Sunrise Launches "Fighting F*cking Fascism" Midterms Campaign

Today, Sunrise Movement officially launched its general election campaign, “Fighting F*cking Fascism.” This campaign will primarily serve as a youth turnout operation in the final stretch of the election cycle.

“After a year of really tough political moments for young people with more school shootings, the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the rollback of the EPA, and more instability, so many young people have checked out of the political process altogether – and at the same time, their vote is more important than ever,” said Michele Weindling, Electoral Director for Sunrise Movement. “That’s why we are committed to doing everything we can to meet young people where they’re at, and mobilize them to defeat the rising threat of fascism from the Right. The stakes are too high to sit this out.” 

Sunrise’s general election campaign is centered around fighting the GOP and the rise of fascism in November – something organizers have found more activating to young people than sheer hope for the next Congress. Sunrise will primarily campaign in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, making phone calls and sending texts, mobilizing voters on digital platforms, building membership on the ground, running a series of digital ads, and organizing a strong Get Out the Vote operation geared towards young people. 

“For us, the fight in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin goes beyond 2022 – and as we look ahead to 2024, we’ll need deep organizing infrastructure if we’re going to defeat a Republican Party bent on nationwide abortion bans, gun proliferation, and drilling into the Earth’s core until the climate crisis consumes us,” Weindling added. 

Sunrise endorsed Mandela Barnes earlier this month, and has already been running regular phonebanks and textbanks to young voters in Wisconsin to get out the vote.

The 2020 elections showed the sheer political power of young people — both in primary and general elections. The youth vote ultimately made the difference in the general election with 50% of young people (18-29 years old) voting in the 2020 presidential election, up 11% from 2016. 

Already this cycle, Sunrise helped power Greg Casar to a win with nearly 60% of the vote in a crowded primary in TX-35, and proved people power can overcome big money in PA-12 with Summer Lee’s victory. Sunrise Movement also helped Squad members win their primaries across the country. Despite the millions of dark money SuperPACs getting involved in these races, Sunrise made over 1 million voter contacts this cycle already.