FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2018
CONTACT: Elliot Levy, [email protected], 202-800-7409
New York – In response to the outcomes of the November 6, 2018 midterm elections, Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, released the following statement:
“We are breathing with a sense of relief for the first time in years. Last night’s election is a needed and hard-won victory for Americans who believe in justice, equality, and a thriving multiracial democracy. To win the House, voters overcame blatant voter suppression and extreme gerrymandering to elect a diverse slate of women, people of color, and LGBTQ candidates running on an agenda of inclusion, dignity, and democracy.
“For two years, we have lived under the tyranny of a president who lost the popular vote by three million votes, and a Republican Party that has fully embraced Trump’s central idea — that America exists only for one group of people at the subjugation of all others. They have championed white nationalist policies rooted in cruelty and in bigotry, in lies and in malice. Recent weeks have painfully revealed the horrific extent to which Trump and his party have made white nationalist ideology mainstream. Even after the worst antisemitic attack in American history, the President and his party continued to spread the exact same messages that motivated the shooter to murder innocent people in ads that were deemed too racist to air on television. In this election, we took an important step toward a future free of this worldview in our politics and government.
“Millions of Americans voted on the right side of history, and we will work tirelessly together in service to the vision of a multiracial democracy where all can live, love, and thrive. We celebrate an abundance of historic firsts: From the first openly gay governor of a state, to the first two Muslim women and first two Native American women in Congress, and the first Congress where over 100 women will serve as our representatives. We also celebrate the passage of Amendment 4 in Florida, which represents the largest expansion of voting rights since 1964, as well as ballot initiatives that protect Trans rights and expanded Medicaid.
“We are all indebted to everyone who rose up to resist the unique dangers of this president from day one. We honor the millions of Americans who have risen up time and again to defend America’s true values in our streets and in our airports when our elected officials failed to represent those values in the halls of power. We are grateful for the bold leadership of our allies: Immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, LGBTQ Americans, and all who led the way in courageous opposition to policies that threatened their freedom and their very lives. We are relieved by the millions of Americans who voted with their progressive values and aspirations, rather than their fears. And we are humbled by the incredible groundswell of grassroots volunteers across the country who powered this win, including over 1,000 Bend the Arc volunteers, who reached out to over 250,000 voters across the country to secure victory in the House.
“Last night is only the beginning. The difficult but crucial work of holding President Trump and his allies accountable for their behavior is now more important than ever, and the new Congress must seize the opportunity to serve as a sorely needed check on a radical, out-of-control administration. We call on the new Congress to turn away from the racism, white nationalism, and hatred that has defined our government under the Trump administration and chart a different course for our future rooted in justice, respect, and equality for all.”
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action’s “Interrupt Trump” campaign door-knocked, called and texted more than 250,000 voters in 51 key Congressional districts. Bend the Arc: Jewish Action PAC raised and spent more than $500,000 to support a diverse slate of progressive candidates and endorsed a total of 42 candidates at the federal and gubernatorial levels.