For everything you've done this year, thank you

By Chris Redfern on 01/4/2012 @ 10:19 AM

2010 was a tough year for Democrats, but during 2011 we stood together and fought back against John Kasich's assault on the middle class.

We rallied against Senate Bill 5, at the Statehouse in the bitter cold, and collected more than a million signatures and spread the word to friends and neighbors.

On November 8, thanks to your incredible efforts, we made history and sent a clear message to Gov. Kasich that we won't stand for attacks on our middle class.

The victory would not have been possible without the energy, dedication and commitment of our volunteers. No amount of corporate, special interest money could possibly have overcome the grassroots organization that you helped build.

It was an amazing night for Democrats and an even bigger victory for families across the state.

But we didn’t stop there. We set our sights on the Republicans’ voter suppression law – which would have disenfranchised the most vulnerable Ohioans – and collected half a million signatures to put it on next year’s ballot. This November we’ll stop it for good.

And just last month, thanks to the pressure you put on Ohio Republicans to create a better, fairer congressional map, we reached a compromise on a new map that saved taxpayers at least $15 million.

The new map is not anything to be thrilled about. But it does make some districts a little more competitive, it does increase minority influence and it does hold together many communities that were sliced apart under the Republicans’ original plan. Were it not for your efforts, none of these changes would have been possible.

So in ringing in the New Year, I wish to offer you my sincerest thanks for your help in this effort and for all that you have done in the past year. Whether it was to save worker rights, to protect voting rights or to fight gerrymandering, supporters like you have done whatever we have asked and worked tirelessly to achieve one victory after another.

But while we celebrate our victories in 2011, you and I know that our work isn’t over. We need to carry forward the momentum from this past year to make sure we elect leaders up and down the ticket who will stand up for Ohio’s middle class.

Based on everything we’ve achieved together already, I know we can keep winning this fight. Thank you again for your support.

Chris Redfern

Chairman, Ohio Democratic Party