Americans have slept through the last thirty years living the good life and taking for granted the sacrifices and foundational work of those that came before us to establish our prosperous liberal democracy where, if not fair for everyone, at least the rule of law mostly presided and women had a growing share of power and economic success. No more. It is all under assault by the brainwashed aggrieved American men and Fox-programmed white women who elected Trump and Elon co-monarchs. This is now the land where accused rapist and world-class misogynist Andrew Tate is welcomed home from a Romanian prison as a conquering hero (actual reality - Meta execs hugged him) and he and Joe Rogan dispense hyper-masculine wisdom for living and "dealing with women" ("grab them by the throat...") to our young men.
Under this Republican regime, women are hemorrhaging political rights as fast as they are hemorrhaging blood waiting for emergency care in southern emergency rooms. If it takes a maelstrom to reawaken the sleeping, then why don't I see more women and progressive men rising from their suburban middle class slumber to run for these uncontested offices? To vote for women like Allie Phillips?
Perhaps they are not sleeping. Perhaps their hearts and souls are truly dead. What sad and evil times.
Well said. I agree that since "the people" haven't lived through the struggle, they take the gains made by the generations before us for granted.
I am an L&D nurse and one of many examples of this that is happening in my sphere is parents declining vaccines for their children. Measles was eradicated in the US thanks to immunizations and therefore herd immunity. Now we have mis/disinformation spreading the false claim that vaccines cause autism. The people deciding not to vaccinate their children have not seen people suffer and die from measles but they have seen autistic children and depending on the severity of the autism this is scary.
I treat my patients with respect and I respect their decision to decline. All of the education that I can provide in that moment as a healthcare professional is drowned out by 9 months of tik tok videos telling them information that is not true.
There is a great organization called Run for Something that is helping folks like Allie across the country. It is focused on younger candidates and might help defeat a defeatist Dem party power structure. It really is quite frustrating to belong to a party that eats its young and then seems befuddled when we don't win. Here is the website for Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
GO ALLIE! If she runs again I’ll donate $20/ a month to her.
There should never be a single uncontested seat in this country. She came within 2,000 votes of unseating an incumbent when she had no money and no Dem support. Imagine what a little help would have done!
I struggle with supporting Democrats. I helped elect a Democratic city council woman, sat in on planning meetings where the Dem consultants were saying all the same crap you mention in your article. She ignored it and won, and then went on to make really great, major changes - minimum wage increase, local labor support, etc. Dems hated her and backed someone else following election and she lost - tried for a state house seat and they primaried her, ran ads, she lost.
I appreciate you saying Dems have to have a lot of voices, both left and centrist - but that's where you lose me. I'm tired of trying the help a party that also has room for Manchin, Rahm, Carville. They don't share my values, and they actively try to kill what I think are good policies, to the point of siding with Republicans (Lieberman).
I've been thinking about starting a "Working People's Party" in my town, so we could express our difference from the Dems, but maybe caucus with them if we win - kind of like Bernie.
I don't like the idea of "purity" tests for office, at the same time it seems like Dems could use some quality control.
I'd be interested in your and your reader's thoughts
I agree 100 with what you're saying. 30 years ago, Dems insisted that everyone in the party support abortion rights and that moved the party. It's really messed up that dems are afraid to push for progressive causes for fear of alienating the Manchins of the party.
This is so good, Lyz—and Allie Phillips! My poor mother had to endure multiple interruptions to her Lord Peter Wimsey this morning while I read parts of this aloud to her, but I think she’d agree it was worth it.
Lucky to live in Illinois where women's rights are protected, at least today. I donated (a small amount) to Allie's campaign, if only to offer encouragement in what was most likely a losing campaign. Despite her uphill battle it's wonderful to hear about the amount of support she ultimately received. It's important to help candidates starting out. We need them desperately.
As a fellow Iowan - I love this. We have so many wonderful humans who run in deeply red areas. And I always donate to them. Bc they are such amazing people. Totally relatable with that Iowa special election we just had - the dem lost by 3 percent but she really gave it her all
My friend Rebecca Cooke just announced her candidacy for a congressional seat in rural Wisconsin. This is the third time she’ll be running, but just like Allie, she came very close to winning because she is different and does represent a good portion of the people there. Grew up on a dairy farm and is a waitress. Luckily she has Ben Wikler as her Dem party leader and he has done an incredible job with that state (and supporting candidates like Rebecca). There should be Bens in every Red state.
I'm glad to hear that people are already gearing up for Congressional races! We need people out there NOW, holding the town halls that our electeds are avoiding, pointing out the way to get better. Good for your friend!
the Democrats are, to me, a better choice than the republicans. And some democrats are quite good at channeling our anger and doing what they can (AOC, for instance.) But it's so disheartening to read about the party trying to stop this candidate from campaigning on her issue--the issue that started her in the race. Not to mention the fact that they basically abandoned Iowa; we're not first in the nation anymore for caucuses so we get nothing? Every time I get a text or email soliciation from the party or from some out-of-state candidate I want to shout, "Do you even know who ran in Iowa 01 in 2024? Where's OUR support?"
Yes to your project to travel and tell the stories that need the light, where good people are taking a risk and fighting for these opportunities, or conversely where there is a need to fight pigheaded don't rock the boat cowardice! Fully supported! Thanks
Phillips should strongly consider running again. The electorate will be materially different in 2026, and her race was close enough that that could be the difference.
I'm sorry party employees were discouraging to her. As she learned, and as Donald Trump demonstrated more clearly than anyone in a century, our political parties are largely irrelevant largely powerless structures made of chewing gum and chicken wire.* Much of this is by design -- the greatest strength of the post-1968 national Democratic party is its greatest weakness. There's also a certain Peter Principle at work here: party leadership is a pretty thankless job, and the people who do it have particular strengths and weaknesses. Wisconsin has been such an exception to this, but the turnaround there was the result of circumstances not everywhere present.
I frequently get drawn into discussions with 'we need to run everywhere' advocates. It's really hard work to run for office, especially in a geographically large district. You have to ask your friends to give you money for what looks like (and in many cases very likely is) a hopeless endeavor. Rather than use it for their families, or for issue advocacy organizations, etc. I have tremendous respect for the people who do take on the challenge of running in a red district, but it's no knock at all on the many many people who let that cup pass them by.
State Democratic parties don't create candidates. People themselves choose to spend the time energy and money on running. Ours here barely has enough money to provide marginal support to candidates that look like they have a real shot at winning. It has neither money nor time (the permanent staff is like 6 people) to support longshot candidacies.
We have a couple of marquee races here in Montana in 2026. I have no idea who will run, and little confidence that either Steve Daines or Ryan Zinke can be beaten by any imaginable candidate.
* Party machines in big cities and more populous states have more power over things like ballot placement, and certainly endorsements. Here, our party is *not allowed* to make endorsements in primaries -- this is not the case in a lot of places, and while it makes party bosses stronger, I'm not seeing that it makes parties stronger wrt the outside world.
W hat a brave and decisive young woman. I hope she runs again when able.
What a great story- we need more of this!
We need more of this everywhere--including (especially?) districts that are usually seen as "safe" for Dems.
Americans have slept through the last thirty years living the good life and taking for granted the sacrifices and foundational work of those that came before us to establish our prosperous liberal democracy where, if not fair for everyone, at least the rule of law mostly presided and women had a growing share of power and economic success. No more. It is all under assault by the brainwashed aggrieved American men and Fox-programmed white women who elected Trump and Elon co-monarchs. This is now the land where accused rapist and world-class misogynist Andrew Tate is welcomed home from a Romanian prison as a conquering hero (actual reality - Meta execs hugged him) and he and Joe Rogan dispense hyper-masculine wisdom for living and "dealing with women" ("grab them by the throat...") to our young men.
Under this Republican regime, women are hemorrhaging political rights as fast as they are hemorrhaging blood waiting for emergency care in southern emergency rooms. If it takes a maelstrom to reawaken the sleeping, then why don't I see more women and progressive men rising from their suburban middle class slumber to run for these uncontested offices? To vote for women like Allie Phillips?
Perhaps they are not sleeping. Perhaps their hearts and souls are truly dead. What sad and evil times.
yes, i keep asking myself where are the strong voices that we need to hear.
Well said. I agree that since "the people" haven't lived through the struggle, they take the gains made by the generations before us for granted.
I am an L&D nurse and one of many examples of this that is happening in my sphere is parents declining vaccines for their children. Measles was eradicated in the US thanks to immunizations and therefore herd immunity. Now we have mis/disinformation spreading the false claim that vaccines cause autism. The people deciding not to vaccinate their children have not seen people suffer and die from measles but they have seen autistic children and depending on the severity of the autism this is scary.
I treat my patients with respect and I respect their decision to decline. All of the education that I can provide in that moment as a healthcare professional is drowned out by 9 months of tik tok videos telling them information that is not true.
There is a great organization called Run for Something that is helping folks like Allie across the country. It is focused on younger candidates and might help defeat a defeatist Dem party power structure. It really is quite frustrating to belong to a party that eats its young and then seems befuddled when we don't win. Here is the website for Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
THANK YOU! I was just coming here to recommend them. They are fantastic.
SAME! Huge fan of Run for Something!!!
GO ALLIE! If she runs again I’ll donate $20/ a month to her.
There should never be a single uncontested seat in this country. She came within 2,000 votes of unseating an incumbent when she had no money and no Dem support. Imagine what a little help would have done!
Thank you, this is a wonderful/frustrating story.
I struggle with supporting Democrats. I helped elect a Democratic city council woman, sat in on planning meetings where the Dem consultants were saying all the same crap you mention in your article. She ignored it and won, and then went on to make really great, major changes - minimum wage increase, local labor support, etc. Dems hated her and backed someone else following election and she lost - tried for a state house seat and they primaried her, ran ads, she lost.
I appreciate you saying Dems have to have a lot of voices, both left and centrist - but that's where you lose me. I'm tired of trying the help a party that also has room for Manchin, Rahm, Carville. They don't share my values, and they actively try to kill what I think are good policies, to the point of siding with Republicans (Lieberman).
I've been thinking about starting a "Working People's Party" in my town, so we could express our difference from the Dems, but maybe caucus with them if we win - kind of like Bernie.
I don't like the idea of "purity" tests for office, at the same time it seems like Dems could use some quality control.
I'd be interested in your and your reader's thoughts
Have you checked out Working Families Party? https://workingfamilies.org/
Maybe there’s a chapter near you, or you could start one.
Yes, I mispoke - the Working Families Party gives me hope. No chapters here, but I bet there would be people interested.
Thanks
I agree 100 with what you're saying. 30 years ago, Dems insisted that everyone in the party support abortion rights and that moved the party. It's really messed up that dems are afraid to push for progressive causes for fear of alienating the Manchins of the party.
This is so good, Lyz—and Allie Phillips! My poor mother had to endure multiple interruptions to her Lord Peter Wimsey this morning while I read parts of this aloud to her, but I think she’d agree it was worth it.
And Lord Peter would approve too… The Nine Tailors has some good points to make on this topic :)
Lucky to live in Illinois where women's rights are protected, at least today. I donated (a small amount) to Allie's campaign, if only to offer encouragement in what was most likely a losing campaign. Despite her uphill battle it's wonderful to hear about the amount of support she ultimately received. It's important to help candidates starting out. We need them desperately.
As a fellow Iowan - I love this. We have so many wonderful humans who run in deeply red areas. And I always donate to them. Bc they are such amazing people. Totally relatable with that Iowa special election we just had - the dem lost by 3 percent but she really gave it her all
Great work as always, and awesome to highlight someone like Allie who is standing up and fighting the fight.
This column hit me hard. Democrats need to show up and step up. They need to see other good Democrats in positions of power. Especially right now.
My friend Rebecca Cooke just announced her candidacy for a congressional seat in rural Wisconsin. This is the third time she’ll be running, but just like Allie, she came very close to winning because she is different and does represent a good portion of the people there. Grew up on a dairy farm and is a waitress. Luckily she has Ben Wikler as her Dem party leader and he has done an incredible job with that state (and supporting candidates like Rebecca). There should be Bens in every Red state.
I'm glad to hear that people are already gearing up for Congressional races! We need people out there NOW, holding the town halls that our electeds are avoiding, pointing out the way to get better. Good for your friend!
the Democrats are, to me, a better choice than the republicans. And some democrats are quite good at channeling our anger and doing what they can (AOC, for instance.) But it's so disheartening to read about the party trying to stop this candidate from campaigning on her issue--the issue that started her in the race. Not to mention the fact that they basically abandoned Iowa; we're not first in the nation anymore for caucuses so we get nothing? Every time I get a text or email soliciation from the party or from some out-of-state candidate I want to shout, "Do you even know who ran in Iowa 01 in 2024? Where's OUR support?"
Yes to your project to travel and tell the stories that need the light, where good people are taking a risk and fighting for these opportunities, or conversely where there is a need to fight pigheaded don't rock the boat cowardice! Fully supported! Thanks
Phillips should strongly consider running again. The electorate will be materially different in 2026, and her race was close enough that that could be the difference.
I'm sorry party employees were discouraging to her. As she learned, and as Donald Trump demonstrated more clearly than anyone in a century, our political parties are largely irrelevant largely powerless structures made of chewing gum and chicken wire.* Much of this is by design -- the greatest strength of the post-1968 national Democratic party is its greatest weakness. There's also a certain Peter Principle at work here: party leadership is a pretty thankless job, and the people who do it have particular strengths and weaknesses. Wisconsin has been such an exception to this, but the turnaround there was the result of circumstances not everywhere present.
I frequently get drawn into discussions with 'we need to run everywhere' advocates. It's really hard work to run for office, especially in a geographically large district. You have to ask your friends to give you money for what looks like (and in many cases very likely is) a hopeless endeavor. Rather than use it for their families, or for issue advocacy organizations, etc. I have tremendous respect for the people who do take on the challenge of running in a red district, but it's no knock at all on the many many people who let that cup pass them by.
State Democratic parties don't create candidates. People themselves choose to spend the time energy and money on running. Ours here barely has enough money to provide marginal support to candidates that look like they have a real shot at winning. It has neither money nor time (the permanent staff is like 6 people) to support longshot candidacies.
We have a couple of marquee races here in Montana in 2026. I have no idea who will run, and little confidence that either Steve Daines or Ryan Zinke can be beaten by any imaginable candidate.
* Party machines in big cities and more populous states have more power over things like ballot placement, and certainly endorsements. Here, our party is *not allowed* to make endorsements in primaries -- this is not the case in a lot of places, and while it makes party bosses stronger, I'm not seeing that it makes parties stronger wrt the outside world.