Sarah Longwell

So in many ways, it's prepared me for this moment because it's allowed me to understand where so many people right now in this moment are, feeling like you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, feeling like you are unsure whether our politics could ever work for you.

So in many ways, it's prepared me for this moment because it's allowed me to understand where so many people right now in this moment are, feeling like you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, feeling like you are unsure whether our politics could ever work for you.

But it has also left me, I think, fundamentally still hopeful because I have been able to bear witness to change that once seemed so impossible to me as a kid that it was almost incomprehensible, not only become possible, become a reality. Now, this is not the moment that I would have hoped to be entering Congress in. I hoped to be entering Congress –

But it has also left me, I think, fundamentally still hopeful because I have been able to bear witness to change that once seemed so impossible to me as a kid that it was almost incomprehensible, not only become possible, become a reality. Now, this is not the moment that I would have hoped to be entering Congress in. I hoped to be entering Congress –

at a time where we would be doing what I was able to do in the Delaware State Senate, which was pass paid family and medical leave and expand access to childcare and make healthcare more affordable. And obviously, that's not the reality that I'm entering in writ large. And then specifically, I'm entering in what is truly a perfect storm for a person like me. It's been hard. It's been...

at a time where we would be doing what I was able to do in the Delaware State Senate, which was pass paid family and medical leave and expand access to childcare and make healthcare more affordable. And obviously, that's not the reality that I'm entering in writ large. And then specifically, I'm entering in what is truly a perfect storm for a person like me. It's been hard. It's been...

disheartening to see that so much of success in Congress on the other side of the aisle is purely defined by attention, not attention in pursuit of progress, but just attention for attention's sake. And obviously it's been hard personally to be on the receiving end of pretty sustained disinformation, misinformation, aggression,

disheartening to see that so much of success in Congress on the other side of the aisle is purely defined by attention, not attention in pursuit of progress, but just attention for attention's sake. And obviously it's been hard personally to be on the receiving end of pretty sustained disinformation, misinformation, aggression,

But I think it's also strengthened my resolve because I feel like these people cannot win. And despite the ups and the downs, and I know this sounds cliche and I know it sounds trite, but I am genuinely in awe. Like I am genuinely in awe that I have the privilege of being there. I am... I'm so grateful to Delaware.

But I think it's also strengthened my resolve because I feel like these people cannot win. And despite the ups and the downs, and I know this sounds cliche and I know it sounds trite, but I am genuinely in awe. Like I am genuinely in awe that I have the privilege of being there. I am... I'm so grateful to Delaware.

And every time I'm back in Delaware, the love that people envelop me with, in contrast to some of the experiences I have in Congress, just it fills my tank and rejuvenates my energy and it makes me fall more deeply in love with my state. And it allows me, I think, to defend them even more ferociously and persistently. And, you know...

And every time I'm back in Delaware, the love that people envelop me with, in contrast to some of the experiences I have in Congress, just it fills my tank and rejuvenates my energy and it makes me fall more deeply in love with my state. And it allows me, I think, to defend them even more ferociously and persistently. And, you know...

When you are there, I remember when I went on the floor for the first time. And it is that the air is heavy with history. And I do genuinely think back to all of the challenges that my predecessors have faced. And you cannot tell me that the reasons for hopelessness now are greater than the reasons for hopelessness then.

When you are there, I remember when I went on the floor for the first time. And it is that the air is heavy with history. And I do genuinely think back to all of the challenges that my predecessors have faced. And you cannot tell me that the reasons for hopelessness now are greater than the reasons for hopelessness then.

Yes and no. I think that this is obviously an existential moment. There is very real risk that this country backslides into perhaps at best an illiberal democracy. And I also think we have to recognize that the way to stop that is to change public opinion. And we have limited levers at our disposal, but we still have the lever of public opinion.

Yes and no. I think that this is obviously an existential moment. There is very real risk that this country backslides into perhaps at best an illiberal democracy. And I also think we have to recognize that the way to stop that is to change public opinion. And we have limited levers at our disposal, but we still have the lever of public opinion.

And I do think that there are lessons from our politics that remain true in how we change public opinion. Because I think one problem that we have had over the last several years, and look, we are not in this moment because of us. We are in this moment because of Donald Trump and a sustained right-wing disinformation and misinformation campaign.

And I do think that there are lessons from our politics that remain true in how we change public opinion. Because I think one problem that we have had over the last several years, and look, we are not in this moment because of us. We are in this moment because of Donald Trump and a sustained right-wing disinformation and misinformation campaign.

And I also think over the last few years, we as a party, as a progressive movement, lost the art of social change. We became so consumed with being pure and right. We rightfully responded to the abuse of people's grace, but we overcorrected and we eliminated grace from our politics. And I think that We have to recognize that in order to stop this, we have to win people back over.

And I also think over the last few years, we as a party, as a progressive movement, lost the art of social change. We became so consumed with being pure and right. We rightfully responded to the abuse of people's grace, but we overcorrected and we eliminated grace from our politics. And I think that We have to recognize that in order to stop this, we have to win people back over.