Editor,

Just for a moment, imagine that it’s Nov. 9th, 2022, one day after the mid-term elections which will happen in less than nine months.

So how did things turn out for Democratic senatorial candidates in eight “battleground states” yesterday: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida and New Hampshire? And what about control of the U.S. House of Representatives which was decided by results from toss-up congressional elections in California, Colorado, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, New Mexico, Virginia and Maine? Bottom line: Which party’s elected representatives do you trust to control the legislative branches of our federal government?

In these elections fewer than ten swing states will decide which party controls Congress in 2022. Washington state is not one of them. So you may ask how it’s possible for Whidbey Islanders to extend their reach and make a positive impact in competitive elections beyond Island County? How can we identify those electable Democratic candidates in other parts of the country who need and deserve our support? And most importantly, how can we engage with their geographically distant campaigns and help them to win?

To answer these questions we reached out to Swing Left, an organization focused on protecting Democratic majorities in Congress and strengthening our democracy by winning key federal races and gaining majorities in state contests. Since 2018 Swing Left has been targeting the most flippable races in the nation, toward ensuring the progressive change needed to create a more equitable government and society. Swing Left’s top issues are: Protecting Our Democracy, Voting Rights, COVID Safety and Trusting Science, Access to Health Care, Women’s Reproductive Rights and the Climate Crisis.

To learn more, please visit our website at https://swingleft.org/group/whidbey-swing-left.

Steve Burr

Whidbey Swing Left Coordinator

Clinton

(C: 425-339-0101)