I have worked on campaigns for more than 30 years. I’ve represented presidential candidates who won and who lost, as well as candidates in Senate, House and gubernatorial races, in their moments of greatest joy, deepest despair and greatest uncertainty.

Elections are not won or lost in one night. They are the product of campaigns, cultural shifts, referendums on those in power and hopes for the future. But they are also the result of voting laws and rules.

If there is one lesson from 2026, it is that the rules of voting matter as much as anything else.

Donald Trump spent countless hours and taxpayer dollars trying to rig the rules to hold on to power. The Department of Justice systematically attacked our elections through lawsuits, intimidation and lies.

In the end, they failed, because lawyers litigated, election workers did their jobs and the American people voted.

Sadly, the legacy media largely ignored the real stakes of these long, hard-fought legal battles to protect voters and voting rights in the midterm elections.

Their coverage focused on the horse race and on who stood to benefit from each challenge. It ignored the question of right and wrong: Trump was trying to undo democracy, while those of us fighting back were working to protect it.

I am proud that Democracy Docket never shied away from these fights, and I am grateful that you were right there with us.

I started Democracy Docket in 2020 because the legacy media was failing to cover the onslaught of GOP attacks on free and fair elections. Today, more than 500,000 readers turn to us for news about what’s happening in the courts.

Throughout the midterm elections, from the gerrymandering battles to the post-election litigation, Democracy Docket’s team worked around the clock to bring you up-to-date news and analysis about efforts to subvert election results and disenfranchise voters.

No one followed the Justice Department’s lawsuits attacking our voting system more closely, and no other outlet provided the same depth of analysis.

I did my part, too.

In addition to my day job as a lawyer in these fights, I wrote essays and provided breaking news analysis on a near-daily basis through livestreams, during which I answered your questions.

That’s because Democracy Docket has never been a one-way platform. Speaking with you and hearing your feedback has always been a priority.

Our work is far from over. In many ways, the hardest part is still ahead. Ballots are still being tabulated, certification is ongoing and legal challenges remain.

Democracy Docket is on the ground in Mississippi, and we are watching and reporting on close elections around the country.

Though the work continues, we could not have gotten through this moment without you. Your messages inspire me, your optimism motivates me and your support keeps this work going.

That’s why I am asking you to become a Premium member

Our members keep Democracy Docket’s website and podcasts free for everyone. Free content is core to our mission, which makes our Premium members essential. They powered us through the midterms, and they will power us through what comes next.

Premium members also receive my written analysis and invitations to members-only events. If you read my analysis while our paywall was down during the midterms, you already know what that includes.

If you’re not able to become a Premium member right now, I understand. As always, thank you for being a subscriber and reader. But if you do upgrade, I would deeply appreciate it.

Our work together is just beginning, and I’m honored to have you by my side during this new dawn for our democracy.