Warnock wins runoff against Walker: Thank you, Georgia. We did it!

When it comes to the grassroots work, our partners at Georgia Alliance for Progress supported 27 organizations whose organizers knocked on 5.6 million doors, blowing past their original goal of 4 million with a 25% contact rate. They talked with 1.3 million voters in person in the past four weeks alone – not to mention 2.1 million calls, 3.6 million texts, countless events, relational outreach, and working in the pouring rain for the past few days with umbrellas. This was on top of the millions of voters they contacted over the past two years to register, while navigating Georgia’s gauntlet of anti-voting laws – like SB-202, which dramatically reduced the ballot access of Black and Brown voters.

Talk about scale: collectively the groups we supported had more canvassers than both Senate campaigns and the Democratic and Republican parties combined – with a fraction of the money. That’s how we won – by prioritizing one another and coming together to build something greater than any one election.

While we’re engaging in this work to build progressive power, we absolutely cannot forget the people whose lives it impacts both personally and professionally. From canvassers, organizers, to volunteers – everyone has made a difference and the work has also made a difference in their lives.

As we celebrate this win, we’re reminded of one young father who in this cycle worked as a canvasser with the Black Male Initiative Fund (MVP gave them their first grant to do vote work). In 2020, they knocked on 50,000 doors. In this runoff, they knocked five times as many: 250,000 doors! At first, the father said it was just like any other job so that he could support his family. He later found himself and his kids becoming part of a safe space where they were making friends and nurturing connections. Hearing him share the story of how his new co-workers became like a second family to him and his children was truly inspiring. His experience was a beautiful reminder of why we do this work.

We defied the odds this election season. We have so much to be proud of (full report coming soon). Two years from now, we could have a Democratic trifecta – or a Republican one, or anything in between. But for now, let’s savor and celebrate this sweet victory. The MVP community showed up in a big way: More than 4,000 donors moved over $2 million to support the thousands of local Georgia organizers who deserve enormous credit for this victory.

We are headed into another huge world-defining election fight. But let us take a moment to rest, to celebrate, and to bask in the warm glow of the big wins and the little ones that we collectively supported the organizers to make possible.

Good job everyone!

We are deeply grateful to the organizers, and to you.