Celebrating When We Can

Before I pour a taste of Bulleit Rye and ponder the year since Election Day ’16, there’s some good news to consider. Like Loomis (and many others), I’m elated that Ed Gillespie got bulldozed in the Virginia gubernatorial race today. (While I don’t find Phil Murphy at all interesting, I guess I’m glad that a Democrat is replacing Chris Christie.)

It’s also worth highlighting just how many progressive victories there were further down the ticket, there and beyond.

Former Marine Lee Carter, who was all but left for dead as “too far left,” won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, unseating one of the House’s top Republicans.

Larry Krasner, “a longtime civil rights attorney who has sued the police department scores of times and opposes the death penalty,” is now Philadelphia’s top prosecutor.

And it seems especially notable that we saw key victories tonight in which transgender people won seats. The two biggest stories here: 1) Danica Roem’s victory over Bob Marshall, to capture another seat on the VA House of Delegates. Roem becomes the first trans person to serve in a state legislature. 2) Andrea Jenkins wins a seat on the Minneapolis City Council, becoming the first trans woman of color to serve in public office. (I realize that there is a temptation to think of City Council races as not especially important. But remember that this is, functionally speaking, the same level of office that Harvey Milk held, despite the imperfections in my comparison.)

Anyway, Election Day last year was an unmitigated disaster. The year since has been punishing in the extreme. Let’s appreciate the good things when they show their face.