Panic Decision Matrix
This is a page for anyone who still wants to do something, anything to help in the November election. Answer the questions below and follow the arrows to figure out the appropriate place to give money.
Q. Do you want to feel better or help people win?
A. I just want to feel better!
⇒ Go give to any candidate you like! Repeat as necessary! Or just press this button:
B. I want to be effective!
Okay. Can you handle giving to state races, or is that too small potatoes?
A. It's got to be Federal.
⇒ Right. Give to these five rural House campaigns. They will indirectly help bring in votes for competitive Senate campaigns that can't usefully absorb any more money in direct donations.
B. Take me downballot!
Fantastic! That's even more helpful. A couple more questions:
Q. Who do you want to help most?
A. I want to help everyone I can!
⇒ Okay, here is a list of over forty state house candidates, each more competitive than the last, running in winnable districts in states that are also Presidential swing states. If that's not enough, check out the even more comprehensive lists at SwingLeft.
B. I want to help the neediest candidates!
⇒ I condensed the list above into a top 10 list of candidates who can most use the money. I update it once a day based on fundraising totals.
C. I want to focus on a particular state!
Okay! Pick a state:
- Pennsylvania (9 seats to win state house)
- Iowa (5 seats to win state house)
- Florida (14 seats to win state house, expand medicaid, let ex-felons vote)
- Arizona (2 seats to win state house, 3 for state senate)
- North Carolina (6 seats to win state house)
- Minnesota (2 seats to win state senate)
- Texas (9 seats to win state house)
- Michigan (4 seats for state house)
- Wisconsin (3 seats to win state senate)
D. I want to help Biden/Harris!
⇒ Give to state candidates in Pennsylvania and Florida, two must-win states for Trump, as well as North Carolina, a Trump-leaning state where we have a real chance to win.
E. I want a Democratic Senate majority!
⇒ Do not give to senate races, which are overfunded. Help the five rural House candidates on the Great Slate, and donate to Iowa, North Carolina, and Arizona state candidates to maximize turnout.
F: I'm tired of boom/bust fundraising at the last minute and want to build capacity.
⇒ Put your money aside and donate it to promising local and state campaigns in 2021, when fundraising shrinks almost to nothing, and your donation will have enormous impact.
G: I want transformative change!
⇒ See F above. Get active in 2021 to get real change on the next ballot.
H: I want socialism!
⇒ Get a job, hippie.
I: I want to give my all my money to consultants and Facebook!
⇒ Give to the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee or the full list of Senate races!
J: I want to read a long blog post that says the same thing as this page!
I wrote just such a blog post last month.
— Maciej Cegłowski, October 2020