This week, in Virginia and across the country, we witnessed just how strong the feminist political movement is. Election Day was nothing short of a victory for the values and goals that we hold dear. The voters have rejected Trumpism and voted for healthcare, gun reform, and equality.
We saw feminist women, many running for office for the first time, win local races and state races across the country. We saw our political pipelines being flooded with feminist women who could soon become our next Senators, our next Governors, and even our next President.
The Feminist Majority focused on Virginia and fought hard for the feminist candidates for Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General who ran on a progressive platform championing reproductive rights, environmental justice and LGBT equality. And they won big.
We are thrilled that 9 of the feminist women the Feminist Majority endorsed and supported for the Virginia state house defeated their right-wing opponents. From Danica Roem, the first transgeder woman ever elected to a state legislature in the U.S., to Hala Ayala (founder of Prince William County NOW) and Elizabeth Guzman, the first Latinas ever elected to state house in Virginia, these feminist leaders are paving the way.
The 2017 Virginia election showed that when we encourage feminists to run against outdated, reactionary incumbents, even in red districts, we can win.
Before Tuesday, anti-reproductive rights Republicans held a two-thirds majority in the 100 person Virginia state house. As of Friday morning, Democrats have already won 49 seats to Republicans’ 48 and officials are still counting the votes in three districts, meaning we have a real chance of flipping the Virginia state house from red to blue. This is how ambitious we need to be in 2018. When we think big, and get out the vote, we can do anything.
We worked hard to get out the vote for feminist candidates. Their success is exciting, but we have only just begun. We need to sustain this momentum so that women and feminists can win big again in 2018. If you believe like us that we can and must flip more seats in 2018, then we need your support today. We can do this.