🌊Red But Not Dead - Action Alert, November 9, 2026
"Election Day 2026 was the true celebration of our 250th anniversary."Â
2026 Midterms: State Inches Left, Duval Votes Blue!
What a night! We watched the blue wave build and build and build, sweeping midterm races all over the country: Georgia, Texas, Kansas, Ohio, South Carolina.  And then --- not Florida. The wave lapped at our shores, but fell frustratingly short. The state remained red, but by razor-thin margins, despite a 1.5 million GOP advantage in voter registrations, eye-popping Republican spending, partisan gerrymandering, and an enticing ballot measure promising big tax cuts. We have many reasons to be optimistic about 2028!
🌊Ten counties --- including Duval --- went blue in 2026, double the number in the last midterm election. Locally, DEMS cast more than 151,000 ballots, outvoting Republicans by nearly 3%.
🌊The GOP no longer enjoys a supermajority in the state legislature. DEMS flipped at least 16 seats, giving them the largest caucus since 1996. This makes it harder for Republicans to ramrod bills through the state legislature.
🌊Statewide races for Governor and U.S. Senate shifted blue --- winning margins for Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody were 1.3% and 2.9%, compared to margins of 12% and 9% for GOP candidates elected to these seats in 2022.
🌊DEMS turned out! Statewide, 68% of DEMS cast a ballot in the general election, a 16% jump in turnout over the last midterm. In comparison, GOP turnout was 62%, down nearly 4% from 2022.  Nearly half of NPAs/others voted in 2026, a 12% increase in turnout over 2022. Locally, 61% of DEMS cast a ballot in the midterms, compared to 59% of Republicans.
🌊DEMS voted early! Nearly 75% of DEMS in Florida voted by mail or early in the midterms. In Jax, DEMS led GOP voters by more than 27,000 votes at the close of early voting, a 19% increase in early voting turnout compared to 2022. Early voting was the focus of No Kings in October; local No Kings partners hosted get-out-the-vote activities at 15 of the 24 early voting sites in Duval.
🌊Duval voters gave the thumbs up to continuing the 1-mill school tax to supplement teacher salaries and support other school activities. 75% of voters supported the measure --- clearly, Duval still believes in quality public education.
🌊Mid-decade gerrymandering was a bust. DEMS won three of the four congressional districts that were redrawn by the Legislature to favor the GOP. The DEMS will maintain the eight seats they currently hold in Congress next year.
For more insights on the 2026 midterms,  join us on Thursday (November 12th) for the monthly BAM Meeting with special guest Jax City Council Member Jimmy Peluso, as we celebrate our victories and debrief on the election results and what they mean for 2027 and beyond! Members and friends are welcome. See below for the RSVP link.
Thanks to Candidates, Volunteers, Poll Workers,
and Voters!
Running for office as a progressive candidate is not for the faint of heart, particularly in this area where one party has an overwhelming advantage. Please take a minute to thank all of the candidates who fought the good fight but did not prevail in the midterms. They stepped up and worked hard to ensure voters had a choice and incumbents were held accountable. We are grateful to them and all of the volunteers who canvassed, phone-banked, sign-waved, sent postcards, and contributed to their campaigns. Special thanks to the poll workers, poll watchers, and election officials who ensured a smooth election, with few glitches. And last, and most important, thanks to YOU and every voter who turned out and voted! Our democracy depends on our participation --- you made a difference!
A Must Read:Â Give the Voters Some Damn Credit
It's Not Over Yet!
A recount is scheduled for today at 9 a.m. in the Atlantic Beach City Commission Seat 4 race, where only two votes separate Lisa Herrold and Jennifer Lagner. Never doubt that your vote counts.
Two days after defying all odds in a close loss to Ashley Moody, U.S. Senate candidate and former hometown legislator Angie Nixon announced the formation of the Never Scared PAC to raise funding for progressive causes. Her first target: implementation of Amendment 3, which threatens to hamstring local governments with funding cuts due to a loss in property tax revenue. Voters approved the measure in the midterm election. FL Governor Ron DeSantis announced plans to call a special legislative session to craft implementation language before the end of the year. Nixon's not done yet.
We were prepared, but so far there have been no election shenanigans from the Trump administration. The size of the blue wave makes it hard to challenge.  It's not over yet, however. Trump's appointment of Stephen Miller as his new chief of staff signals a combative close to the remainder of this term. We will remain vigilant and ready to respond during the certification process.
Help Our Neighbors During the Holidays
The Neptune Beach Coalition, BAM and other partners will be collecting gently used sweaters, jackets and blankets for the Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Annual Sweater Drive at the Saturday morning protest outside the Beaches Library during the month of November. Please check your closets and drop off your donation! We are there every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM) is once again soliciting groups and individuals to donate Thanksgiving baskets for families facing economic challenges and food insecurity at the Beach. BAM is participating and encourages you to do the same. Click here to donate a basket and share this link with anyone you know who is in need. Baskets will be collected November 16 -18, 8:30 –11 a.m. & 4 –5:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Father Murphy Hall, 628 1st Ave N.
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Have you recently seen, interacted with, been detained, or know someone impacted by ICE? Call the hotline. Alert local Legal Observers and connect detainees with assistance and resources. Email us to learn more about how you can help!
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