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After Republican victories, Pa. Democrats must reassess plans for next election | Opinion

Tuesday’s widespread GOP victory was not a bloodbath for the Democratic Party. But it should be a wakeup call.

Ed Gainey was elected to be Pittsburgh's first Black mayor, one of the few victories for Pennsylvania Democrats in the 2021 general election.
Ed Gainey was elected to be Pittsburgh's first Black mayor, one of the few victories for Pennsylvania Democrats in the 2021 general election.Read moreAP

Let’s not fall for salacious headlines and narratives: Tuesday’s widespread GOP victory in the general election was not a bloodbath for the Democratic Party. It should, however, be a wakeup call.

Despite Republican victories in many Pennsylvania judicial races and across county boards, there were some bright spots for Democrats: With 32% turnout, higher than previous comparable elections, Pittsburgh elected its first-ever Black mayor in Ed Gainey. President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton re-elected a progressive champion as mayor in Paige Cognetti. Harrisburg elected another Black woman as mayor in Wanda Williams. And even with abysmal voter turnout in Philadelphia, Larry Krasner’s solid re-election for district attorney solidified that a more fair and representative democracy is on the horizon for Pennsylvania.

Progressive candidates of color made large inroads in urban, rural, and suburban Pennsylvania — sometimes having to overcome the nefarious efforts coming from within their own political party. Common sense defeated the millionaires and billionaires such as Jeffery Yass and venture capitalist Paul Martino, who tried to pump their wealth into our local elections. Even so, candidates and communities of color mobilized their power and strength in numbers to claim seats on various school boards across the Commonwealth.

» READ MORE: Progressives seek to expand political footprint in Philly through Pa. House and Senate races

Tuesday’s election should, however, inspire progressives and those who fear our democracy is in peril to rethink strategy, and reassess what truly motivates a growing and diverse electorate to exercise their right to vote.

Elections have consequences and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Next year’s gubernatorial and Congressional midterm election will help shape not only the politics of the Keystone State but political control on the national level. Governor Tom Wolf’s veto pen has been our firewall against problematic legislation. Therefore, reproductive justice, economic justice, and our voting rights in general are on the ballot when we elect our next governor. Also, Democrats must be prepared for hundreds of millions of dollars to pour into the Commonwealth for the senatorial race to replace Pat Toomey — a race that could ultimately tip the scales of the U.S. Senate.

Based on Tuesday’s results, Pennsylvania Democrats should focus on these key areas in the run up to next year’s important elections:

  1. Give the electorate a candidate who they believe in — a candidate they’re willing to make phone calls for, and knock doors for — and then ultimately show up at the polls for with their sacred vote.

  2. Engage and educate the electorate year-round about issues and what is at stake in elections that will affect their lives and the lives of their families. The people need to know why, in one of the few states that elects all of our judges, courts matter to their daily lives. And the people need to know why $7 billion sitting in a rainy day fund in Harrisburg is a function of a failing GOP-led General Assembly and their misplaced priorities, more consumed by power than with helping their constituents.

  3. Candidates must show voters how their policies or proposed policies will make their lives better. Too many often-ignored constituents, particularly in communities of color, have exercised their franchise against all barriers placed before them but don’t see their lives changing for the better, while other communities are having their needs met.

  4. Expand the electorate. There are more than 1.1 million Pennsylvanians who are eligible to vote but not exercising their right to do so. This is an institutional failure and a result of a lack of engagement and investment in communities — especially communities of color — on a consistent basis.

Bottom line: Pennsylvania Democrats must commit to no more bland candidates for electability’s sake on our ballot menu. In 2022, it will be paramount that we give the electorate an appetite for seasoned candidates who will excite and mobilize all communities to the polls. Democracy wins when we’re all at the table, highly motivated and exercising our right to vote.

Kadida Kenner is the executive director of the New Pennsylvania Project, a statewide voting rights organization with a primary purpose of voter registration, and the co-chair of Why Courts Matter - Pennsylvania, an advocacy campaign seeking to protect the independence of our courts and educate the electorate about their importance. She writes from Chester County.