Primary election results are in and our vote count as of Monday, Aug. 13 is 7,120! We are thrilled that thousands voted socialist, especially given the large number of candidates in the Senate race. We got votes in every county in the state, even the most far-flung supposedly very conservative areas.
As a grassroots effort, the Steve Hoffman for U.S. Senate campaign achieved so much, sharing reasonable working-class ideas and making new friends statewide.
- Steve personally campaigned in over 29 cities around the state. Volunteers like you added to that number, so we got Steve’s salt-of-the-earth socialist feminist platform out in over 40 cities and in 22 of the state’s 39 counties.
- We were the only U.S. Senate campaign to sign up with filing fee petitions, with over 2,600 names collected. The Seattle Times finally acknowledged this online, the night of the election.
- Thanks to your generosity we raised, mostly from small donations, over $24,000! This helped us run ads on radio stations and Spotify, push postings out to thousands on social media, print yard signs and over 1,000 posters, make thousands of phone calls, and hand out over 30,000 pieces of literature.
And best of all, we met many folks who are interested in building the political movement needed to fight the right and stand up for the multi-hued, exploited-daily working class.
Going into the election, we knew the system is rigged against socialists, the left, the poor, women, people of color and queer communities, and workers in general. Besides the usual problems of the election system acting like there are only two parties, there were new and interesting ways that proved how this is true. A couple of examples:
- Only 7 counties mailed the primary election voters’ guide to people’s homes. The remaining 32 counties pointed voters to online versions of the guide. If voters didn’t have computer access, various county election offices directed voters to the local library.
This is important. People without the voters’ guides in front of them more often than not voted for either the Democrats or the Republicans. We heard from many folks who voted for Steve because they liked what they read in their voters’ pamphlet. One woman wrote that she could have ghost-written Steve’s entry. Another voter said Steve’s entry was the only one that “made sense.”
- Corporate media plays a role in this biased treatment of third party candidates by only covering the top millionaire-funded Democrats and Republicans, the most ridiculous ones, or the ones that bring violence with them wherever they go, like Joey Gibson. Spokane’s Spokesman-Review was the one daily newspaper that interviewed Steve and gave his campaign some respect.
As we wrap up the campaign, we are also facing the reality that Gibson, the fascist leader of Patriot Prayer, got over 37,000 votes and is bringing his band of white supremacists to Seattle this Saturday, August 18th.
Seattle Freedom Socialist Party is working with several other organizations, including Radical Women, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity, Seattle Democratic Socialists of America, and others in organizing a counter protest, “Unite Against Fascism: Remember Those Lost to Far-Right Violence,” Saturday, August 18th, noon across from City Hall.
To prepare to counter these ultra-right bigots, the anti-fascist ad hoc committee is hosting work parties, one of which will be at New Freeway Hall this Wednesday, August 15, 5 to 8:30pm. We’ll be making signs and banners for Saturday and getting word out about the event.
We here at Steve’s campaign urge all supporters who can to help with this effort. Standing up to fascism is essential. This misogynist and racist movement’s ultimate goal is to defeat and demoralize the entire working class. We cannot let this happen.
Thank you for all the help with the Steve Hoffman for U.S. Senate Campaign. We’ll see you on the picket line!
In solidarity,
Doreen McGrath
Campaign Manager