As a delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago in August, I had the privilege to be on the floor when delegates from Illinois and across the nation cast their votes to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz as our Democratic candidates in the 2024 election. The energy - and decibel level! - in the room was extraordinary. It was a night that I’ll never forget.
That was the night when I fully realized the significance of this time in our history, and the momentousness of the opportunity before us. This Election Day, November 5, we have the chance to chart a new course for this nation and improve the lives of every American.
From the moment that President Biden – arguably the best president for public education and the labor movement in history – graciously and selflessly passed the torch to Harris, we’ve seen her momentum grow. Voters in every generation are motivated to movement, and our own IFT members are ALL IN for Kamala and Tim!
It’s easy to see why.
In Vice President Kamala Harris, we have a determined, experienced, tough but compassionate public servant. Raised by a single mother, Kamala attended public schools and worked at McDonalds to help pay for college. She understands the lives of average Americans and has dedicated her own to helping make ours better, from the prosecutor’s office to Congress to the White House.
In Tim Walz, we have a sitting governor, veteran, and fellow AFT member who worked for 20 years as a beloved classroom teacher and coach. He has walked in our shoes. He respects educators and all workers and understands what public education and American families need to thrive. Talk to your colleagues in Minnesota and they will rave about what he did for Pre-16 education there—from free school lunches to enhanced funding for special education, and more. Harris/Walz will be transformative in the White House. And I know they can win.
But we cannot stand by and watch. We cannot assume that the momentum of this moment will propel them to victory. Make no mistake: This election will be very close, and every vote will count. The outcome is up to us.
As Michelle Obama said in her remarkable DNC address, we must each “Do something!” IFT members have already volunteered to make phone calls, send text messages, knock on doors, and much more for Harris/Walz. We cannot let up – we must step up! We need every IFT member to help, from now until polls close on November 5.
And to be sure, we cannot – and will not – ignore important Illinois races. IFT-endorsed U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Eric Sorenson (IL-17) deserve our support for reelection. Their voices and votes will help ensure that Harris and Walz have the support needed to enact the public education-forward, union-forward, freedom-forward policies we know they will fight for.
This is a winnable race, but we must all hit our marks. The stakes are too high to do anything less, because we won’t go back. Please volunteer today to help Harris/Walz build
Let’s do this!
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