I missed Thursday Night Dinner last night, but heard back that folks there wanted to know more about why I so enthusiastically support Satana Deberry for NC Attorney General. Here’s the email I sent to them before going to sleep last night:
Satana's motivations for running are deeply rooted in her lived experiences - as a Black woman who grew up in Hamlet, a person who has gone through childbirth and raised daughters to adulthood, a sister who can never take for granted that her brothers will make it through the day without being assaulted because they "fit the description" of a suspect or simply "didn't fit" the neighborhood.
With Satana, I have total confidence that the priorities she'll set, the positions she'll take, and arguments she'll make as NC attorney general will be consistent with her core values, without regard for how those actions might affect her political career - because she's not a career politician. Rather, she's a progressive advocate who's willing to enter the political arena because of what she can accomplish there.
She also happens to be one of the smartest people I know - and, y'all know I'm surrounded by exceptionally bright folks. But Satana: she's freaking brilliant - and if I can have an off-the-charts smart person who shares my values as my state attorney general, that's what I want! She's my top choice for the job, hands down.
What if I had to choose someone else? The truth is, I know of several NC attorneys who I'd prefer over Jeff Jackson for this job - as with Satana, because their values more closely align with mine, and their experiences better prepare them for the job than his.
I say this with tremendous respect for Jeff's ability to engage everyday people with the goings on of the legislative bodies in which he's served. Yes, he's a talented communicator - and if he was applying to lead the communications arm of the office of the state attorney general, I'd see the argument for hiring him.
But I truly do not see anything that qualifies him more than a whole lot of other attorneys for the position of AG - and, in private conversations, the attorneys with whom I've discussed this all agree with my analysis. Jeff is a moderate Democratic politician; Satana is a progressive judicial leader. There's no question she's the one I want to serve as Attorney General.
I'll add that I believe the Democratic party desperately needs Satana on the statewide ticket to help with voter turnout among demographics that are essential to winning - Black voters, young voters, and progressive voters in particular.
Primaries have plenty of persuadable voters (I'm not just writing this for the sake of conversation, y'all). General elections, not so much. That makes turnout the key to winning. We need a Black progressive candidate high up on the ticket to help with turnout - and in this field of Democratic candidates attorney general is the highest office for which we have such an option.
I hope you’ll join me in voting for Satana Deberry for NC AG!
Tomorrow - Saturday, March 2nd - is your last chance to vote early in the NC primaries. If you haven’t registered to vote yet, you can do so at any of your county’s early voting locations ONLY during the early voting period (read: if you wait until Tuesday, you’ll be out of luck). REMEMBER TO BRING PHOTO ID in order to vote.
NC residents, here are some quick links to help you find your voting locations:
For early voting on Saturday, you can go to any location in your county.
To vote on Tuesday, March 5th - our primary date - you MUST go to your assigned precinct polling site, which you can find on the NC Board of Elections website HERE.
I agree with most of what you said. I don’t think Jeff Jackson is a great match for AG but would be superb in a role like the one he was just gerrymandered out of. Yet I voted for Jeff Jackson for AG because I think it is plausible that he can beat Dan Bishop and unlikely that a strong progressive like Deberry can in a state like ours.