By the Ballot
@bytheballot.bsky.social
Weekly Substack from the New South’s next generation of Democrats about stances, tactics, and news on the Left. Subscribe: https://www.bytheballot.com/
We’re fighting for eyeballs in a world of short attention spans.
But persuasion now happens in earbuds, not on TV screens.
Why digital audio is the most overlooked weapon in modern campaigning → www.bytheballot.com/p/your-ears-...
But persuasion now happens in earbuds, not on TV screens.
Why digital audio is the most overlooked weapon in modern campaigning → www.bytheballot.com/p/your-ears-...
Your Ears Should Be Ringing
Digital Audio is the most underutilized method for political ads.
www.bytheballot.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
We’re fighting for eyeballs in a world of short attention spans.
But persuasion now happens in earbuds, not on TV screens.
Why digital audio is the most overlooked weapon in modern campaigning → www.bytheballot.com/p/your-ears-...
But persuasion now happens in earbuds, not on TV screens.
Why digital audio is the most overlooked weapon in modern campaigning → www.bytheballot.com/p/your-ears-...
JD Vance is the glossy PR version of a Silicon Valley–built Christian Nationalist ideology and that’s exactly why it’s dangerous.
Check out our conversation feat Chuck Corra from Appodlachia: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
Check out our conversation feat Chuck Corra from Appodlachia: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
November 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM
JD Vance is the glossy PR version of a Silicon Valley–built Christian Nationalist ideology and that’s exactly why it’s dangerous.
Check out our conversation feat Chuck Corra from Appodlachia: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
Check out our conversation feat Chuck Corra from Appodlachia: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
Chuck Corra from Appodlachia joined us to talk about a distrubing new movement in Appalachia: Silicon Valley bros are building crypto-based Christian Nationalist towns in Tennessee… with their own “charters” and zero oversight.
This is the new far-right project. www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
This is the new far-right project. www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
November 20, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Chuck Corra from Appodlachia joined us to talk about a distrubing new movement in Appalachia: Silicon Valley bros are building crypto-based Christian Nationalist towns in Tennessee… with their own “charters” and zero oversight.
This is the new far-right project. www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
This is the new far-right project. www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
Just wrote a guest article for Dogwood News on why Dems swept Virginia in 2025 and why governing boldly on affordability is the next step.
Dems stayed focused on economic issues and affordability. Voters backed that vision.
Now it’s time to deliver. Full piece here ⬇️ vadogwood.com/2025/11/18/c...
Dems stayed focused on economic issues and affordability. Voters backed that vision.
Now it’s time to deliver. Full piece here ⬇️ vadogwood.com/2025/11/18/c...
Commentary: The costs of being in the majority
Democrats won on issues of affordability and working-class concerns. Now it’s time to deliver.
vadogwood.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Just wrote a guest article for Dogwood News on why Dems swept Virginia in 2025 and why governing boldly on affordability is the next step.
Dems stayed focused on economic issues and affordability. Voters backed that vision.
Now it’s time to deliver. Full piece here ⬇️ vadogwood.com/2025/11/18/c...
Dems stayed focused on economic issues and affordability. Voters backed that vision.
Now it’s time to deliver. Full piece here ⬇️ vadogwood.com/2025/11/18/c...
We’re trying something new this week: teaming up with Dogwood News.
Michael O'Connor breaks down how unions helped Virginia’s 2025 blue wave — and what Dems might actually deliver now that they control Richmond
Virginia’s labor future is on the line. Read: www.bytheballot.com/p/workers-tu...
Michael O'Connor breaks down how unions helped Virginia’s 2025 blue wave — and what Dems might actually deliver now that they control Richmond
Virginia’s labor future is on the line. Read: www.bytheballot.com/p/workers-tu...
Workers Turned Out. Will Democrats Step Up?
Unions helped Democrats win big — now the question is whether Richmond will deliver for the workers who delivered for them.
www.bytheballot.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:47 PM
We’re trying something new this week: teaming up with Dogwood News.
Michael O'Connor breaks down how unions helped Virginia’s 2025 blue wave — and what Dems might actually deliver now that they control Richmond
Virginia’s labor future is on the line. Read: www.bytheballot.com/p/workers-tu...
Michael O'Connor breaks down how unions helped Virginia’s 2025 blue wave — and what Dems might actually deliver now that they control Richmond
Virginia’s labor future is on the line. Read: www.bytheballot.com/p/workers-tu...
The next Democratic majority won’t come from consultants in D.C.—it’ll come from dirt roads and town halls in Rural America.
New By the Ballot episode: Rural Megaphones.
🎙️ Listen now on By the Ballot: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-mega...
New By the Ballot episode: Rural Megaphones.
🎙️ Listen now on By the Ballot: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-mega...
Rural Megaphones
Democrats Need To Look to the Hills, the Hollers, and the Plains before 2026 and Beyond
www.bytheballot.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:10 PM
The next Democratic majority won’t come from consultants in D.C.—it’ll come from dirt roads and town halls in Rural America.
New By the Ballot episode: Rural Megaphones.
🎙️ Listen now on By the Ballot: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-mega...
New By the Ballot episode: Rural Megaphones.
🎙️ Listen now on By the Ballot: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-mega...
Just bumping this for no particular reason
www.bytheballot.com/p/if-liberal...
www.bytheballot.com/p/if-liberal...
If Liberals Are So F***ing Smart, Why Do They Lose So Goddamn Always?
Honestly.
www.bytheballot.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Just bumping this for no particular reason
www.bytheballot.com/p/if-liberal...
www.bytheballot.com/p/if-liberal...
November 6, 2025 at 2:45 PM
The enthusiasm gap is....palpable.
November 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The enthusiasm gap is....palpable.
Reposted by By the Ballot
Matt Royer’s take on Deciding to Win—what it gets right and how it’s way off base—is an important read. @bytheballot.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...
A Welcomed(?) Response
Thoughts on Welcome’s Deciding to Win
open.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Matt Royer’s take on Deciding to Win—what it gets right and how it’s way off base—is an important read. @bytheballot.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...
Another centrist report telling Democrats to “run to the middle”? Hard pass.
If we want to win, we need to fight like we mean it — for working people, for bold change, and for our values.
New on By the Ballot: A Welcomed(?) Response →
If we want to win, we need to fight like we mean it — for working people, for bold change, and for our values.
New on By the Ballot: A Welcomed(?) Response →
A Welcomed(?) Response
Thoughts on Welcome’s Deciding to Win
www.bytheballot.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Another centrist report telling Democrats to “run to the middle”? Hard pass.
If we want to win, we need to fight like we mean it — for working people, for bold change, and for our values.
New on By the Ballot: A Welcomed(?) Response →
If we want to win, we need to fight like we mean it — for working people, for bold change, and for our values.
New on By the Ballot: A Welcomed(?) Response →
Reposted by By the Ballot
Evangelical figures like Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell blurred the lines between faith and Republican politics, convincing followers that to be a “good Christian” is to be a conservative.
More on this 👇
🚨 New piece: The Regressive Evangelism of America, Part 2
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
The Regressive Evangelism of America Part 2: Country Before God
How the White Christian Nationalists have forever married the Church and State through American Exceptionalism.
www.bytheballot.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Evangelical figures like Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell blurred the lines between faith and Republican politics, convincing followers that to be a “good Christian” is to be a conservative.
More on this 👇
Once again, the WaPo Editorial Board missing the point. The crux of this has nothing to do with NIMBYISM or the WH changing itself (this has happened many times). It has to do with the fact that this is in the middle of the Gov't shutdown without approval.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Once again, the WaPo Editorial Board missing the point. The crux of this has nothing to do with NIMBYISM or the WH changing itself (this has happened many times). It has to do with the fact that this is in the middle of the Gov't shutdown without approval.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
🚨 New piece: The Regressive Evangelism of America, Part 2
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
The Regressive Evangelism of America Part 2: Country Before God
How the White Christian Nationalists have forever married the Church and State through American Exceptionalism.
www.bytheballot.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM
🚨 New piece: The Regressive Evangelism of America, Part 2
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
How White Christian Nationalists warped history, married Church & State, and weaponized American exceptionalism — from Eisenhower & Billy Graham to Reagan, Falwell, and today’s GOP.
👉 www.bytheballot.com/p/the-regres...
Democrats keep asking how to win rural voters. The answer: show up.
New Rural Virginia joins By the Ballot to talk rural campaigns, real issues, and why young rural Dems are building power across Virginia.
🎧 Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
New Rural Virginia joins By the Ballot to talk rural campaigns, real issues, and why young rural Dems are building power across Virginia.
🎧 Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
October 25, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Democrats keep asking how to win rural voters. The answer: show up.
New Rural Virginia joins By the Ballot to talk rural campaigns, real issues, and why young rural Dems are building power across Virginia.
🎧 Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
New Rural Virginia joins By the Ballot to talk rural campaigns, real issues, and why young rural Dems are building power across Virginia.
🎧 Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
The rural vote isn’t red by default.
In this episode, I talk with Larry Wohlers & Parson Brown from New Rural Virginia about how rural candidates can win by focusing on what really matters: jobs, cost of living, & community.
🎙️ Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
In this episode, I talk with Larry Wohlers & Parson Brown from New Rural Virginia about how rural candidates can win by focusing on what really matters: jobs, cost of living, & community.
🎙️ Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
October 23, 2025 at 1:45 PM
The rural vote isn’t red by default.
In this episode, I talk with Larry Wohlers & Parson Brown from New Rural Virginia about how rural candidates can win by focusing on what really matters: jobs, cost of living, & community.
🎙️ Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
In this episode, I talk with Larry Wohlers & Parson Brown from New Rural Virginia about how rural candidates can win by focusing on what really matters: jobs, cost of living, & community.
🎙️ Listen now: www.bytheballot.com/p/rural-rami...
Voters don’t cast ballots with their hearts or brains—they vote with their wallets. Democrats: stop chasing GOP culture wars. Focus on housing, healthcare, wages, food on the table. It’s still the economy, stupid. 💸 #ItsTheEconomy
it’s still the economy, stupid
and it’s completely different, but it’s still the economy
www.bytheballot.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Voters don’t cast ballots with their hearts or brains—they vote with their wallets. Democrats: stop chasing GOP culture wars. Focus on housing, healthcare, wages, food on the table. It’s still the economy, stupid. 💸 #ItsTheEconomy
Reposted by By the Ballot
It begs the question:
If they’re this against the anti-fascists, what does that make them?
If they’re this against the anti-fascists, what does that make them?
Trump is manufacturing a new enemy — “Antifa” — to justify using the full power of the government against the Left.
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
The Antifa Straw Men Distraction
How the Trump Administration is Building a Case Against the Left Using False Pretenses
www.bytheballot.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:18 PM
It begs the question:
If they’re this against the anti-fascists, what does that make them?
If they’re this against the anti-fascists, what does that make them?
Trump is manufacturing a new enemy — “Antifa” — to justify using the full power of the government against the Left.
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
The Antifa Straw Men Distraction
How the Trump Administration is Building a Case Against the Left Using False Pretenses
www.bytheballot.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Trump is manufacturing a new enemy — “Antifa” — to justify using the full power of the government against the Left.
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
This isn’t about law and order. It’s about power and punishment.
If they’re against the anti-fascists… what does that make them?
Read more: www.bytheballot.com/p/the-antifa...
Republicans didn’t just “get lucky.” They built power from the bottom up — stacking statehouses, courts, & school boards while Dems obsessed over D.C. If we want to win long term, state legislatures are where the fight is. 🗳️🏛️ www.bytheballot.com/p/the-bottom...
The Bottom Up Approach
Why State Legislatures are way more critical than Congress
www.bytheballot.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Republicans didn’t just “get lucky.” They built power from the bottom up — stacking statehouses, courts, & school boards while Dems obsessed over D.C. If we want to win long term, state legislatures are where the fight is. 🗳️🏛️ www.bytheballot.com/p/the-bottom...
Anyone from the MAGA Camp when they see the boot coming
October 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Anyone from the MAGA Camp when they see the boot coming
How is this acceptable behavior from the Attorney General of the United States?
DURBIN: You won't even say whether you talked to the WH about this?
BONDI: I'm not going to discuss any internal conversations with you
D: They're going to transfer TX Guard troops to the state of Illinois. What's the rationale?
B: I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump
BONDI: I'm not going to discuss any internal conversations with you
D: They're going to transfer TX Guard troops to the state of Illinois. What's the rationale?
B: I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump
October 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
How is this acceptable behavior from the Attorney General of the United States?
Reposted by By the Ballot
The Republican laser focus on Trans issues is continuing to backfire as a new Emerson Poll shows that less than a third of voters considering it most important and less than half consider it important at all.
But would you look at that: Economy is at the top:
But would you look at that: Economy is at the top:
October 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The Republican laser focus on Trans issues is continuing to backfire as a new Emerson Poll shows that less than a third of voters considering it most important and less than half consider it important at all.
But would you look at that: Economy is at the top:
But would you look at that: Economy is at the top:
We’re still spending nearly HALF of political ad budgets on broadcast TV — when 82% of Americans are streaming. No wonder we’re losing the media war. 📺➡️📱 #DigitalFirst #Democrats
We Gotta Stop Buying So Much Broadcast TV
Time to roll with the changes.
open.substack.com
October 6, 2025 at 1:10 PM
We’re still spending nearly HALF of political ad budgets on broadcast TV — when 82% of Americans are streaming. No wonder we’re losing the media war. 📺➡️📱 #DigitalFirst #Democrats