For a brief, beautiful window last night, Twitter was good again, as push notifications brought us news of one Democratic victory after another—Chris Christie and anti-trans bigots are out! Medicaid and Danica Roem are in!
And in Washington State, Democrats regained control of their state legislature by flipping a Senate seat.
This could be potentially HUGE for reproductive rights in Washington State. You know Oregon's groundbreaking reproductive health law that was passed last session? Washington reproductive rights advocates have been pushing for similar proactive reproductive rights legislation for YEARS—from a bill aimed at regulating anti-choice "crisis pregnancy centers," to another, like Oregon's, that would mandate insurance coverage for abortion. But all have been stymied every step of the way by what was then a Republican-controlled Senate. And when I say this has been going on for years, I mean I was writing about this shit in my first reporting gig out of college (the "heathen sluts" headline was my idea; I thank you!).
Why am I yammering on about our northern neighbors? Well, because now that we're looking at a blue wall, could an abortion-access safe zone THAT SPANS THE ENTIRE WEST COAST LIKE A BEAUTIFUL FORTRESS OF EQUITY AND DIGNITY be so far off?
And now, for a brief lecture from an annoying policy nerd (that's me!): The way you felt last night? It wasn't a fluke. It was the culmination of ongoing political work, and it can't stop now. Too much is at stake. So go ahead and celebrate. But don't get complacent. And don't take it for granted. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, but unlike with actual sports (politics is my sports), you don't get an off-season breather. There are no laurels (or pennants? IDK) to rest on. Progress doesn't happen if we don't put in the work. Keep fighting. Stay vigilant. What's next?
