At a time when Donald Trump is openly mocking the CDC chief for advocating for mask-wearing during a pandemic, ICE is facing allegations that it forcibly sterilized women it imprisoned in brutal conditions, and we’re facing the prospect of a right-wing Supreme Court that could put our basic rights at risk for a generation, things are looking as bleak as they ever have.

Fortunately, the election is here. It’s on. North Carolinians have been voting for weeks, and other early-vote states are beginning to make their choices. And our PAC has selected candidates who share our values in dozens of critically important Senate and House races that we know are winnable.

If elected, these Members of Congress, along with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, will tackle the seemingly limitless moral, social, and economic emergency Donald Trump and the GOP Senate have mired us in.

But cleaning up Donald Trump’s wreckage is just the start. These leaders will fight to make this a country where everybody counts and where our voices rise together to demand more of each other and of ourselves: more justice, more inclusion, more humanity.

These candidates will make the difference. Their values are clear. They’re deeply committed to an America where we are all truly safe and free. And they can win.

In just a few days, Jews will observe Yom Kippur, where we examine the gap between our values and our actions. This year I’m asking myself: Am I truly doing everything I can to alleviate suffering in this country? When the election is over, whatever the result, will I be able to look myself in the mirror and say that I did everything I could?

On the debate stage in Cleveland next Tuesday, the day after Yom Kippur, we know that Donald Trump will spout lies and disinformation to try to distract America from his failed leadership. He’ll use barely coded dog whistles to try to instill fear and pit us against our true allies in the fight for justice.

But he can’t fool us. And in states like North Carolina, and Minnesota, and Maine, voters have seen enough to know what they believe, and whom they support.

We can’t tell you who to vote for. But our PAC can show you which candidates support our values in critical races that will determine the balance of power next year.

5781 can indeed be a sweet year – if we make it so.