Hey Swing Left,

Three months ago, a gunman burst into a municipal building in Virginia Beach, killing twelve city employees and wounding several others. It was, sadly, one of several mass shootings that would happen this summer.

But in Virginia, there was hope that something might happen on gun control. State lawmakers—from both sides of the aisle—had filed 30 bills related to gun safety, and the General Assembly called a special session in July to address the issue.

We watched and waited for Virginia’s state government to do something. But the Republican leadership refused to vote on any of the bills. They adjourned the session after just 90 minutes.

This is just one of many issues—from reproductive rights to climate change to criminal justice reform—where Republicans are abdicating leadership and doing active harm to Virginians. That's why we’re supporting 20 candidates running to flip Virginia’s General Assembly blue this November. Donate now to the Flip Virginia Fund, and our strategy team will make sure your dollars go directly to the races that need it most.

Another reason we’re working in Virginia: It’s flippable. It’s the only state in the country where control of the state legislature is in play this year. We need to flip just two seats in each chamber to gain the Democratic majority.

And flipping these seats will have long-term, national consequences. In Virginia (and indeed across the country) Republicans have engaged in unfair practices, like racial gerrymandering, to rig district maps and gain outsized control. The Democratic nominees we’re supporting have committed to drawing fair maps in the 2021 redistricting process—reversing the advantage held by Republicans for the last decade. In Virginia and elsewhere, flipping state houses this year and next is a critical part of transforming our government.

When Republicans don’t fight fair, we have to fight smart. That means identifying and supporting the most strategic, flippable races with both volunteer time and money.

And with Labor Day (the unofficial moment when campaigns kick into hyper-drive) almost here, there’s no better time to donate. Our 20 candidates need resources now to hire organizers, talk to voters, and make it to the finish line. If you want to secure an early and important win, donate to the flip Virginia this November. 100% will go straight to our Democratic nominees to keep their campaigns going strong through Election Day.

Thank you,

Catherine Vaughan
Chief Strategy Officer
Swing Left