The Top 10 Strategies for Democrats to Win in Local Elections
How a special election victory in Alabama provides some important lessons for Democrats.
I don’t usually brag but I can’t help crowing about donating to Marilyn Land’s campaign. I played a role in her victory! Who is Marilyn Lands? She’s a counselor (go mental health professionals!) who just won a state house district in a red part of Alabama. She beat her Republican opponent by 25 points, a huge margin!
Ms. Lands heavily leaned into the message of women’s reproductive freedom (abortion and IVF). As has been true in races across the country, her campaign was buoyed by lots of women angry at the elimination of their reproductive rights. It’s almost as if women are figuring out that Republicans don’t care about us. Huh. Who knew?
It’s also important to note that this was the second campaign she’d run; her first was unsuccessful.
Why am I, a woman in Texas, discussing a special election in Alabama? Because Lands’ victory has strong implications for Democrats everywhere, particularly for those of us who care deeply about local politics. It’s especially true for Democrats in Texas who’ve been fighting an uphill battle for close to 30 years.
