"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. "
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our August Primary - Defeat & Victory
To everyone who worked to register, educate, and turn out voters last week, thank you for your hours of hard work. To everyone who ran - winners & losers - we're grateful for your time, talent, long days knocking doors, and your determination to serve. Miserable as we are about some of our losses, we also have many strong candidates to celebrate - and lots of work to do between now and November 8.
A crucial fact about last week's primary is that Duval Republicans turned out in greater numbers than Democrats. If we want to win in November, this has to change. Though we lost some painful local races here in our relatively red slice of Duval, BAM members also supported & shared in the broader Duval victories like those of Angie Nixon and Tracie Davis, who will represent our area & our interests well in Tallahassee if they win in November.
Most importantly, we now have strong, viable candidates eager to challenge Marco Rubio & Ron DeSantis in November. So let's all take a few beats to relax, and recharge, then get ready to work together to power Democratic victories that will stun the pundits and put our democracy back on track - in Florida and across the country. We can do this!
Abortion Rights Are Powering the Polls!
From the surprising defeat in Kansas of a constitutional amendment to enable banning or further restricting abortion to astonishing voter registration spikes across the country, public reaction to Republicans' assault on women's rights is changing predictions about the upcoming Midterms. Since the Dobbs decision, new Democratic voter registrations are outpacing Republicans as much as 4 to 1 in several states. According to data analyst Tom Bonier of TargetSmart, most are women under the age of 25 who are angry and increasingly engaged.
Diametrically opposing positions on abortion rights will be a key factor in Florida's races for governor & US. Senate. If this is an issue that motivates you, consider these possible ways to get active:
Tuesday, 8/30 @ 8PM. Abortion in Florida: Ask the Experts Webinar Get the latest on abortion access in Florida from 4 practicing physicians and the CEO of a Jacksonville abortion clinic. Topics will include an overview of the Roe and Dobbs decisions, the current Florida reality, plus practical information and links to trusted resources to learn more or get more involved. Submit questions when you register here. And leave this gathering prepared to talk to neighbors and friends about the importance of upholding Florida's constitutional guarantee of women's right to privacy and choice.
Donate to Florida-based groups supporting pro-choice candidates like NE Florida NOW and Ruth's List.
Let's Show DeSantis His Time as Governor is Over!
Virtual North Florida Volunteer Kickoff Wednesday, August 31 @ 7 PM
It's time to make all your fantasies of a Florida NOT run by Ron DeSantis come true. Meet other supporters from across North Florida on this zoom call launching Crist's fall campaign. Register here.
Voter Registration - The Key to Winning
Right now there are more registered Republicans than Democrats in Florida. We have until October 11 to shift that balance. BAM is planning several voter registration efforts - both here at the Beaches, and at events like the Rivercity Pride Parade in early October.
If you've never registered voters before, or want a refresher course, save this date: Saturday, September 10 @ 1PM - DWIN Voter Registration Training Learn how to help at this in-person training session at the IBEW hall, 966 N Liberty. If you want to carpool from the Beaches, email us.
Our friends at DWIN (Democratic Women's Information Network) are partnering with Field Team 6 - a national voter registration organization, to reach out via postcard, text & phone to Duval, Clay & Nassau county's share of a target group of more than 1 million left-leaning unregistered Florida voters and encourage them to register before the October 11 deadline. If you want to help with this registration effort, please email us now and we'll keep you posted as those plans firm up.
Calling All Postcarders
BAM plans to support the DWIN voter registration effort described above with postcarding in late September. In addition, we are currently planning for our own Get-Out-the-Vote postcarding effort closer to the November election. Our formidable postcarding army has reached out to thousands of voters in past elections and we've seen the impact. We'll offer detailed volunteer information on both these efforts in future Alerts. If you want to join the BAM postcarding list and get first news of planned events, please email us today
Help the Feds Help Florida Schools
The Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education has published a proposed rule that clarifies Title IX’s protections of LGBTQ+ students, pursuant to Executive Order 14021, which President Biden issued last year. The president’s Order reversed actions by the Trump Administration to deny LGBTQ+ students the law’s protections.
As those rights & protections are under fire now in Florida, it's particularly important to support federal protections. The Department of Education is collecting public comment on the proposed rule through Monday, September 19. Unfortunately, they are currently being deluged with hate comments from bigots. Your comment can help reaffirm our nation’s support for freedom and opportunity for all.
Submit public comment on the Federal Register by clicking the green button here before Monday, September 19, 2022. Go here for talking points.
Save the Date! September 15 @ 6:30 PM BAM Meet the Candidates Night
Don't miss this chance to see old BAM friends, make new ones, and get to know our local political hopefuls. We'll be meeting in person at Adele Grage for a Q&A session with our 3 Atlantic Beach Mayoral Candidates: Curtis Ford, Sean Keane & Brittany Norris. To propose questions for the mayoral candidates, email us here. Candidates for Council & Commission seats in Neptune and Atlantic Beach will have tables & information on their campaigns. More details coming soon. For now, get this on your calendar & plan to bring friends!