It’s Time for a New Era of Political Organizing. North Carolina Can Lead the Way
Until Stacey Abrams’ historic race (and narrow loss) to be governor of Georgia in 2018, national political discourse hadn’t considered the southern state competitive, let alone a key swing state. Until January 2021, even some of the most attentive pundits did not expect Georgia to flip blue in the Presidential race and then send two Democratic Senators — one Black and one Jewish — to Washington, securing a Democratic trifecta. In North Carolina,we have a rare opportunity to follow Georgia’s lead and forge a new path forward for political organizing.
For over a decade, Republicans have held a majority (and even a supermajority at one point) in the General Assembly, deeply entrenched by gerrymandering and corporate influence in elections. Thanks to advocacy and litigation led by groups like All on the Line and the NC League of Conservation Voters, we have our most fair congressional maps in decades (though far from ideal). This window of opportunity can and must be paired with meaningfully investmenting in every corner of the state and uplifting communities that have long been left behind.
Many organizers, including the New North Carolina Project, Carolina Federation, and county-level Democratic parties, are already on the ground doing the work, striving to enfranchise people of color and organize in communities — rural, suburban, and urban — year-round, beyond any single election. North Carolina can and should be a blue state. To make this a reality, we must invest everywhere and show voters that candidates will actually fight to make all of our lives better, not just play defense against Republican attacks.
For too many elections, the Democratic Party in North Carolina have sought to play it “safe,” usually through the lens of moderation and defaulting to white men for competitive races. Candidates have been directly instructed in the past to decline endorsements from progressive organizations — including Sunrise NC — and limit embrace of bold, progressive stances out of risk of being labeled socialist or anti-American. In reality, Republicans consistently levy these attacks on every Democratic candidate, from the furthest left to the most moderate, regardless of how safe they try to play it.
Meanwhile, many voters are only ever contacted when it’s time to get out the vote, usually only a couple of weeks before the election. In the intervening years, their material realities seldom change and the occasional literature drop depicts nothing new, and oftentimes nobody representative of their community. We need a new strategy to change our political culture in North Carolina and give voters a reason to not only vote, but be active political citizens always, not just Election Day.
Nida Allam and Erica Smith’s campaigns for congress, in the 4th and 1st Districts, respectively, can be the beginning of this new era. Their stories resonate with Americans in every corner of their districts and our state, and they aren’t afraid to be bold in diagnosing the crises we face and the types of solutions we need. We can’t afford anything less.
They each represent districts that are, in their own ways, key to the future of progressive political organizing. It is essential that we not only invest in them, but do so for the long term, so that our movement builds on more than casting a ballot.
Nida, a Durham County Commissioner, is running to represent a very diverse district and one of the youngest in the state, with the average age being under 40.Importantly, her grassroots campaign has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from small donations across the district and our state, while her opponents fundraise from PACs with far right ties and Duke Energy.
Erica, a three-term state senator, is running a majority-Black and highly rural district. Her opponent is among the most conservative Democrats in the General Assembly, even refusing to support Medicaid expansion.
Young people, people of color, and rural communities all must have a seat at the table, and both of these candidates offer an incredible opportunity to uplift people from all corners of North Carolina in Congress.
To build upon the work of other organizers across the state, Sunrise North Carolina proudly endorses Erica Smith and Nida Allam. From phone banking to canvassing to issue-based town halls, it’s time to build the future in North Carolina and win the representation we deserve. Not only will these candidates be champions for all North Carolinians in the House of Representatives, but they are helping lay the foundation for a new political era in our state, one defined by true community-based solutions and long-term organizing and, hopefully, they will inspire a new wave of passionate leaders to run for office to do the same.
