How We’ll March To Political Change
We’re 12 months into Trump’s presidency. We’re 9 months out from state elections that could make or break our democracy.
It’s time to launch our 2018 plan — and create the government we need.
At Flippable, we plan to build good government from the ground up by flipping 100 state seats blue in 2018. We’ll target states with the worst records on gerrymandering and voter suppression — because those states have the biggest impact on our national elections. By supporting inspiring Democrats in strategic districts, we can flip the script on the GOP — and give the people a real voice in their government.
Last year, our community fueled historic wins in Florida, Delaware, and Virginia. 2017 was our test run, so we’ve been spending the last several months getting feedback from our community and gleaning as many lessons as possible.
From our candidates, we learned that early money is most effective, because it lets them hire great teams who can usher them to victory. From our volunteers and subscribers — you — we learned that simplicity is everything. In this dizzying world of political news, it’s overwhelming to sift through endless information. You told us that you want clarity, simplicity, and the chance to have a real impact.
We’ve taken these learnings to heart and incorporated them into our plan for 2018. Today, we invite you to get involved — so we can flip seats, win states, and restore our country’s democracy.
How we’ll build the blue wave
There are 6,000 state elections this November, and hundreds of other special elections throughout 2018. It’s our job to sort through all those elections and figure out which are the most winnable and high-impact.
It’s our job, in short, to make meaningful progressive activism easy and approachable for you.
That’s why we’re introducing the Flippable Fund: the smart, streamlined way to power the blue wave in America. Now, with a single click, you can support all 100 Flippable candidates running for office in 2018.
Here’s how it works:
- You subscribe to the Flippable Fund. Grassroots donations go a long way in state elections, so your monthly contribution could make the difference in a key race.
- We give money directly to Flippable candidates as they launch their campaigns. By getting in early, you can make sure that candidates start strong and finish even stronger.
- We keep you involved. Once you’ve joined the Flippable Fund as a recurring donor, we won’t pester you with endless donation asks. Instead, we’ll plug you in to volunteer opportunities, illuminating content, & political progress reports.
November may be 9 months away — but election season starts now. We can give Democrats the best chances of winning if we start supporting them right away. Early money allows candidates to hire staff, run professional campaigns, and form strong ties to their communities. Your early contribution could tip the balance in a crucial election.
By powering the Flippable Fund, you’ll be getting behind diverse, inspiring candidates who will make our country fairer. Read on for more specifics about the plan for 2018 — and join us this year to flip the script in our country.
How do we choose our focus states?
This year, we’re aiming to flip 100 seats blue across the country. We’ll choose elections based on flippability and impact, prioritizing states where we can:
- Tip the balance. We’ll target states where winning just a few seats can flip a whole state chamber.
- Change the game. We’ll tackle states with the worst records on voting rights — so we can make our national elections fairer.
- Turn the tide. We’ll break veto-proof majorities in red states and start gaining Democratic footholds.
- Defend our progress. We’ll protect the work we’ve done in our thriving blue states.
Texas is a great example of a “turn the tide” state. By flipping seats blue in the Texas state legislature, we can start undoing the unfair redistricting that’s given the GOP 2 unearned seats in Congress — and we can fight against racist and partisan voter suppression.
With its population of 25 million, Texas stands to benefit from progressive change on a vast scale. As of 2014, 96% of Texas counties had no clinics providing safe abortion services, and restrictive laws make it hard for millions of women to exercise their reproductive rights. 4.5 million people fall into the healthcare “coverage gap,” thanks in large part to Texas’s refusal to extend Medicaid coverage.
You may think of Texas as pure red — but it’s a lot bluer than you think. The state has voted increasingly Democratic in presidential elections: 38% of Texas voters chose a Democrat in 2000, whereas 43% did in 2016. 11 Texas House districts voted for Hillary in 2016, but are still represented by Republicans. Those districts are ripe for flipping.
Pennsylvania is a state where we can change the game — and have a big national impact. Along with North Carolina, Pennsylvania has the most gerrymandered map in the country. Unfair redistricting has allowed the GOP to steal at least 3 unearned seats in Congress.
With its population of 13 million people, Pennsylvania could make a major contribution to fighting climate change. Currently, the state is one of 3 holdouts from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multi-state agreement to cut carbon emissions by 30% over a decade. With the national government under Republican control, it’s more important than ever for states to lead on clean energy and environmental policy.
Florida is another key “change the game” state. Florida has the highest disenfranchisement rate in the country — making this important swing state even likelier to swing red. Because the state bars anyone with a current or prior felony conviction from voting, 1.6 million Floridians cannot vote. That’s nearly 10% of the voting population. Unfair redistricting in Florida has allowed the GOP to nab 3 unearned seats in Congress.
Governor Rick Scott is term-limited, which gives us the opportunity to elect a Democrat to the governor’s mansion. There will also be competitive Senate and House races, giving Florida voters several reasons to go to the polls on November 6. Because the maximum individual donation to a Florida campaign is $1,000, a small contribution can go a long way. We can flip this pivotal state — and make big strides toward a fairer national democracy.
Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida are just the beginning. Over the next few months, we’ll be adding more states where we can tip the balance, change the game, turn the tide, or defend our progress. Stay tuned as we introduce our latest candidates and target states! (Sign up for the Flippable newsletter to receive updates.)
Who are we supporting?
We’ll be getting behind 100 excellent Democrats over the course of 2018. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce just one of those candidates: Ana-Maria Ramos, the Democratic candidate for Texas House District 102.
Ana-Maria is an attorney and community organizer who’s passionate about closing the “injustice gap” in Texas. The daughter of Mexican immigrants and one of seven siblings, she was raised in poverty by a single mom. She worked hard to transform her life’s challenges into opportunities: after becoming a teenage mom and dropping out of high school, she took the GED and put herself through college, eventually becoming an attorney and small business owner.
Now, Ana-Maria wants to help other Texans thrive. As a State Representative, she’ll fight to ensure that all people — including LGBTQ people, women, Muslims, immigrants, and people of color — are treated with fairness and dignity. She’ll work to strengthen public schools, fight back against climate change, and invest in families and children by expanding healthcare coverage.
Ana-Maria’s district voted for Hillary in 2016 by a margin of 9.6% — so we know this seat is flippable. This diverse community has one of the largest mosques in Dallas, and 40% of its residents speak a language other than English at home. It’s time to bring this district the progressive leadership it needs.
Join the Flippable Fund to support Ana-Maria Ramos — and 99 other inspiring candidates. Together, we can flip our country around!
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