Dear friends,
In just a few hours, the polls will close and returns will begin trickling in. By late tonight or early tomorrow morning, most of our WIN List endorsed women will know whether they have won their hard-fought primary races and a few may find themselves in a runoff.
If you have not yet voted, PLEASE, quit reading this and head straight to your polling place!
A decision on the race for Democratic Gubernatorial Nominee between Stacey Abrams and Stacey Evans has been difficult for many in our community, with dear friends finding themselves on opposite sides of the contest. The most recent polls suggested one-third of Democratic voters were undecided – an exceptionally high number so close to voting day.
Georgia’s WIN List hosted the first conversation between our two outstanding gubernatorial nominees last October because we had deep ties to both women and had resolved not to endorse one over the other. Thursday, we are hosting a celebratory luncheon to bring all of us together in solidarity behind the nominee and the women on the ticket with her. It will be the first opportunity for the WINning Stacey to speak alongside the other women on the statewide ticket.
One thing is certain: the Stacey who is the Democratic nominee in November will be intellectually head and shoulders above the Republican who wins his party’s runoff later this summer. Our statewide ticket of WINning women will be the strongest ever fielded. Both Stacey Evans and Stacey Abrams are brilliant leaders who have proposed bold, progressive visions for Georgia. Our historic first ever woman gubernatorial nominee will be far more capable of leading Georgia towards a bright future than ANY of the men who sought the Republican nomination.
Tonight, we attend election watch parties and alternately cheer or nervously watch the ever so slow numbers post to various types of screens. Once those on the losing side of this historic race console their candidate, let us all resolve to pull together for a WINning ticket in November. We must never forget our REAL differences are with the GOP nominee and his gun-loving, immigrant hating and gay bashing rhetoric and policies, not those within our progressive circle who backed one Stacey over the other.
We must resolve to find the grace to put all issues raised during the primary campaign behind us as we unify behind our Democratic ticket. We must work hard together for November victories. What is at stake for the future of Georgia is far greater than the allegiance any of us feel for the Stacey we preferred. We must cast aside all lingering disappointment and UNITE to work together between now and November on behalf of the more than 30 WIN List endorsed women on the November ballot. The full slate of General Election endorsements will be announced during Thursday’s luncheon.
We must work hard and contribute generously if we are to “Grab ‘em by the Midterms” in November. This year’s slate of WIN List endorsed women is our most ambitious and diverse ever. November victories will truly change the face of power in Georgia and send a signal the kinds of regressive legislation debated in recent sessions will never pass. United, we leave as our legacy to our much-loved children and grandchildren or nieces and nephews a Georgia we are all proud to call home where all are welcomed and safety nets are strong.
Yours in solidarity for a WINning November ticket,
Melita Easters
Executive Director and Founding Chair
P.S. It’s not too late for your place at the table to hear the WINning gubernatorial nominee Thursday. Reserve your tickets here.