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Hi John, Every one of us has a story about why we got inspired to fight for fair representation. For me, it goes back to organizing in my home state of Wisconsin — a place that’s been a key focus for the fair maps movement. So today, in the wake of Judge Susan Crawford’s recent victory in the Badger State, I’d like to spend some time reflecting on what we’ve been able to accomplish in Wisconsin, and what it means for our work. Let’s take it all the way back to 2011. Newly elected Republican Governor Scott Walker and his GOP allies jumped at the chance to manipulate the state's legislative maps with a horrifying gerrymander, guaranteeing them an unearned lock on power for a decade. To protest his power-grabbing agenda, I spent three weeks sleeping on the cold marble floor in the state capitol building with 100,000 other concerned citizens.
And I saw the damage that an unresponsive, unaccountable, gerrymandered legislature was able to do, from cutting funding for my public school district to refusing to expand Medicaid. But the people of Wisconsin kept fighting back. And when the National Democratic Redistricting Committee got off the ground in 2017, they jumped into the fight. The organization began building an organizing infrastructure that put a spotlight on just how badly Republicans were bending the rules — not just in Wisconsin but all across the country. In the 2018 governor’s race, the NDRC endorsed Tony Evers, who defeated Scott Walker. The NDRC invested year after year in winning a pro-democracy majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, culminating in helping to flip control of the court in 2023. As a result of those victories, in 2024 — for the first time since I became eligible to vote — Wisconsin’s state legislative maps were finally fair. Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the state senate and flipped seats in the state assembly, creating a path to win majorities in 2026. And earlier this month, Wisconsinites preserved the state supreme court’s pro-democracy majority by electing Judge Crawford, who won despite Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s best efforts. I got to go back to Wisconsin for the last few days before that election to help get out the vote, and I was thrilled to celebrate a victory for democracy with the whole team. When we knocked doors this month, through freezing rain and a bit of snow, I saw the same righteous anger I saw in the 2011 protests — except now, voters had a path to power.
These years of wins are a testament to years of organizing and activism by this entire movement. And they remind us that a more representative democracy is possible. As we look ahead to must-win elections in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia later this year, we’ll need grassroots support to keep up the momentum. And we know the far right will redouble their efforts in the wake of their loss in Wisconsin. The NDRC is able to keep up the fight for fair representation in the long term because supporters like you donate whatever and whenever you can. I’m asking you to make a donation of $30 or more now to help elect more Democracy Defenders and power our movement across the country. All the best, Jacob
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