Nice To Meet You, Where You Been?

It’s been just over a week since Kamala Harris walked though the door, and a lot has happened! We’ve been enchanted by the support and enthusiasm you’ve shown for Swifties for Kamala, and we’re ready to hit the ground running! So, Dear Reader, we present to you our first weekly issue of Paint The Town Blue. We hope you stay, stay, stay.

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Here at Swifties for Kamala we are all about turning reactions into actions, so each week we will be highlighting actionable ways you can make a difference for the Harris campaign, as well as down ballot races this fall!

We understand that many of you may be new to political organizing and volunteering, but you’ve got no reason to be afraid — these events are designed for people of all experience levels!

We promise you there's a volunteer opportunity for every comfort level and personality type!

• For the social butterfly who loves meeting new individuals: Sign up to phone bank with the Democratic National Committee. There are four daily time slots: 9:00 - 11:00 am, 11:00 - 1 pm, 1 - 3 pm and 4 - 6 pm (times listed are ET).

• For those who love to spend hours talking on Twitter: Text banking is for you! Using a software platform, you will be texting voters from swing states such as Nevada and Michigan to help register them for the upcoming November election! Sign up to text bank on August 3rd 11 am - 1 pm PT / 2 - 4 pm ET

• Prefer to stumble home to your cats … alone? Postcard writing is a perfect activity for all the creative and artistic Swifties who prefer tasks you can do anytime and at your own pace. All instructions will be sent via email.

It’s obviously been a bit of a chaotic past 10 days, but Kamala Harris’s rollout as the presidential candidate has been extremely successful, raising more than $100 million in the first day alone, as well as signing up tens of thousands of volunteers nationally! 

The main chatter around the campaign right now? Which of an array of Southern/Midwestern white men she will choose to be her vice presidential candidate? One of the internet’s favorite candidates is Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has spearheaded the new Democratic talking point of “man, are these guys weird.” (And he’s right!)

Other candidates in the running are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. News just dropped last night that Harris will hold her first rally with the new running mate next Tuesday in Philadelphia. So take from that any Easter eggs you’d like, and stay tuned here to learn more about the political scoop on Harris 2024!

What is Project 2025? In Paint The Town Blue, we want to introduce you to the Republicans’ extensive and restrictive plan that outlines their objectives for approximately the first 180 days of a Trump presidency. In each newsletter edition, we will cover a different aspect of this proposal.

Long story short of how Project 2025 came about? The Heritage Foundation. Founded in 1973, the Heritage Foundation has drafted many conservative-leaning plans in U.S. politics, including policy guidance for former president Ronald Reagan and candidate suggestions for Supreme Court appointments.

While Trump originally distanced himself from Project 2025, we know that he previously implemented many of the foundation’s suggestions in his first term and have found many similarities between it and Agenda47.

As you can imagine, a 900+ page document covers a lot. Some groups that will be negatively impacted should these plans be enacted include women, the LGBTQ+ community, teachers, farmers, and more.

It’s gonna be the fight of our lives — come back every week as we continue to dive into the beast of Project 2025.

What has Kamala Harris been focused on the past few years in her role as vice president? In addition to getting smarter and harder in the nick of time, her accomplishments in the Biden-Harris administration give us a preview of potential cornerstones for her presidential agenda.

VP Harris’ past achievements and priorities include:  

• Overseeing the first major gun safety law in 30 years

• Advocating for abortion and reproductive rights

• Leading the Maternal Health Task Force and established a maternal mental health hotline

• Calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war

• Pushing for almost $2 trillion for universal Pre-K education 

• Advocating for a permanent tax cut for working-class families

The 2024 election is in 97 days… Are you ready for it?

Primary alert! Tuesday, August 6!

If you live in Missouri’s first congressional district, you can vote on Tuesday! (How do I know if I’m in MO-1?)

The incumbent, Congresswoman Cori Bush, is pro-Palestine and has advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza. Bush has also championed causes such as Medicare for All, reproductive freedom, and housing for all. Bush has recently been under attack for alleged misuse of election funds; however, an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics found no wrongdoing. 

Wesley Bell was campaigning for the Senate prior to dropping out of the race in October 2023. Bell is pro-Israel and has received support from AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Contributions to Bell’s campaign have come from some typically Republican donors, including those bankrolling Senator Josh Hawley, which has caused some to wonder if his values truly align with the Democratic party.

Make sure you’re ready to Speak Now with your vote on Aug. 6!

If you’re outside of Missouri, you can sign up for a phone banking shift for Cori Bush this Thursday!

If you live in Texas, you cannot register to vote online! If you’re a first-time voter, request your postage-paid application or fill out an online application and return via mail as soon as possible! You can check your voter registration status online.

Most states have voter registration deadlines in October. Learn more about your state’s requirements — don’t let tonight be the one where you forget about the deadlines!

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