Where To Give Now | February 2025
I am sure by now we have all seen the amazing video of Maine Gov. Janet Mills standing up to President Trump. This was the first time in many weeks I felt an inkling of hope. The Trump Administration’s slow coup has been awful in its own right but our elected “leaders” have left me dispirited (with Gov. Mills, Sens. Chris Murphy, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren and the evergreen AOC among notable exceptions). I even went on the record with The New York Times to express my displeasure and that of nearly every person I have spoken with since January 20 -- whether a donor or a fellow school bus stop Mom -- over the business as usual response.
Democrats are in the minority in both the House and the Senate. But they can still DO SOMETHING to demonstrate that this moment is unprecedented, unlawful, and unacceptable. Too many leaders are relying on litigation and Trump’s likely implosion to save us. That is an insufficient response, to say the least. I have heard, “Oh, not everything is a five-alarm fire” and “We have to pick our battles and not respond to everything” or that “Democrats should roll over and play dead.” NO. That is WRONG.
This is the exact attitude that got us here in the first place. We have no idea what is going to break through and resonate; that much is clear from the 2024 election. John Boring Senator doing a stand-up video from the Senate floor about a procedural vote might go viral or might hit a nerve with a segment of voters we need to convince to our side. The courts will not save us. Yes, there were wins in Trump 1.0 and yes, there have been (perhaps temporary) wins thus far. But the very real possibility that Trump will ignore judicial rulings looms over everything, every day.
We also saw Trump’s self-inflicted wounds hurt his approval rating in 1.0. Sure, he will say outlandish, unlawful things all the time. Voters, by and large, do not care. It is up to us to demonstrate how these statements and the policy implications will impact their daily lives. That doesn’t magically happen. And it sure doesn’t happen through press avails in the Senate Swamp or MSNBC hits. We need to go where voters are and communicate in real, plain language what is happening and what is at stake.
Democrats need to try everything. The House does have limited power and they should not yield a single vote on anything (including a potential government shutdown). Republicans control the government; they need to own the consequences. The Senate has a much greater ability to slow things down; Republicans don’t hesitate to use this power when they are in the minority. Democratic Senators should be delaying every vote and every nominee. Both chambers should hold shadow hearings and field hearings to highlight the real stories from everyday Americans and actual subject-matter experts on issues across the board. This is not about a litmus test on specific issues or progressive vs. moderate ideologies; this is about standing up for the values we collectively hold, as Democrats and Americans.
With that, I am not encouraging donations to federal candidates or party committees at this time. I want to see Democrats stand up and fight for our country before they can count on our money.
There are, however, urgent needs both electorally and in response to the Trump Administration.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Hopefully you have heard about the critical state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin on April 1. Progressive Susan Crawford is running against conservative Brad Schimel. Crawford is currently a judge on the Dane County (Madison) Circuit Court. She previously worked for the state attorney general’s office and as legal counsel to former Gov. James Doyle. Schimel is a judge on the Waukesha County Circuit Court and was the state’s attorney general from 2015 to 2019 under Scott Walker. He also worked on the MAGA/Trump fake electors scheme, and supports reinstating Wisconsin’s 1849 law criminalizing abortions. He can be counted on to do everything in his power to ensure that rules protecting voting and an accurate count of votes are weakened for the 2026 and 2028 elections.
After progressives secured a majority with the election of Janet Protasiewicz in April 2023, the new pro-democracy majority struck down the gerrymandered state legislative districts. Democrats then gained 14 state legislative seats in 2024, creating the potential to win chamber control in 2026. Now one of the judges who make up the pro-democracy majority is retiring, putting control of the Supreme Court up for grabs again. Numerous issues hinge on the outcome, including whether the court reinstates the 1849 law criminalizing abortion. But winning this race could also result in Democrats being able to win two additional US House seats, half the seats needed to win control of the House in 2026, with additional decisions on federal redistricting.
This is also our first chance to demonstrate our electoral power in Trump 2.0. If Schimel wins, the national narrative will be dismal -- Democrats (still) in disarray, not resisting like in 2017, and the like. We need to harness this opportunity to win and win big.
Please join me on March 5th at 7:00pm ET for the LET'S DO SOMETHING - WI Supreme Court Event in support of Susan Crawford’s campaign. We will be joined by Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and Denise Feriozzi of the Pipeline Initiative who will discuss what is at stake in Wisconsin and Rep. Rosa DeLauro to discuss the national implications for this race.
Elon Musk recently committed $3 million dollars to help conservatives win in Wisconsin; our people power can match that and more. The most impactful dollars are to Susan Crawford directly as well as WisDems, the state Democratic Party, which can take unlimited non-federal donations and regrant to the Crawford campaign. If you must be undisclosed, A Better Wisconsin Together is the best c4 vehicle. If you have any questions about this race or where to give, please reach out to Lara Henderson at lara@pathtovictory.co. The max to Crawford is $20,000.
North Carolina Supreme Court
The North Carolina State Supreme Court race is still in dispute. As you may know, progressive Allison Riggs won the election against conservative Jefferson Griffin by a mere 734 votes. Republicans are attempting to throw out over 65,000 ballots in an effort to thwart the election. The current conservative majority on the Supreme Court are playing along and refusing to seat Justice Riggs.
There are cases in both state and federal court and we expect all appeals to take another 6-8 months. (To learn more about the pending legal cases, I recommend Democracy Docket.) Allison Riggs’ campaign and the North Carolina Democratic Party are closely coordinating and have a combined $1 million gap for litigation and targeted communications. The NCDP is run by the amazing Anderson Clayton, the youngest state party chair in the country. She is also trying to keep 20 regional organizers on staff as they gear up for one of the most competitive US Senate races in the country in 2026. The NCDP can accept $10,000 in federal and unlimited non-federal donations; there is also a legal defense fund and donations to it are not disclosed (although it is more limited in scope). For more information, please contact Jonathan Adams at jonathan@jadamsconsulting.net.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Three Democrats must be re-elected in judicial retention elections this fall with partisan control of the court on the line (the court is currently 5-2 in favor of Democrats). While retention elections are often not contested, we expect conservatives will spend heavily. We need to support Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht early to ensure their re-election and control of the court in this crucial state. There are no donation limits.
Groundbreaking Candidates
As you likely know, two states -- New Jersey and Virginia -- will hold gubernatorial and state legislative elections in 2025.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited. This will be a very competitive Democratic primary (on June 10) with numerous well-funded candidates including Rep. Mikie Sherill, former Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Mayor of Newark Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Montclair Mayor and former NJEA President Sean Spiller, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer. I am supporting Rep. Mikie Sherill. After graduating from the Naval Academy, Sherill served as a pilot and officer in the Navy. She is also an attorney who served in private practice and as an Assistant US Attorney. Sherill was elected to Congress in 2018, flipping a seat and defeating the powerful chair of the House Appropriations Committee. If elected, she would be the state’s first female Democratic Governor. The general election is also expected to be competitive although there are not yet any prominent Republican candidates. Of note, while Biden won New Jersey by 16 points in 2020, Harris won by only 5 points, the second highest shift Right in the country. Trump has expressed his desire to win the state and Elon Musk has said he will spend heavily to help Republicans. The maximum donation is $5,800.
In Virginia, former Congresswoman and CIA agent Abigail Spanberger has cleared the Democratic field. Recent polls show a very tight race, with Spanberger eking out a small advantage. Winsome Sears, the current Lt. Gov. and a Black woman, has declared on the Republican side; also-ran candidate Merle Rutledge has also declared and state Del. Dave LaRock may run. Although Sears has extreme positions on issues from abortion to gun rights, she is not seen as a MAGA candidate. She is also a former Marine and small business owner, with appeal to moderate and cross-over voters. I am also supporting Ghazala Hashmi for Lt. Gov. Hashmi is a state senator and former educator from the Richmond area; she faces two male opponents in the primary. If elected, Spanberger and Hashmi would become only the third all-female executive team in history. Changing dynamics and demographics may make winning in Virginia more challenging than past cycles, with large swaths of suburban women along with sizable Black, Latino, and AAPI communities. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin remains popular (and is a rumored future Senate or Presidential candidate) and Elon Musk is threatening to spend whatever it takes to advance MAGA Republican candidates. There are no donation limits.
In Colorado, state rep. Brianna Titone has announced her campaign for state Treasurer. Brianna applies her background as a geologist, web designer, and volunteer firefighter to her work in the state legislature. A tireless consumer advocate, she serves as vice chair of the House Finance committee, on the Appropriations committee, and Chair of the Joint Technology Committee. Titone led the fight for “right to repair” laws, AI regulation, price gouging protections, and expanding access to affordable housing. Titone is also Colorado’s first trans legislator and, if elected, would be the first openly transgender statewide executive-level official in the country. The maximum donation is just $725.
Give to any or all: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/wtgnfeb2025
Fighting Back
As frustrated as I am with (most of) our elected leaders, I am heartened by the response to the Trump Administration by many of our leading organizations. There are many, many organizations doing important work nationally and in the states. Below are some of the most critical groups (some are intentionally under the radar and/or are fiscally sponsored). If you would like to reach out to any of these organizations to make larger donations, please let me know.
Fight Back Table
Not Above the Law Coalition
The Hub Project
Next time, I will do a deep dive into 2026 gubernatorial races. What else do you want to know about? Let me know!
Stay sane and hang in there.