Making Gains & Shiftin Margins (12/7/25)

Before we look ahead, we want to take a moment to celebrate the joy we created together this past week. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our holiday parties, whether in NYC, on Zoom, or at both. Your energy, humor, and generosity made these gatherings feel like a family reunion. And a huge thank-you to all who helped plan, coordinate, and bring these events to life. If you missed today’s Zoom celebration, here are some (more to come) of the links to view the fantastic videos and original songs:
Rachel L.'s Fantastic MFD 2025 Montage
Liz and Susan W's Original Holiday Song

As we wrap up the year, we’ve also been thinking about what it means to make progress even when the outcome isn’t what we hoped for. Many of us were disappointed that Aftyn Behn didn’t win her special election for Congress in Tennessee (CD-7). But she made up significant ground in a deeply gerrymandered red district, the kind of place where Democrats rarely come close. Her margin of improvement would be enough to win in many of the districts that will be on the map for us in 2026. That matters. Momentum matters.

And Aftyn’s momentum is already sparking more. On Election Night alone, 500 people signed up with Run for Something to run for office across the country because they were inspired by her campaign. One candidate’s courage can activate hundreds of future leaders. That’s how we grow the bench and the movement. It also brings to mind Jon Ossoff’s story. He first ran in 2017 in a tough special congressional election in Georgia and lost. Today, he’s the senior U.S. Senator from Georgia. Some of our biggest wins begin in the races we don’t win… yet.

And even in a week where we wish one result had gone differently, there is so much to celebrate. Akbar Ali, at just 21, will soon be the youngest member of Georgia’s General Assembly. We’ve hosted him twice on our Zoom. He worked hard to earn this win. This is the future we’re building toward.

So yes, we didn’t get Aftyn over the line. But we are making gains. We are shifting margins. We are inspiring new candidates. We are helping elect the next generation of leaders. This is the work. And it’s working.

As we head into the end of the year, I hope you take time to rest and recharge. Reminder that we will take our winter break from 12/22–1/4, and then we’ll be back at it full steam together, ready to build on everything we’ve gained and everything still ahead.