As someone who was involved in Williamsburg reform politics for years I need folks to understand: @em4assembly isn't a kid who woke up one day & decided to care about politics and run. She'd been involved in local organizing for over a decade. Her's is the latest chapter in

the story of grassroots activists in North Brooklyn who realized that the Lopez machine wasn't actually delivering for everyone in the district. @newkingsdems were a game changer & @ReElectNydia was always there to fight Lopez back in the days when everyone was terrified of him

Too often the news coverage of winning insurgents ignores the history of reform in groups. Having more and more people involved in local Democratic politics IS key to the fact that we are finally winning. But the movement isn't new. It's not a flight of fancy. It was a slog.

And at times it felt like a battle. It was Tammany Hall on a smaller scale. People had their offices broken into, their belongings stollen, their tires slashed and in Judicial races? @LincolnRestler how much $$ did you even need to raise to win a District Leader seat years ago?