2026 Strategy

It is Up to uS

As this Administration heads into its second year, we’re now well aware of how badly it wants to dismantle every institution that protects and uplifts Americans. We’ve seen unprecedented assaults on programs that help our most vulnerable, in all 50 states and around the world. At Lean Left Vermont, we believe our government works for US, not for the millionaires and billionaires and the GOP/MAGA politicians who use our tax dollars to enrich themselves and gain more power.

So What Can we do?

We can fight like hell, on all fronts, in all ways. It’s not 2017 anymore. We have more than eight years of experience behind us, and we know what works.

  • We know that local organizing in red and purple states builds a strong, cohesive base that turns out at election time to vote for progressive policies and candidates.

  • We know that the only way Washington changes is to change who goes to Washington.

  • We know that working on behalf of pro-democracy groups and candidates in red and purple states helps Democrats and progressives move from local and state leadership roles to become our Congressional leaders. And we all know that what happens in Congress affects every single American.

  • We know that the GOP will do everything in its power to strip Americans of their right to cast a ballot—gerrymandering districts, introducing bills that make it harder for working people to vote, voter challenges, misinformation, and outright intimidation at the polls—and we know that protecting the vote is one of the most important ways we can take action in 2026.

We have the experience and the strength to stay focused on what we know makes a difference.

Our 2026 Plan

Lean Left Vermont will

  • continue to support the grassroots organizations that work year-round to elect progressive candidates for local, state, and federal offices in our chosen states;

  • provide important ways Vermonters can take action on voter disenfranchisement, protecting voters rights, registering voters, and engaging new voters in the electoral process and helping them with the tools they need to confidently engage in the necessary work to elect progressive leaders around the country;

  • build community among the many Vermont groups that arose after the 2024 election by providing education and resources for out-of-state work;

  • support independent media and reach out to voters via social media and print with fact-based information about the effects of policies coming out of Washington and their state legislatures, especially those related to vital bread-and-butter issues.

What can I do?

  1. Grab a friend and attend one of our promoted Events.

  2. Sign up for one of our State Teams (below).

  3. Start your own Giving Circle.

  4. Schedule a Lean Left presentation for your group to learn about the importance of swing state elections.

  5. Keep an eye on the Take Action page for specific ways to support our states.

The States we’ll Support this year

New Hampshire

Dems won both U.S. House races—Hassan and Goodlander—in 2024, but Republicans increased their majority in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and retained the governorship. The powerful Executive Council, which decides what federal funds the state will receive, remains under Republican control. Congressman Chris Pappas is running for retiring Senator Sheehan’s seat, but former Senator John Sununu has also announced he will run. The legislature continues to introduce bills that make it harder to vote in the state, which ranks 50th in ease of voting. The same-day registration helped the Granite State's score, but it was hurt by not offering methods such as early voting or mail-in ballots. The state was also dinged for its voter ID law. What’s ahead: We will continue to work with 603 Forward and the Kent Street Coalition, and will also be looking for partners focused on registering students. According to U.S. Census data, when young people register to vote, they show up to vote. Sign up for the NH Team here.

North Carolina

2025 started with a doozy: Justice Allison Riggs won her seat on the NC State Supreme Court in November of 2024, but Republican Jefferson Griffith refused to concede and instead challenged the votes of 60,000+ legitimately registered voters from a few mostly blue counties (a tale of voter disenfranchisement that played out in the courts for six months). Riggs’ race was finally certified in May of 2025. North Carolina’s performance on Election Day 2025 was stellar: Democrats dominated municipal races, picking up seats on city councils, making gains on school boards, and flipping mayoral races. Dems won 630+ races and flipped 160+ seats. What’s ahead: In 2026, Democrats have a good chance to pick up a Senate seat with the popular former governor Roy Cooper jumping into the open race (Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring). Dems have their sights set on winning another State Supreme Court seat, crucial for retaking the court in 2028 and course-correcting on GOP gerrymandering, election denial, and voter suppression. Dems must also whittle down the Republican majority in the legislature. Voter protection work will be critical: The GOP legislature gerrymandered two Congressional districts in 2025 and has taken over state and local boards of elections and installed election deniers. Sign up for the NC Team here.

Pennsylvania

In May of 2025, James Malone was officially sworn in to represent Pennsylvania’s 36th Senate District in Lancaster County, the first Democrat to win a State Senate election in Lancaster in over 130 years. This unexpected win was followed in November by Pennsylvanians voting overwhelmingly in favor of retaining three state Supreme Court judges who had played key roles in decisions that upheld voters’ rights by protecting mail-in voting and rejecting a GOP-gerrymandered Congressional map.  What’s ahead: With what seems like the wind at our back, we have the following priorities in 2026.  1.  Starting in January, we will be working with our partner organizations on voter registration. The numbers have been flowing toward the Republicans. Dems had 666,202 registered voters to the GOP's 495,752 in 2020, but that margin has dwindled to 170,450. The focus will be on reaching people in marginalize communities and young people. 2. At the very least, we need to protect Democrats’ one-seat majority in the PA State House, but ideally we need to flip several U.S. Congressional seats, particularly Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mckenzie, Robert Breshahan, and Scott Perry. 3. By August and September, we will be getting out the vote, recruiting poll observers, and helping people with their mail-in ballots. Sign up for the PA Team here.

Virginia

Virginia 2025 was indeed the bellwether for the 2026 midterms. Democrats swept statewide races for Governor, Lt Governor, Attorney General, and they flipped 13 House of Delegates seats. VA now has a pro-democracy trifecta and will join California in taking the necessary redistricting steps to avoid the extreme MAGA power grab taking place across the country. Lean Left Vermont will return to work in VA in 2027.