2024 Election Guide
The voice of progressives in
every town in America
every town in America
Fellow Wisconsin Democrats,
It’s a tale as old as kleptocracy: Trump ran a campaign of division and fake populism. Now, he’s appointing a cabinet of billionaires and gearing up to rip off everyone who can’t afford a Mar-a-Lago membership.
This is always the con. The far-right candidate campaigns on a message to working folks that they understand their economic pain, and some voters, desperate for change, believe them. The far-right candidate claims that the people to blame for that pain are some other group of people with even less power. The far-right candidate tries to make the election about that group, to divide and distract the country.
And then, once in office, that same far-right candidate pulls out the rug in order to enrich the people who’d been funding the campaign all along.
Here’s who Trump wants to put in power over your life and your country.
One thing they have in common? They don’t lose sleep over the cost of eggs.
Now they’re mapping out their plans. Under the guise of “efficiency,” they’re tossing around ideas like wiping out federal spending on veterans health care and opioid treatment.
This is a preview of the sweeping betrayal that working families across the country can expect from the Trump administration.
We can fight back, we must, and we will.
We can see in post-election polling and analysis that millions of people weren’t paying much attention to political news this year—but they were struggling economically after COVID relief programs fell away and prices remained high and simply voted for a change. Those who heard Harris’ message were more likely to move towards her. But there were a lot of people that message simply didn’t reach.
Those voters, who are skeptical of both parties and feel the system is rigged against them, placed their trust in Donald Trump because he promised to shake things up. His real plan is to shake them down, and they are about to be punched in the pocketbook by the very billionaire who promised to take their side.
Today, Trump’s allies are brainstorming programs to put on the chopping block that working folks rely on.
Next year, like clockwork, Trump will start ******* up prices and looting the treasury to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. That’s kleptocracy: rule by thieves.
As Democrats, our job is to fight for the many—working families across race and ethnicity, gender and generation, the Americans in rural areas and small towns and cities and suburbs alike, who want a roof over their heads and food on the table and the security to know that a surprise car repair won’t send them into a tailspin.
Fighting for an economy that works for working people communicates our most essential value: that every person deserves freedom, dignity, and a chance to lead a decent life.
Trump, and the Republican Senators who are preparing to confirm his cabinet of oligarchs, and the rogues’ gallery of enablers and extremists who surround them—they’re showing us who they are, and who they’re for.
By fighting back, we’ll both seek to contain the damage they inflict—and show who WE are and who WE are for.
If we do this right—if we walk the walk AND talk the talk in every place and every platform, if we reach those who don’t follow the news—then voters will notice.
We saw this in 2017, when the GOP tried to strip tens of millions of Americans of their health care and shovel trillions of dollars to big corporations and the ultra-rich. We fought back, and we won the House in 2018 and won a federal trifecta in 2020.
We saw this in 2005, when George W. Bush tried to privatize Social Security. We fought back then, too—and flipped the House in 2006. And then we won a federal trifecta in 2008.
Now, it’s 2024. They’re coming for the basic guarantees that bind us together, for the floor—as broken and uneven as it might be—that helps millions of people find some semblance of stable footing. And we’re going to fight back, and we’re going to win elections, and, though it will take years, we’re going to deliver change.
This work starts right now, in Wisconsin. Another far-right figure, Brad Schimel, is trying to grab the tie-breaking vote on the state Supreme Court. We’re already gearing up for a huge push this spring, to ensure that Judge Susan Crawford wins that seat instead.
In our state, we can see the extraordinary results of years of work unfolding in real time. This headline says it all: “Searching for a ray of hope? Look at Wisconsin. Stringing together small wins can lead to big progress.”
We know this election was hard. We’re horrified but not at all surprised by what Trump has planned for our country. But we know how to fight back—by communicating and organizing everywhere, all the time, fight by fight, from local contests to statewide judicial races to the big national legislative battles.
It doesn’t mean we’ll win every fight. But it’s only when we fight that we have the chance to win. That’s how we beat the kleptocrats’ con. And that’s exactly what we’ll do.
In solidarity,
Ben
FIGHT
WisDems Statement on Restoration of Collective Bargaining Rights
On Monday, a Wisconsin judge struck down more than 60 sections of Act 10, restoring collective bargaining rights for public sector employees in Wisconsin like teachers, conservation wardens, and municipal employees.
This ruling marks an important victory for working people in Wisconsin and affirms what’s long been clear—Scott Walker’s attack on public employees was not just a national disgrace, it was unconstitutional. With this decision, working families will once again have the right to organize—a right stripped away by Scott Walker’s ‘divide and conquer’ strategy that pitted working Wisconsinites against each other to the benefit of wealthy special interests.
ICYMI: WisDems Endorses Judge Susan Crawford for Wisconsin Supreme Court
Last month, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Administrative Committee voted to endorse Judge Susan Crawford for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Now more than ever, our democracy needs ardent defenders who will stand up for the rule of law and protect our constitutional rights from extreme special interests who seek to politicize our constitution and undermine our freedoms. Judge Susan Crawford has proven through a career of service to Wisconsin as an attorney, prosecutor, and Circuit Court Judge that she will always protect Wisconsinites’ core freedoms. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is proud to endorse Judge Susan Crawford’s campaign to continue her lifetime of service and commitment to our Constitution and the rule of law as our next Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has made significant progress in restoring the fairness and impartiality of the court that was lost under the previous far-right majority, striking down unconstitutional legislative maps, increasing access to the ballot box, and restoring balance in a previously unchecked legislature, but that progress is threatened this April. Extreme politician Brad Schimel is running for Supreme Court to apply his personal politics to the law and sell out Wisconsinites just as he did during his failed term as Attorney General—and Wisconsin deserves better. Judge Crawford shares our Wisconsin values. She has spent her career keeping our communities safe, enforcing our laws, and ensuring that everyone who steps foot in her courtroom receives a fair trial. Wisconsinites can trust that Judge Crawford will continue that work on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
INCLUDE & RESPECT
Join the WisDems Coalitions
Sign up to get involved with the WisDems Coalitions to build progressive power in our communities throughout Wisconsin! Once you sign up, you will be contacted by our Coalitions Team to talk about the ways you get involved with WisDems. Here, you can get involved in the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election, receive updates on Democratic campaigns, and learn about upcoming events and holidays. We need all hands on deck to help create the long-term changes we are all hoping to see. Join the movement now!
Native American Heritage Day
WisDems was proud to celebrate Native American Heritage Day on November 29. This month and every month, we’re honoring the work of individuals and groups in Native American communities that have been leaders and political activists for progress. And to celebrate, we’re highlighting the Menomini yoU W?qsecewan Language Campus, located on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin.
“Our language is the essence of who we are — it carries our stories, values, histories and our way of life,” said Menominee Tribal Chairwoman Gena Kakkak. The language center opened in August this year to revitalize the tribe’s language. Read more about the important initiative here.
EMPOWER
Social Media + Email Calendar
The Digital Empowerment team created a calendar of important (plus, fun) holidays and anniversaries to help you plan your social media and email content as we enter the new year. This calendar is meant to be a tool to help you think about what is important to update your audience about. Bookmark this link to review whenever you think about content creation or email drafting.
Become a Monthly Donor
The easiest way to help support our work across the state is by signing up to be a monthly donor for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. These funds directly allow us to hire and plan sustainably, work to elect Judge Susan Crawford to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and hold Donald Trump and Republicans accountable!