Fighting Tooth and Nail

On Monday, North Carolinians rallied around NC Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs– the candidate at the center of our country’s last uncertified race from the 2024 election. 

You’ve probably heard the backstory by now. Five months past Election Day, losing North Carolina Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin continues pushing to throw out over 65,000 lawful ballots from the 2024 election in a desperate attempt to rewrite the results of his race. 

A recent ruling may have reduced the number of ballots at risk of being thrown out. But whether it’s one ballot or 65,000, there’s a deeper threat still present to every single voter in North Carolina and across the country. After January 6, and now the attempted steal by Griffin, a disturbing trend is forming: When right-wing extremists lose, they choose to burn the house down rather than concede power. 

This has been an exhausting fight for many of us. The endless stream of legal challenges, news alerts, and ballot cure processes– it’s a lot to manage, a lot to keep up with, a lot to stay motivated for. It would be a lot even if we weren’t simultaneously dealing with MAGA taking a sledgehammer to our health care, our retirement accounts, and our constitutional rights. We’re tired, and we know you are too. 

But that’s why Monday’s rally was so invigorating, because so many people who are tired, who are concerned, who are demoralized by right-wing assaults on our communities, rights, and democratic institutions, still got up early on a Monday morning and stood together to demand better. 

“I promise you, I will not let one single voter slip through the cracks,” Riggs said Monday. The crowd cheered in response, affirming our shared commitment to protecting the rights of our neighbors. 

“This ruling cannot stand and we will fight it tooth and nail,” she continued. “We’re going to fight as long as it takes to protect voters and the rule of law.”

This state of being, of needing to fight, can be exhausting. But the fight itself, for our rights, for our communities, for our future, gives us all a reason to keep going. 

Keep fighting. You may not be able to see it in the present moment, but each rally attended, each letter sent, each phone call made, gives momentum to a much greater mission.

You can learn more about Justice Riggs’ work here, and view resources for impacted voters here.