Tennessee’s future depends on you.
The Stakes: High
The Tennessee Republican supermajority rules with an iron fist and a mobster mentality.
They intimidate their opponents and rig the rules to favor themselves – and to keep you quiet. But here’s their dirty little secret: their power depends on our inaction – and the despair that comes from feeling like there’s nothing we can do.
But now, they have a problem: Blue Tennessee
The Strategy: Show Up Everywhere
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. For too long, too many statehouse races have gone uncontested and unsupported. Democrats in these districts feel abandoned, ignored… forgotten. Meanwhile, GOP nominees get free passes.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Working together, we can show up and fight for Tennessee.
The Solution: You
By joining Blue Tennessee, you become part of a community of thousands of people who refuse to stay quiet, and who understand we are fighting for the future of Tennessee. We can win that fight, if we work together.
No more unsupported races. No more forgotten voters. No more free passes for the GOP.
You can make that happen. Starting right now.
How Blue Tennessee Works
Think of us as crowdfunders – for Tennessee’s Democratic nominees for state legislature.
We make it easy for you to join thousands of other people and crowdsource democracy – supporting our nominees for a few dollars a month (which, these days, is less than you might spend on a fancy cup of coffee). And, as a monthly program, you just set it and forget it, knowing that you’re doing your part – no matter what else you have going on.
You
By joining Blue Tennessee, you’re making sure every down-ballot Democrat across TN has support – without breaking a sweat. Kicking in a few bucks a month is doable, and powerful, over the long term.
+ Thousands Like You
Thousands of people just like you want a Blue Tennessee too, and understand that chipping in a few dollars a month (our average is $14/mo) is a small price to pay to protect democracy. Together, you’re amassing power to support Democrats in every corner of the state.
= Massive People Power
After the primary, Blue Tennessee distributes community funds directly to the Democratic state legislative nominees who need your help the most. And you rest easy, knowing that you are part of the solution. Job done.
Blue Tennessee's Bottom-Up Bathtub Model
Blue TN funds the races that are usually left behind using our unique “bottom-up bathtub” model. After the Democratic primary, we use campaign finance filings to determine what nominees have the fewest resources. Then we distribute community funds first to those nominees who have raised the least – raising everyone’s “water level” and making sure that every nominee has a base level of support.
How Blue Tennessee Helps
We have the data to prove it.
(C’mon, we’re Democrats. Of course we did a study!)
Running Nominees Matters
Just having a nominee for state house on the ballot increases the vote share for the top of the ticket by 1.5%.
But in 2022, 25 TN statehouse districts had no Democratic nominee on the ballot.
Over 1.7 million Tennesseans live in those 25 districts.
Districts with no Democratic nominee
Tennesseans in Districts with no nominee
Funding Nominees Matters
There’s more: Funding nominees boosts turnout, too. In fact, funding a challenger at $0.36 per eligible voter increases turnout by 1%.
But in 2022, another 24 Districts had less than $0.36 per eligible voter. Those nominees were underfunded – averaging just $4,835 to reach 70,000 people.
Those 24 Districts include another 1.68 million Tennesseans, who probably didn’t hear from their cash-strapped Democratic nominee.
Underfunded Districts
Tennesseans in Districts with an underfunded nominee
Running Funded Nominees = Massive, Data-Backed Impact
That’s over 3,398,000 Tennesseans left behind – either because they didn’t have the option to vote for a Democrat for state legislature, or because the nominee didn’t have what they needed to run a real campaign.
If we don’t run supported nominees in every district, we are leaving votes on the table.
Tennesseans Left Behind
Here’s the good news:
Reaching those 3.4 million forgotten Tennesseans is as simple as running and supporting Democratic nominees for TN state legislature.
You can help make that happen.
It’s just taken for granted that Republicans are going to run unopposed and win, and when that happens, these places just get written off forever by the entire Democratic machine. When you don’t try, of course, you’re not gonna succeed. And the first step in success is trying, and so I think it’s very important what the mission is here: you are now giving an opportunity to Democrats all around the country and in areas like my hometown.
Tennessee isn’t a red state or even a purple state; we’re a non-voting state. This lack of civic engagement has allowed the supermajority to enforce their agenda with little resistance. If we want to defeat them and restore democracy, Progressive and Democratic candidates need the investment provided by groups like Blue Tennessee. By deploying a “bathtub” strategy, Blue Tennessee is stepping up and providing the resources to not only win today but build the foundation for the future of Tennessee.
Tennessee is full of people who vote for the R or don’t vote at all. The results have been
disastrous, for them and for Tennessee. It will take a lot of boots on the ground and one-on-one conversations to let people of all political stripes know that the current GOP supermajority in Nashville isn’t acting in their interests. Democrats have the winning message—taxation without representation isn’t any more popular now than it was in 1776—but they must get that message out. That requires well-funded campaigns in even the reddest districts. Blue Tennessee is making it happen with a funding model that allows anyone to help in an affordable way.
I ran in a really tough red district in Missouri, and I know one thing: the funding I received for my race made a difference in the message I was able to get out to voters. Funding down-ballot races in red districts is worth it. No seat uncontested.
When people ask me what they can do to turn these states around, I tell them how important it is to support Democratic nominees for state legislature. We’ve got to help the people who are fighting for democracy. Blue Tennessee makes supporting these nominees something we can all do together.
We desperately need groups like Blue TN who understand that the fight against authoritarianism starts at the state level. Whether ending the state’s regressive grocery tax or ensuring the protection and well-being of our LGBTQIA community, our state candidates need the resources necessary to turn out Tennessee voters who care about these issues.
Candidates who run in majority rural districts receive little to no support from the Democratic Party infrastructure. This not only hinders the ability to flip seats and move the needle, it further handicaps candidate recruitment efforts. Candidates who step forward need to know they are stepping up with others having their back. Blue Tennessee’s mission to support every Democratic candidate is a much-needed step in the right direction. There’s so much work to be done in Tennessee and I’m proud to support their mission.
I’m a high school Spanish teacher in East Memphis. After watching my students suffer the consequences of Tennessee’s war on public education, I knew I had to act. My students deserve better! I’m stepping up to challenge my State Representative in order to stop the voucher scam and fully fund ALL neighborhood schools. Raising the necessary funds to run a competitive campaign can be one of the biggest hurdles to running for office for working class candidates like me. Blue Tennessee guarantees a base level of funding to state legislative nominees who could not otherwise afford to run – nominees who will call out incumbents who are selling Tennessee and its children to the highest bidder.
State legislatures are the sweet spot of American politics: large enough for economies of scale but small enough that you win elections by knocking on doors. Ensuring every Democratic nominee for state legislature has the funding they need to run a professional campaign will make all the difference.
What You Get When You Join Blue Tennessee
Membership in the only grassroots community that’s focused on making sure every Democratic nominee for Tennessee state legislature has resources to run a campaign.
If you’re a member at the $10/month level or more, you’re automatically invited to participate in our members-only monthly Team Blue TN calls.
Knowledge – backed up with data – that you are boosting the vote share for the top of the ticket and local turnout, while helping reach the 4.8 million Tennesseans who were left behind in 2022. (See our Washington University study results!).
Pride that no matter what else you have going on, you’re doing something that’s meaningful and impactful.
Peace of mind that you’re fighting for a better future for yourself and your loved ones.
Satisfaction that just by being part of our community you’re telling the Tennessee GOP that you’re on to them. You’re not letting their corruption and lawlessness slide, and you won’t let them sell out your democracy without a fight.
Gratification that you play a role in holding people in
the statehouse accountable.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does supporting down-ballot Tennessee Democrats boost results statewide?
In 2020, we ran a study and found that having a Democratic nominee for state legislature on the ballot increased the vote share for the top of the ticket by 1.5%. We know from a peer-reviewed study of 20 states that funding a challenger at $0.36 per eligible voter adds a whopping 1% boost to voter turnout!
So there's a potential 2.5% bump for the top of the ticket if we run and support a Democratic nominee. Statewide, that leads to massive gains up and down the ticket! Bottom line: we can elect more Democrats. We just need to work together. Ready to get started? We're glad to have you on board. Click here to join>>
Which nominees does Blue Tennessee fund and how?
What are some of the "soft benefits" of running a supported Democratic nominee in every district?
Just by supporting the Democratic nominees that are running for state legislature, TN Democrats can build a bigger bench, build up local Democratic infrastructure, make Republicans fight (and spend) everywhere, and spread a progressive message through a local lens.
If we're serious about reaching voters across all 99 TN Districts (and we are), then supporting the Democrats already doing the hard work is the most efficient and effective way to do it.
How much do most people contribute?
The average is just over $10/month. As an added bonus, everyone who contributes at $10/month is eligible to join our monthly team call! They're always informative and often entertaining – and a great time to ask any questions you have about Tennessee politics.
What do I get for contributing?
Most importantly, you know that you're part of the solution, and you're doing something really powerful every single month. And – if you're contributing at $10/month or above, you're also added to our monthly Blue TN Team call, where we get together on Zoom with our Blue Tennessee family to talk about recent events, progress, and all things TN. All donors are added to our Blue TN Update email.
What does my donation support? How much will Tennessee's Democratic nominees receive?
As a member of Blue Tennessee, your donation supports Tennessee's Democratic nominees – and the community we're building to lift them up. One hundred percent of your donation goes to supporting Democrats in Tennessee; 75% is directly dispersed to the nominees who need it the most using our "bottom-up bathtub" method. The remaining funds support our community's ability to lift up the nominees, build Democratic infrastructure, and flex grassroots muscle.
We're also completely transparent about credit card processing fees. You may not realize it, but entities like ActBlue deduct credit card processing fees from your donation before sending it to candidates. So the candidate you're supporting is getting less than you intended! Not with us – 100% of your donation goes exactly where you intended it to go. So if you want your donation to be $10/month, it is $10/month; the $0.57 in processing fees is added to your donation total for a monthly charge of $10.57. If you want your monthly charge to be a flat $10, no problem – just enter $9.44 into the donation field, and together with the processing fees that will all come out to $10/mo.
We also use a processor, Democracy Engine, LLC, that charges a lower percentage in processing fees. While ActBlue collects 3.95% and Kickstarter keeps 5% on top of processing fees, Democracy Engine collects a 3.75% + $0.20 processing fee.
Are you part of the Tennessee Democratic party?
No. While we support the efforts of the collection of national, state, and local organizations that make up the Democratic Party, we do not coordinate with them. Our goal is to break radical Republican control, support and elect more Tennessee Democrats, and preserve democracy.
Are you doing this kind of project in any other states?
Yes! We have active projects in Ohio, Missouri, and Texas and are hard at working bringing this project to other states that could use the same short-term electoral benefit and long-term investment. (The states on our short list of expansion projects include AZ, GA, MI, NC, PA, and WI. If you are interested in discussing any of those states, we'd love to hear from you. Just send an email to info@everystateblue.org.)
How does guaranteed funding help us run more nominees?
Fundraising is one of the toughest, and most detested, parts of running for office. It's even worse for nominees who are in challenging, conservative districts. Eliminating the fundraising barrier means more people are willing to run, which makes recruitment much easier.
How can I help?
Glad you asked! First, you should join! (Do that HERE.) Second, we need people like you from all over the state (and country) to help spread the word. If everyone who asked this question could get five friends to join, we'd be well on our way to amassing the power that Tennessee Democrats need.
Also: if you would like us to speak to your local group or organization, just reach out to us at info@bluetennessee.org.
When will my subscription end?
Democracy is a long game, and we're in this for the long haul. So unlike most Democratic organizations, we're not focused on any one cycle. Your subscription will continue until you tell us to stop. Just contact us at info@bluetennessee.org at any time. We’re very approachable!
How do I stop or change my recurring donation?
Easy! Just contact us at info@bluetennessee.org at any time. We’re very approachable! (A tech build to create a software application that would allow user-modifiable donations runs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and right now our focus is on fundraising for the nominees rather than fundraising for technology. It was a priority call of ours, and we think it's the right one. Still, that sort of platform is on our radar and wish list for future cycles.)
How do I contact you?
You can contact us at info@bluetennessee.org at any time. We’d love to hear from you.