Election Therapy

Mara Novak here. I’ve been part of the NJ 11th for Change leadership team since 2019, and have been Co-Executive Director since 2020. Thrilled to say that Judy Kelly has returned as Co-executive Director for this election cycle! 

Normally the voice of this newsletter is in the collective we, because our work is all about THE POWER OF US. But I want to use this space just once for a personal story. (Read to the end because we are diving right back into what WE can do this next hundred days. Spoiler alert, you are going to need new sneakers. Perhaps a nice purple pair of Chucks?) 

 

As an early adopter computer nerd since the late 1970s (!), I have happily been doing tech support for family and friends for actual decades. Now, over the last bunch of years, I seem to have taken on a new role as an election therapist too. I guess it makes sense for someone known for being a politics junkie who loves data and graphs (and, ahem, Venn diagrams!) And my husband has called me a relentless optimist — not always as a compliment. 


Times have been rough for us optimistic election therapists. For the past several months, I’ve been fielding calls and texts and emails from friends and neighbors and other politics nerds looking for reassurance, asking me to recommend productive action, to lay out best case scenarios. I usually suggest going out and touching grass too. All the while fighting back my own growing sense of dread. Of doom. 

Biden was so clearly the only candidate running with the track record and plans and heart that I could vote for. But Trump had seized control of the narrative in the press and on social media, and what I was hearing from people was despair. I was convinced Biden was 100% capable of running the country (and still am!). But I also became convinced he was not going to be able to run the campaign and generate the widespread popular enthusiasm we needed to beat Trump. 

This terrified me. 

What was that going to mean for down ballot House and Senate races? For state legislature races around the country? For county races here in New Jersey? Would low public enthusiasm surrounding the Presidential race lose us not only the White House, but also the federal legislature, and state and county races too? 

Then Congresswoman Sherrill called for President Biden to pass the torch. I know Sherrill is someone who does not act rashly or impulsively, who cares deeply and sincerely about democracy, and who always keeps the best interests of her constituents in mind. She has made decisions I have not agreed with in the past, but now? I knew she was right. It was what I was thinking too. 

Sherrill said she and other House members had been working to communicate privately through the proper channels to Biden, and that the messages were not getting through to him. She’d shared her concerns with her caucus and its leadership, and heard she was not alone. A growing number of House and Senate colleagues and others in Dem leadership went public. Here in New Jersey, Tom Malinowski spoke out. Soon after Sherrill issued her statement, Andy Kim said he had concerns about Biden as well. 

My ‘therapy client’ calls and texts mostly agreed with her too, even if they weren’t ready to admit it on social media. That next couple of weeks were tough, but the calls and texts I was getting continued to be mostly in support. I also heard that many shared my deepening sense of dread, and the conviction that we would lose if we did not change course, and fast.

Then a week ago, President Biden showed incredible courage and selflessness and dedication to this country by stepping aside and immediately endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris. That second part, supporting Harris, was so important, so correct, so critical. This article from the Washington Post does an excellent job laying out the timeline, and who was involved in the preparations and the decisions.

I will never forget where I was when I heard the news. The WAVE of relief that washed over me, it was something. Finally we could get to work doing what we’ve needed to do for months. Make the election about Trump and his terrible policies, rather than spending so much time on defense. FINALLY.

It feels like this is also a particular moment in New Jersey politics, for bravery and for speaking one's mind, and challenging the status quo. Andy Kim, Mikie Sherrill, Sue Altman. We have candidates who are embodiments of that, some of them are even personal friends. And now Kamala Harris, who is leading with courage, and humor, and enthusiasm, and most importantly a POSITIVE vision for our country after 8 years of listening to Trump lead with lies and fear. That guy is just weird, his ideas are bad, and we need to call that out all day every day. 

My favorite quote this week comes from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz: 

"Right now, Minnesota is showing the country you don't win elections to bank political capital - you win elections to burn political capital and improve lives.”

Flipping the script, watching the vibes shift? All for it. It’s not just the Venn diagram memes, though I do adore a good Venn diagram. We are watching the Harris campaign seize control of the narrative, a campaign that is all about calling out how wrong and out of sync with actual American values Trump is. 

Another thing Mikie Sherrill said recently stuck in my mind. When asked about the veepstakes she said, you know, we have a really deep bench. This past week my ‘therapy’ chats are all about the VP auditions. I hear that they agree about the deep bench, that they are excited about the potential for a powerful ticket with great ideas and impressive resumes ready to lead the county, ready to bolster and expand what Biden and Harris have done these past 3.5 years. A super impressive group, and just the tip of the iceberg. 

Thanks for hearing me out. I am energized, optimistic even, and ready to get to work with every single one of you. Friends, let’s trust in one another's good intentions even in disagreement, and focus on positive forward momentum.  My email is [email protected], I’m always available for honest and respectful discussion. And maybe a little election therapy.

Ok, back to WE. Back to US.

100 days. ONE HUNDRED DAYS

Sign up for canvasses and phonebanks. Talk to everyone. Wear your candidate shirts and buttons proudly. Check in with your family and friends and neighbors. Don’t forget the group chats! Leah Greenberg from Indivisible talks about relational canvassing as one of the most persuasive things you can do! And of course, there will be texting and letters and postcards too. Donate to candidates if you can! Donate to NJ 11th for Change if you can! We will do whatever it takes. Including crawling over broken glass.

We Are Not Going Back

When We Fight, WE WIN

 

EVENTS

Mikie Sherrill Opportunities

Team Mikie Canvass with the Morris County Dems

Saturday, 8/3/24 at 12:00 PM

Mikie Sherrill Phone Bank

Mondays at 5:00 PM (with the Montclair Dems)

 

Andy Kim Opportunities

Andy Kim Phone Bank

Tuesdays @ 6:00 PM (with the Montclair Dems)

 

Sue Altman Opportunities

Sue Altman Phone Bank

Wednesdays @ 5:00 PM (with the Montclair Dems)

Team Altman Morris County Canvass

Sunday, August 4, 10am – 1pm

 

Tour to Save Democracy in NJ-07 w/ Sue Altman, Andy Kim, & Mikie Sherrill!

Monday, August 5, 7 – 9pm

 

Harris for President Opportunities

Jersey for Kamala Kickoff

Wednesday, Jul 31 8pm - 9pm

 

Harris for President Phone Bank

Thursdays @ 6:00 PM (with the Montclair Dems)