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I’m packing up for my 4th cross country drive in two years. Thrilled to be headed back to NYC to elect @tiffany_caban. NYC is my home, Tiffany is dope, and I’ve never been more excited for a new job. My time in Lancaster was special, though, and I’d like to share why 
This is a ruby red part of California. My friend Devin asked me to join him working for @KimMangone after Bernie’s campaign ended. We ran an insurgent campaign against Kevin McCarthy with two staff members and next to no support from the national or CA Dems or other orgs
Ours was the first campaign to run TV ads against McCarthy ever. We were the first campaign to run Spanish TV ads. We were the first campaign to do Spanish voter contact (shouts to @laurenperez and @icaito). The most common refrain from supporters? “Thank you for giving me hope”
We made over 300K contact attempts in a pandemic with a little bit of volunteer recruitment and some great digital organizing tools. We threw everything at the wall. And in the end, Kim got 40,000 more votes than the best performing Dem previously had in this district
Why does this matter when we lost by 23 points? Because new voters have hope and are engaged now. Local organizers have new folks to recruit to their organizations. Progressive hopefuls have a better chance in Bakersfield local and state races.
On a personal level, I learned a ton. I am an open socialist. Kim did not support policies like M4A and GND. And you know what? She was a great boss and it was obvious she was running because she cared about her community. Life exists in shades of gray. Purity tests are bad.
Tiffany Cabán represents everything I hope the future of American politics will look like. I’ve been on her team a week and it already feels like home. But I’m incredibly grateful for my time working for a run of the mill liberal against one of the worst Republicans out there
And I’m grateful for the opportunity to organize in an area too many Democrats write off because they pre-judge the people who live here. Everyone is open to conversation when treated with respect and dignity. Organize everywhere. Not me, us.
