If you ever wondered what GOP gerrymandering looks like in red states with blue cities, I present:

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

GOP: crazy la-la liberal anarcho-goose-herding Nancy Pelosi Joe Biden, don't worry "real" Americans love what we're doing TN Voters: D+19 shift GOP: ah well, you see 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮. (shamelessly repackaging @pleasebegneiss.bsky.social)

Hey look! It’s my district!

Yep, this is exactly right

To reiterate, we’re talking a D+19 shift in TENNESSEE, a state which Trump won by almost 30 points A YEAR AGO (last year Trump won CD-07 by 22 points and scandal-plagued Mark Green won CD-07 by 21.5 points)

I think a narrow R win is likely here, but that would be a result that should and will spark massive panic among House Republicans and probably kill the gerrymandering push in most red states.

Worth noting that it's not like @aftynbehn.bsky.social is anything like Joe Manchin or Kyrsten Sinema -- she's an actual progressive and WE CAN WIN AS PROGRESSIVES IN THE SOUTH. We just need more resources, sustained focus, and organizing. This is a lesson -- help us take back the South!

this is the one

We have the early vote from 8 counties so far in #TN07, and the results are consistent with a big overperformance by Democrats... but as to how close the race will be, the major caveat is that the GOP tends to be stronger on Election Day votes.

TN CD-07 election returns: Secretary of State is usually the fastest, but Davidson County Election Commission may get Nashville vote reported first. No vote yet reported in Nashville (which will heavily influence the outcome). www.elections.tn.gov/county-break... www.nashville.gov/departments/...

Seriously, neighbors — THERE IS STILL *LOTS* OF TIME TO VOTE and now you have yet another awesome reason to get out there and use your plastic coffee stirrer to hit the TOUCHSCREEN for DEMOCRACY (i.e., vote for @aftynbehn.bsky.social)

What up CD-07!! It's Election Day! Make your voices heard until 7:00pm. We'll have our poll observers our in the field making sure every vote is counted. Call the voter protection hotline to report any issues at the polls: 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

Hearing that lines are full in Davidson and Williamson County this morning in the District 7 special election contest between @aftynbehn.bsky.social and Matt Van Epps. Get out there and VOTE, people! Proud to be a part of @organizetn.bsky.social who has poll observers in the field. #Democracy #CD07

conveniently located across from the coat bath, so that's good

I forget every year about the Cat Kirk / Human Kirk storyline in “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” and it is ABSOLUTELY THE BEST. Maybe my favorite #GilmoreGirls episode of all time. Happy Thanksgiving!

If you want a functional #democracy, you need a functional legislative branch. #ProportionalRepresentation is the way to get there

With the deployments in LA, D.C., Portland, and Memphis, the difference between the military and law enforcement--i.e., legal authority, training, and rules of engagement--is critical. My colleagues at @protectdemocracy.org have put together an excellent guide: protectdemocracy.org/work/why-the...

This is an excellent thread documenting the straight up lies, mischaracterizations, exaggerations, and other tactics DHS and Bovino are employing to try to gaslight Judge Ellis, Chicagoans, the press, and the rest of America.

Shot: bsky.app/profile/chri... Chaser: bsky.app/profile/kenw...

republicans: dems are just cherry picking from the epstein files “ok release the files” republicans: ah well, you see 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

This is a huge deal, and I’m so proud of @protectdemocracy.org for taking on this case. It may seem obscure, but the ramifications of this case are absolutely fundamental to the separation of powers and how our government and democracy operate. Proud to be with such an incredible team.

VICTORY: Judge Ellis granted the most powerful rebuke of the Trump admin’s immigration enforcement tactics yet — a preliminary injunction to more permanently stop the violent and lawless tactics federal agents have deployed against protestors, press, and clergy in the Chicago area.

Excellent coverage of the preliminary injunction my colleagues at @protectdemocracy.org helped obtain just now protecting the First Amendment rights of protesters and the press in Chicago. Could not be more proud of the work we’re doing!

A growing coalition is calling on WeGo to freeze fares during the lapse in SNAP benefits. Riders shouldn’t have to choose between going to the food bank and going to a Metro agency to get a bus pass. Let’s make transit a lifeline, not a burden. Add your name or org: docs.google.com/forms/d/1sPu...

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works and Pokémon go to the polls.

Any serious future for democracy in America requires us to get rid of single-member districts. It is the only long-term solution to this nonsense.

1000+ people arrested thus far by Trump's Memphis task force, but no agency involved would tell us who these people are or the charges they face. DOJ, for one, cited "operational security" in declining to release arrestee identities. tennesseelookout.com/2025/10/21/t... @tennesseelookout.com

Cry havoc and let slip the hogs of war

Once again incredibly proud of my @protectdemocracy.org colleagues and our partners (including @loevy.com, ACLU of Illinois, and others) in protecting the First Amendment right to protest and ensuring the safety of protestors and journalists covering the operations of ICE and DHS in Illinois.

Extraordinarily proud of my @protectdemocracy.org colleagues and all our incredible partners for filing suit today to protect our First Amendment rights. Mass mobilization, peaceful protest, and continued solidarity is the way out of the authoritarian mess we're in right now. #Democracy

[at Orange Julius in the mall, whispering to myself] well I'm an officer of THIS court, anyway

Mr. Mayor, can we get a COYBIG from you on this most auspicious of evenings? We’ll check back about the parade later 👍 #EveryoneN 🦞 @freddieoconnell.bsky.social cc: @scavendish.bsky.social @whittlz.bsky.social

I have somehow stumbled onto random Gilmore Girls discourse and it has made my night

Would a Xenomorph wear a mask Like or Like This This

Oh wow, could you imagine if we got the Colbert Report back??

@freddieoconnell.bsky.social Mr. Mayor, can we get your position on a victory parade for Nashville SC if they defeat Austin FC for the Open Cup on October 1st? A first professional sports trophy for Nashville would deserve a celebration, no? cc: @scavendish.bsky.social 🦞

Pastor Mike bringing it this morning at the @organizetn.bsky.social Democracy Summit about the fight between lies and the truth about why our democracy is crumbling and the importance of organizing people, resources, and ideas #democracy

@thomaszimmer.bsky.social's analysis of the danger of the Administration seizing on this as a Reichstag fire moment (plus the discussion of the assassination of a German diplomat in 1938 leading to Kristallnacht) is a very compelling frame. Highly recommended read. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Coming up tomorrow! Still time to register! #democracy

Hell yeah! @ianbassin.bsky.social is always a great guest -- highly recommend.

An addendum to this: The current majority on the Supreme Court either believes that the Democrats will never win the House, Senate, and Presidency again... OR ...they believe (maybe correctly?) that the Democratic party, even if they do win a trifecta, won't do anything about the Court.

The Supreme Court: How dare you use race?!?! Race is ANATHEMA -- you can't use it as a factor in school assignment or in college admissions, and because racism has been fixed, the Voting Rights Act is now unconstitutional. BUT ALSO just kidding ICE can racially profile people for immigration stops.

For those asking, my American Revolution lecture course is free online here: oyc.yale.edu/history/hist...

adding "doctors" to the list of professions that, alongside judges and lawyers, have so far given a good account of themselves under authoritarianism

A man, near the White House, who describes himself as a "retired disabled combat veteran," after burning an American flag tells bystanders "I am being detained because I expressed my First Amendment rights."

In an increasingly hostile environment, nonprofits need to understand the threats facing them and start preparing before they become targets. Visit our hub for orgs to equip themselves against political intimidation. Explore the resources → https://protdem.org/NonprofitInvestigationsToolkit

We've been waiting for some time to see how the Trump Administration will try to interfere with the 2026 mid-terms. For all the folks out there who have been saying "if the mid-terms even happen," respectfully, it's more difficult than that. #democracy #authoritarianism /1

This exactly — public, unified, mass pushback is the way. Not panic; not dismissing it as a stunt; but taking it seriously as another in a long line of illegal and authoritarian attempted power grabs which we must oppose at the local, state, and national levels.