by Mia DiFelice

In the morning after election day, several Senate races and dozens of House races remain undecided. Though we don’t yet have final results, nor a complete picture of which party will control Congress, one thing is absolutely clear: we stopped the predicted red wave. Democrats won key races across the country, and the relentless work of Food & Water Action and our dedicated members and volunteers made a real difference. 

Last night showed a historic rejection of the regressive forces that were desperately trying to claw their way back to power. Voters across the county said “No!” to corporate shills, climate deniers, and would-be authoritarians bent on undermining American democracy. 

Food & Water Action is proud to have stood at the center of this battle for the future of the country. And we are excited to see our endorsed and supported candidates prepare to enter the halls of Congress, several for the first time.

In the months before the midterms, Food & Water Action and our allies rallied behind progressive candidates and drove voters to the polls. Thousands of our members and volunteers joined this effort, making nearly 500,000 calls to voters and knocking on more than 27,000 doors across the country. Our work has paid off in key races across the country. Here are just a few:

John Fetterman Turns Pennsylvania Senate Seat Blue

In an evenly divided Senate, we knew that every opportunity to flip a seat mattered. Not only did we have to keep the majority — we had an opportunity to make Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), the conservative tie-breaker, irrelevant.

In a huge get-out-the-vote effort, our organizers knocked on 20,000 doors and made 220,000 calls in Pennsylvania. We also secured more than 1,000 commitments from voters to call on at least three friends to make their voices heard at the polls. 

While the fate of the Senate remains unclear, John Fetterman’s win vastly improves Democrats’ odds of keeping their majority there, and even making Manchin irrelevant. 

Chris Deluzio Clinches PA Battleground District

Pennsylvania’s 17th District saw a battleground race between a Republican corporate exec and Democratic newcomer Chris Deluzio. Food & Water Action knew early on that this race would be crucial. By election night, our volunteers and members knocked on 20,000 doors and generated more than 92,000 calls to voters in this district. 

Deluzio ran to defend democracy, unions, and working families. On the campaign trail, he’s promised to take on corporate power and grow union jobs in clean energy. Clearly, his message resonated. And the resulting victory was instrumental in shutting down a red wave in the House.

Summer Lee Shakes Things Up in Fracking Country

Despite millions of dollars weaponized against her and dirty tactics on her opponent’s behalf, Summer Lee has clinched a victory.

Lee will serve the 2nd-most gas-producing state in the country, smack dab in the middle of the fracking-plagued Marcellus Shale region. She was not only a strong progressive candidate in a battleground state — she was the only Democrat in her primary to call for a ban on fracking. 

We knew we had to show up for Summer Lee and work hard on her behalf. Over the past few months, Food & Water Action generated more than 112,000 phone calls and 3,000 handwritten letters getting out the vote for her. At the polls, we handed out “Summer Voter” stickers to anyone who texted friends reminding them to vote, resulting in 2,160 reminder texts.

Now, Representative-elect Lee will tackle environmental racism and support working families. She will crack down on corporate influence in politics. And she will fight for a Green New Deal and a 100% clean energy transition we need.

Maxwell Frost Becomes First Gen-Z Candidate in Congress

Our endorsed candidate Maxwell Alejandro Frost is headed for Capitol Hill. The first Gen Z Congressmember, Representative-elect Frost brings his experience as a national organizer against gun violence to Florida’s 10th district.

Along with Food & Water Action, Frost gathered endorsements from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the AFL-CIO, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and a host of progressive organizations and lawmakers. His campaign has been a lesson in movement-building — not just mobilizing voters around a candidate, but around a shared vision for the future. 

That vision includes tackling climate change, defending working families and marginalized communities, and securing a future safe for all.

Jamaal Bowman Stays Fighting For New York

When it came to NY16’s progressive incumbent Jamaal Bowman, we knew what he is capable of. That’s why we endorsed him — again.

For example, last summer, in the midst of corporate price gouging and rising energy prices, Rep. Bowman introduced the Emergency Price Stabilization Act. When enacted, the bill will empower the White House to set prices in key sectors.

We need more bold legislation like this — not only to fight rising inflation and protect working families, but also to respond to the looming threat of climate chaos on our economy. With Rep. Bowman still in Congress, we’re heartened to know we’ve kept a fighter in our corner.

No Matter the Results, We’ll Keep Defending the Planet

We are proud of these victories and these candidates. The results so far have made clear: when candidates speak up and mobilize around bold, progressive policies, they win.

That’s true on the national stage and in state and local races, including ones we supported like Iowa’s State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, who defeated the Republican Senate President, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

But as we wait for the midterms’ final tallies, we know that whatever the results, the fight continues. Every day, the planet becomes more unlivable and greedy corporations tighten their stranglehold on our economy. 

In the weeks to come, we’ll be breaking down the results and strategizing with allies. At the same time, we will double down on our fight against election deniers, corporate mouthpieces, and puppets for polluting industries. 

And our overarching goal remains the same: supporting candidates who will take the bold action we need to secure safe food, clean water, and a livable future for all.

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