Contest Every Race

2025 by the Numbers: How Contest Every Race Helped Win Where It Counted Local wins, year-round organizing, and the lessons Democrats should take into 2026

2025 was difficult. But you don’t need to ignore reality to believe there’s a path forward.

Our latest issue of The Contest dives into the stories, numbers, and lessons that powered real results — and why they matter for 2026.

Ready to build on this momentum? Read more:

01/28 Wed • 1 pm ET • Running in a Red District Join the National Democratic Training Committee on Wednesday, January 28th from 1-2 pm ET for a free virtual live training on Running in a Red District. We're h...

Join our friends at @traindems.bsky.social THIS WEDNESDAY at 1 PM ET for a free training on running in a red district—real strategies, real support, real impact.

👉 Register now: traindems.org/vlt-details/...

Drop a 🙋 if you're interested or tag someone who should run!

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01/28 Wed • 1 pm ET • Running in a Red District Join the National Democratic Training Committee on Wednesday, January 28th from 1-2 pm ET for a free virtual live training on Running in a Red District. We're h...

Over half of all partisan seats go uncontested by Democrats. That means Republicans get free wins in communities that deserve a choice.

But here's the thing: You don't need millions of dollars or years of political experience to run. You just need to show up.

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Congrats @ncdemocrats.bsky.social! Contesting every race is how we live up to our democracy and turn things around!

All 21 seats on the Chicago Public Schools school board in Illinois are up for general election on November 3, 2026. The filing deadline for this election is May 26, 2026. We need candidates who will stand up for strong public schools that welcome and nurture every child and benefit all of us

2,000+ people nationwide have RSVP'd for Ready to Run. Have you?

Join us, @jbpritzker.bsky.social, @traindems.bsky.social, and on-the-ground partners. If you've ever thought, 'my town deserves better,' this is how you start.

⏰ Thursday, Jan 15 @ 6 PM CT
👉 stepup.run/ready

The New DMO Leadership Library The Leadership Library is home to trainings, materials, and other resources to make your job as a DMO easier and make your community better!

Are you a Democrat running for, or serving in, local office?

The #DMO Leadership Library is your one-stop shop for tools to win on the campaign trail and lead in city hall.

Register Here: bit.ly/49WiURB

On January 15, join 600+ people who are getting excited to step up for local office at Ready to Run — a national, virtual rally bringing together first-timers from across the country with Governor JB Pritzker and our partners.

Come in curious. Leave with momentum.

More info/RSVP: stepup.run/ready

Ready to Run · Contest Every Race Last year, thousands of MAGA Republicans won local office because *no one* ran against them. How do we fix that? Get Ready to Run! Join Governor JB Pritzker, Contest Every Race, and our national pa...

Ready to Run — brought to you by Contest Every Race — is a national rally for people ready to step up and run in their own communities.

Featuring Governor JB Pritzker, the National Democratic Training Committee, and us!

📅 January 15 | 6–7 PM CT
👉 RSVP: stepup.run/ready

Local offices decide what gets taught in schools, how your community keeps people safe, and whether your streets get fixed. Thousands of these races go uncontested every year, and when we don’t run, MAGA extremists win by default.

✨Wednesday's holiday party was a blast.✨

We wrapped up the year with a room full of friends, partners, and people committed to contesting every race. Huge thanks to Moxie Media and Grow Progress for sponsoring and helping make the night happen!

(And Politico noticed too 👀.)

We’re excited to share that Grow Progress is supporting Contest Every Race’s Holiday Party this year!

We look forward to gathering as a community to celebrate the season and the work ahead. ✨

🎉 Big thanks to our friends at Moxie Media for sponsoring Contest Every Race’s 2025 Holiday Party!

We can’t wait to celebrate with our community on December 17 at 5:30 PM — it’s going to be a night full of cheer, connection, and festive fun. ❄️

With 65 new volunteers and 500+ doors canvassed, DeSoto County showed what happens when a community organizes with purpose, determination, and heart. We’re so proud to spotlight their work and the grassroots power they’re building every day 💪💙

And history was made. Senator-elect Theresa Gillespie Isom broke the GOP supermajority in Jackson for the first time in 13 years — becoming the first African-American, first woman, and first Democrat to hold a Senate seat in DeSoto County.

Ahead of the November 4 election, the team pulled out all the stops, knocking doors, making calls, sending texts, and organizing poll watchers. Their work paid off across four Mississippi State Senate special elections. They won one new seat, held another, and came strikingly close in a third.

🌟 Grant Team Spotlight of the Week
📍 DeSoto County, Mississippi

The DeSoto County Democratic Executive Committee helped make history in November! 🔵✨

🔗 Read & subscribe: contesteveryrace.substack.com

The first issue of The Contest is here. 🚨

What’s inside:
• Why democracy is disappearing locally
• How CER is built to make Democrats competitive everywhere
• The path ahead for 2026 candidate recruitment
• A spotlight on AZ’s LD11 and how CER gave them a roadmap to rebuild

🚨 Big news — our Substack newsletter The Contest launches December 1

Our monthly newsletter will dive into the issue of uncontested races, highlight the local Democratic Parties in our grants program, and keep you up to date with Contest Every Race’s work.

Subscribe: contesteveryrace.substack.com

So grab your friends, grab a drink, and grab democracy by the ballot box - it’s time to laugh our way to a more powerful, participatory future.

www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-sho...

Rapid Recruit is building a vibrant and strategic mass movement to protect democracy by identifying the most strategic actions in real time and using technology to connect millions of potential activists to these emerging campaigns.

We're teaming up for a night of laughter and action that’ll leave you both cracking up and fired up. The show will feature some of the funniest comedians in the Mid-Atlantic, all bringing their best material to help power the movement for a more informed, engaged, and representative democracy.

On 11/22 in D.C., join us and @GrassrootsComedy for a night of laughs to support our Rapid Recruit program in its efforts to mobilize potential activists to emerging campaigns!

Every purchase helps support CER’s work recruiting candidates, empowering volunteers, and flipping races across the country.

Tap the link in bio to shop and wear your commitment to local power! 🌟

🎉 Big news! Contest Every Race has launched our official merch shop! From bold tees to water bottles and totes, our gear celebrates the grassroots victories that turn local wins into national impact.

These Georgia victories are just one example of how Contest Every Race empowers candidates and volunteers nationwide. When communities, organizers, and resources come together, blue waves are possible anywhere. Let’s keep this momentum going into 2026! 💪💙

💙Monroe County: Democrats won a city-council seat and came within 32 votes of flipping another
💙Spalding County: Flipped a county-commission seat, electing a young LGBTQ+ Democrat

Some of those wins 🏆

💙Columbia County: Statewide Democratic candidates earned a majority for the first time in recent memory
💙 Morgan County: Voters shifted 14 points toward Democrats compared to 2024, and the county party nearly doubled their turnout goal

These were made possible by the hard work of local volunteers, organizers, and candidates — all supported by our county grants program, which helps Democrats organize, recruit, and build lasting power in rural and red communities.