About
We have seen the country begin to walk the path of dictatorship—attacking the free press and stacking the judiciary. We must protect our democratic norms and block the worst of Trump’s agenda. That’s what Movement Lab’s first project, Rapid Resist does: find unique moments where activists in red areas can influence legislators and help amplify the voices on the ground. Now, we need to bring this massive wave of resistance activists into politics.
We have only just begun to bridge the divide between the activist and political left. Before 2016, activists and local progressive groups were disconnected from the political operatives and party. The energy has begun bubbling up into hundreds of local candidates around the country.
But we must do more. We must build a strong and wide bridge between the passion of the grassroots and electoral power, and build it around more than the merely partisan. When our activists and professional political class fight together we can have a country where an unexpected illness doesn’t throw a family onto the street, where no one needs to work three jobs to survive.
Contest Every Race is working to end GOP dominance in rural America by making sure that no Republican runs for office without a fight.
In states like Oklahoma, Democrats don’t run in up to 75% of local elections. The result is lower turnout, which means that congressional and statewide candidates get crushed – even when there are plenty of registered Democrats.
We need to stop letting the GOP run uncontested in rural areas. How? By recruiting hundreds of new candidates in deep-red parts of key swing states, and across in the reddest states too.
Our Vision
Cracks are showing in the GOP dominance in rural America. If we can build enough momentum at the grassroots level in traditionally red states, we can take back the Senate, state legislatures, and local governments.
Communities left out of economic progress will finally have a chance to experience economic security — a living wage, expanded Medicaid, and investment in our future.
Who We Are
Steering Committee
MoveOn: Nita Chaudhary
SEIU: Safanya Searcy
Run for Something: Ross Morales Rocketto
National Democratic Training Committee: Kelly Dietrich
Movement Cooperative: Kate Gage
Pipeline Initiative: Denise Feriozzi
Civitech: Jeremy Smith
Movement Labs: Yoni Landau
Advisory Board
Sara Schreiber – Executive Director, America Votes
JB Poersch – President, Senate Majority PAC
Keith Ellison – Minnesota Attorney General & Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association
Cliff Albright – Co-founder, Black Voters Matter
Lavora Barnes – Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Nancy Mills – Chair, Pennsylvania Democratic Party
Nikema Williams – Chair, Democratic Party of Georgia
Wayne Goodwin – Chair, Democratic Party of North Carolina
Andera Dew Steele – Emerge founder, donor advisor
Aaron Goldzimer – Donor advisor