighter future for everyone from the least of these to the marginalized to the middle-American.

I encourage you to vote for who you feel best represents you and your issues. Don't let polls or concerns of "electability" dictate your decision—people are only unelectable if you don't vote for them. But I do hope that regardless of the outcome of this primary, you will join me and #VoteBlueNoMatterWho on November 3rd. Don't give into the division, and don't lose sight of what really matters. The job of these candidates is to present their best case for why they should lead this country, and our job is to make sure one of them secures that position—and our job starts tomorrow. So let's get to work...

Oh, and for what it's worth...if you reeaally want to know who is MOST LIKELY TO WIN MY VOTE ON SUPER TUESDAY: it is absolutely and most definitely Senator Elizabeth Warren.