MEMO: NextGen America’s Efforts in the 2018 PA-07 Primary Election
To: NextGen America Allies and Supporters
From: Heather Hargreaves, Executive Director
Date: May 16th, 2018
Re: NextGen America’s Efforts in the 2018 PA-07 Primary Election
“In Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Morganelli’s moderate views on immigration and abortion once appealed to the blue-collar, ancestrally Democratic district. But national groups, like EMILY’s List and NextGen America, attacked Morganelli for tweeting positively at Trump, and those negative ads took a toll. Morganelli acknowledged …that the primary electorate is more liberal than he is, and those primary voters sent a message.” – POLITICO, May 16, 2018
NEXTGEN PENNSYLVANIA: PA-07 BY THE NUMBERS
TOTAL SPEND: $100,000
TOTAL DOORS KNOCKED: 2,000+
TOTAL TEXTS SENT: 10,000+
TOTAL YOUNG VOTERS REACHED WITH DIGITAL ADS: 105,000
TOTAL PIECES OF DIRECT MAIL SENT: 38,000
It is clear — young people played a critical role in yesterday’s Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional district. Tuesday’s results were a clear rejection of Democratic candidates who espouse bigotry and side with Donald Trump, and a victory for Democrats who campaign on the progressive values of justice and equality, support a woman’s right to choose, and stand with immigrant communities.
Earlier this month, NextGen launched a campaign to educate young voters in Pennsylvania about John Morganelli’s dangerous record on reproductive health care and immigration. This was NextGen America’s first direct action against a candidate in a primary in 2018. Overall, NextGen spent $100,000 on digital ads, direct mail, and grassroots efforts targeting Morganelli, educating young voters between the ages of 18 and 35, and turning out the youth vote in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional district. NextGen reached 105,000 18-35 year-old voters with anti-Morganelli digital ads and sent on persuasion mailers to over 38,000 18-35 year-old voters. NextGen America also granted $25,000 to Planned Parenthood PA Action to support their get out the vote efforts in PA-07.
There are five precincts in the 7th District where 18-35 year olds make up the majority of the registered voters in the district. Turnout far surpassed 2014 levels in all five precincts. The turnout increase in these “Millennial Indicator Precincts” shows that young voters are enthusiastic about voting for progressive candidates. In one of these precincts, Easton City 3-3, NextGen Pennsylvania organizers knocked on every Democratic door in the precinct during GOTV — and turnout more than tripled over 2014 primary turnout.
—
“The liberal political-action group NextGen America, backed by activist Tom Steyer, worked to defeat Morganelli and said in a statement that Wild’s victory showed Democrats that ‘to win elections, we don’t need to moderate our vision or accept compromise on our fundamental values.’” – Reuters, May 16, 2018
—
NextGen’s involvement in PA-07 followed our “Keeping Up With The Candidates” event in the district, where John Morganelli made his pro-Trump, anti-abortion, and anti-immigrant record clear. After Morganelli was booed at the event hosted by NextGen America, a groundswell of opposition came out against Morganelli. With over 250+ attendees, the forum excited young people about the primary election, and the event video garnered more than 600,000 views.
NextGen volunteers and staff have been organizing in the 7th district all semester long, including registering 368 young voters in the field, gathering over 1,000 supporter cards from young people in the district, and organizing students at Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, and Northampton Community College. Over the last four days of the primary cycle, NextGen Pennsylvania knocked on over 2,000 doors in millennial-dense precincts and sent over 10,000 text messages urging young people to vote in the 7th Congressional district alone.
Our fight is far from over — but momentum is on NextGen America’s side. Building off what we started in 2017, we are heading into November stronger than ever before.