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As Donald Trump’s inevitability as the GOP nominee grows, Contest Every Race announced today plans to mobilize 53,000 voters in non-urban areas of Presidential and Senate battleground states by running nearly 1,000 Democrats for local office. Leveraging the “reverse coattails” effect, compelling local candidates will generate local enthusiasm, expand the electorate, and increase neighbor-to-neighbor conversations which result in votes at the top of the ticket for President Biden from low propensity voters who currently feel disengaged and unseen by national Democrats.
Biden’s rural policies, including expanding broadband access, and investing in rural infrastructure and clean energy development to create jobs and reduce energy costs, are broadly popular among voters who learn about them. “The problem is one of megaphone, not message,” said Lauren Gepford, Director of Contest Every Race. “Local candidates can be that megaphone. When they talk about the difference President Biden’s policies make in their communities, they ultimately bring in voters who might otherwise feel unseen and unengaged.”
Details of this unique, $5M “local candidate for national vote” investment are as follows:
Each Contest Every Race candidate receives resources about running for office and leading effective campaigns. Contest Every Race’s candidates’ win rate has remained steady over the years - putting 290 MAGA extremists - including 9 officials on the Insurrectionist Index - out of a job. Equally as important, they will speak with hundreds of members of their community and generate additional Democratic votes at the top of the ticket.
“Biden faces tough odds in 2024, but we see local and rural organizing as a key strategy to his re-election. I feel confident we’ll be able to generate a meaningful number of votes to contribute to wins up and down the ballot in battleground states,” said Yoni Landau, Founder of Contest Every Race and Movement Labs. “When locally trusted and known community members throw their hat into the ring and campaign for a local elected office, it’s clear that they can reach rural voters who otherwise do not feel reflected by Democrats. We’re excited to be supporting thousands of local candidates and organizers to be effective messengers in their communities.”
At the county organizing level, Contest Every Race will recruit thousands of volunteers in 162 battleground state counties, where they’ll reach 5% of their voting population with neighbor-to-neighbor conversations to register, persuade, and mobilize low-information voters.
Since 2019, Contest Every Race has recruited over 7,000 Democrats to run in local races, which 38% of them have won. In addition, 320 local county teams have built the ground game to recruit these leaders and ensure they are competitive - they’ve already spoken with 350,000 rural voters at their doors and hosted thousands of community events.
Interviews available upon request with Lauren Gepford, Director of Contest Every Race, as well as dozens of first time candidates running for office in 2024. For more information and to schedule an interview contact Daniel Jubelirer, daniel@movementlabs.com, 919-619-5795.
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Contest Every Race, a project of Movement Labs, recruits Democrats to run in otherwise uncontested local races, and operates a national rural organizing support program to net votes for Democrats in the 2024 election.
