Florida Contacts + a MAGA Beach Bum

If you happen to be heading to a Florida beach anytime in the near future, you may want to take the opportunity to send a postcard to a Florida politician.  Since it would have a Florida postmark, they'd be more likely to assume it's from a constituent.  Scroll down to see contact info for the FL governor, US senators, and US representatives.

SIDE STORY

Before you scroll, you might find this tale of more money than sense interesting -  If you have been to the Santa Rosa Beach area (Seaside, Sea Grove, Rosemary Beach...) you have probably taken a ride down 30-A and passed the infamous MAGA house owned by Marvin Peavy.  It's a showy 8 bed, 8.5+bath, 6,770 sq ft second home.  He also owns Peavy Plantation in Tifton, GA.

The current signs says, 
Liberals
FOCUS

F...
OFF
'Cause
You
STUPID.

For the past 6+ years he has hung various HUGE trump-y banners from his top balcony.  Usually there is more than one.  Last month when I was there, his display was practically naked with only one banner.   They are often a bit too spicy to explain to the kids.  They are intended to raise the blood pressure of passing liberals and melt the heart of MAGA nutcases.  Judging from my own reaction the first time I saw it, I'd say he was at least a little successful on the liberal front.  

Since I have been down that way a number of times in the past few years, my reaction has toned down significantly.  He and his ignorant signs are more of a curiosity.  It's still a bit sad that so many in our country are locked in a Fox bubble and are oblivious to the stories the rest of the world is seeing.   The day I no longer see the banners might be the day I see that Peavy has had an epiphany or sold his house.  Not sure which will come first.  He may never have an epiphany.  He may go to his grave believing trump is a 5D chess playing genius.  

Walton County started fining him over the signs for violating ordinances, which he clearly did.  He countered on the basis of first amendment rights.  He is a typical entitled rich guy and made it clear he'd keep the county tied up in court til they cried uncle.  The county caved - they dropped the fines and paid Peavy's legal fees.  Rich people these days truly think they are above the law.  

As you can imagine, MAGA world loves him.  I found photos of him posing with trump himself as well as his spawn, Don Jr.  Various right wing media has glorified him as well.  That almost certainly stroked his ego.  

If you'd like to drop him a note and let him know how entertaining he is or just ride by and see the exhibit if you are in the area, here is his address:

Marvin Peavy
3073 E County Highway 30a
Santa Rosa Beach FL 32459


If you'd prefer to spend your time on politicians in Florida, scroll through these to choose your target -


Governor Ron DeSantis
https://www.flgov.com/eog/home
400 S Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL  32399

Senators

Rick Scott
110 Hart SOB
Washington DC 20510

111 N. Adams St.
Suite 208,
Tallahassee FL

221 Palafox Place
Suite 420,
Pensacola, FL 32502


Ashley Moody
SR-387 Russell SOB
Washington, DC 20002

402 S. Monroe St.

Suite 2105
Tallahassee, FL 32399-6526

1 North Palafox Street, 
Suite 159, 
Pensacola, FL 32502


Representatives

As of May 2026, Florida has 28 representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, with 20 being Republicans and 8 being Democrats. 


District 1
Jimmy Patronis 
(Includes Santa Rosa Beach, Walton County)
Republican

Washington DC Office
2021 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4136

Pensacola District Office
1000 College Boulevard
Building 20, Room 2030
Pensacola, FL  32504

Crestview District Office
805 E. James Lee Blvd
Crestview, FL  32539


District 2
Neal Dunn
Republican

Washington
466 Cannon House Office Building 
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5235

Panama City
840 West 11th Street, Suite 2250 
Panama City, FL 32401

Tallahassee
300 South Adams Street 
Tallahassee, FL 32301


District 3
Katherine “Kat” Cammack
Republican

2421 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-5744

Marion Co. Board of County Commissioners Complex
2630 SE 3rd Street
Ocala, FL  34471
Phone: (352) 421-9052


District 4
Aaron Bean
Republican

2459 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-0123

117 W Duval St
Suite 230
Jacksonville, FL  32202-3700
Phone: (904) 319-9433


District 5
John Rutherford
Republican

1711 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2501

4130 Salisbury Road
Suite 2500
Jacksonville, FL  32216
Phone: (904) 831-5205


District 6
Randall “Randy” Fine
Republican

244 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2706

5350 SE 110th St
Belleview, FL 34420
(386) 279-0707


District 7
Cory Mills
Republican

346 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4035

Lake Mary Office
(407) 638-7900

Port Orange Office
(386) 238-9711


District 8
Mike Haridopolos
Republican

1039 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-3671

2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Building C
Melbourne, FL  32940
Phone: (321) 632-1776


District 9
Darren Soto
Democrat

2353 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-9889

804 Bryan Street
Kissimmee, FL  34741
Phone: (407) 452-1171


District 10
Maxwell Frost
Democrat

1224 Longworth House
Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2176

617 N. Magnolia Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
(321) 388-9808


District 11
Daniel Webster
Republican

2184 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-1002

8015 E. County Road 466 Suite B
The Villages, FL 32162
Phone: (352) 383-3552


District 12
Gus Bilirakis
Republican

2306 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-5755

8731 Citizens Drive
Suite 135
New Port Richey, FL  34654
Phone: (727) 232-2921


District 13
Anna Luna
Republican
https://luna.house.gov

226 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5961

9200 113th St. N. Office Suite: 305
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 610-3980


District 14
Kathy Castor
Democrat

2188 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3376

2130 W Main St.
Tampa, FL 33607
Phone: (813) 871-2817


District 15
Laurel Lee
Republican

2464 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-5626

14025 Riveredge Dr
Suite 105
Tampa, FL  33637
Phone: (813) 393-5077


District 16
Vern Buchanan
Republican

2409 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5015

8433 Enterprise Circle
Suite 210
Bradenton, FL 34202
Phone: (941) 951-6643


District 17
Gregory Steube
Republican

2457 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5792

7590 Fruitville Rd
Suite 102
Sarasota, FL 34240
Phone: (941) 499-3214


District 18
Scott Franklin
Republican

2301 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
T: (202) 225-1252

124 S. Florida Avenue, Suite 304
Lakeland, FL 33801
T: (863) 644-8215


District 19
Byron Donalds
Republican

1710 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2536

3299 Tamiami Trail East
Suite 105
Naples, FL 34112


District 20
The 20th district is currently vacant.
Representative Cherfilus-McCormick resigned on April 21, 2026


District 21
Brian Mast
Republican

2182 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3026

121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd
Port St. Lucie, FL 34984
Phone: 772-336-2877


District 22
Lois Frankel
Democrat

2305 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-9890

7499 West Atlantic Ave, Unit 206
Delray Beach, FL 33446
(561) 998-9045


District 23
Jared Moskowitz
Democrat

242 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3001

111 East Las Olas Blvd
5th Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301


District 24
Frederica Wilson
Democrat

2080 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4506

1700 Convention Center Dr
First Floor Suite
Miami Beach, FL  33139
Phone: (305) 690-5905


District 25
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Democrat
270 Cannon Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-7931

777 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy.
Sunrise, FL 33325
Phone: (954) 845-1179


District 26
Mario Diaz-Balart
Republican

374 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4211

4715 Golden Gate Parkway
Suite 1
Naples, FL  34116
Phone: (239) 348-1620


District 27
Maria Salazar
Republican

2162 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-3931

5725 SW 8th St, Suite 200
Miami, FL  33144
Phone: (305) 668-2285


District 28
Carlos Gimenez
Republican

448 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2778

14221 SW 120th St.
#115
Miami, FL 33186
Phone: (305) 222-0160


READ MORE 

NOTE: There will likely be changes after the 2026 election.

You can go to GOVTRACKUS to see updates.  Clicking on a name also takes you to a page where there is info about the person you may find interesting.  Some is basic bio info, but they also gives extra info such as what committees they are on, what bills they have sponsored, their voting record and more. It's an interesting snapshot of who that person is.

Here is another place to see Florida Representatives - Congress.Gov - This one is a quick way to see some basic info - their Washington address and phone number, a link to their web page, their party and how long they have been in office.  

And one more that will allow you to quickly get to a rep's web page -  US Representatives








Martina McBride Faces Major Backlash

There is a bit of confusion over the celebrations for the U.S.A.'s 250th.  There are TWO different celebrations with similar names and themes.  

Non-Partisan, created by Congress
"We aim to inspire our fellow Americans to reflect on our past, 
strengthen our love of country, 
and renew our commitment to the ideals of democracy 
through programs that educate, engage, 
and unite us as a nation."

Freedom 250 
(Great American State Fair)
created by trump
includes an Indy Race and
an arena constructed on the White House grounds to host a fight
... enough said

Freedom 250 is a Trump "fundraising vehicle that grants big donors access to the president. For one million dollars or more, for example, donors to Freedom 250 can secure an invitation to a private reception hosted by Trump himself." - The Washingtonian 

Also, "In a congressional hearing, US Representative Jared Huffman, a Democrat from California, accused Freedom 250 of trying to “hijack the country’s 250th anniversary” and “rewrite history.”"


CLICK HERE to see a video where Adam Kinzinger explains the mess.





Martina McBride was booked to perform at trump's Great American State Fair on June 25th.  She issued this statement:

I would like to talk to you and clear the air. I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th. I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states. In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special.
Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.
I've spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real issues. I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn't have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I'm abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case. I appreciate every single fan who has reached out. I hope to get back to the DC area very soon.
-MM

That sounds like a pretty classy way of backing out of a very sticky situation.  Unfortunately, it has backfired.  If you search her name on social media, you'll see post after post of really ugly comments.  If you want to avoid blood-pressure-raising drama, just take my word for it.  

Right wing media is also trashing her and the others who dropped out.  I read a few of those articles and now my jaw is tight.  I'm not going to add any of them to the READ MORE section.  No way I'm sending anyone to that trash.

The main arguments I saw (the ones that weren't completely ignorant) pointed out that she had performed at something in the Obama administration and something else with Clinton.  They also claimed this event was a celebration of our country and was not political at all.  

Those comments show just how unaware so many in our country are.  It seems they are truly oblivious to just how divisive trump is and how much he excludes and belittles those who lean left.  His most recent favorite word is "Dum-o-crats".  He made a show of saying he spells it without the B.  He purposely punishes blue cities and states.  He goes after ANYONE who disagrees with him.  And this event is clearly an event centered around him rather than the country.  It is most definitely political.

Not all the comments were trashing Martina.  I saw many positive ones, as well.    

I didn't save any of the many I saw, but here's a blip from the Variety article linked below that has a quote with a sentiment I saw a number of times  - 

In particular, some commenters who identified as McBride fans were upset that one of her most popular songs, “Independence Day,” a song about a battered wife, might be used as a patriotic anthem in the service of an administration they believe has not focused on supporting women.

“I was hoping and praying that you wouldn’t perform,” wrote user Marcie Keen in the comments, “but being from the south I just assumed you would. I asked myself how a woman can sing a song like ‘Independence Day’ while simultaneously supporting those who facilitate the very issues that you sang about in that song. That is one of my all time favorite songs and I am glad you are standing behind your morals and values.”

Martina was in a no-win situation.  She had a lot of conservative fans, but she sings about issues that are quite human in nature.  A bit woke, even, from the little I looked at.  I haven't heard much of her music, so I can't speak with much authority on that.

Regardless, I'm glad she dropped out.  I will likely explore her music a bit more because of it.  

This post might seem a little frivolous when compared to many of my others.  But I would argue it is significant.  Times are tricky.  We seem to be in a situation where everyone is being forced to pick a side.  Avoiding picking a side is not acceptable because that's capitulation.  Trying to remain ignorant ("I don't pay attention to politics") is also capitulation.  Martina chose her side and did so with as much grace as possible.  We need to give her some love.  She stands along with a number of other entertainers who have followed their conscience and been attacked for it.  Like it or not, she is now a woke liberal commie socialist dum-o-crat.  She's in good company.









READ MORE 

MARTINA MCBRIDE DROPS OUT OF TRUMP’S ‘MISLEADING’ FREEDOM 250 CONCERT - Rolling Stone   Following her statement, Trump crony and former Kennedy Center head Richard Grenell, took a swipe at McBride retweeting her statement and adding the comment: “You’ve always been a woke Lefty.”

The Great American State Fair Meltdown, Explained - The Washingtonian - As the New York Times explained earlier this year, Freedom 250 allows “people and companies with interests before the Trump administration” to make “tax-deductible donations to gain access to, and seek favor with, a president who has maintained a keen interest in fund-raising, and a willingness to use the levers of government power to reward financial supporters.” In February, a group of Democratic senators launched a probe into the fundraising practices of Freedom 250, writing that “Government-sponsored civic commemorations should not serve as platforms for political messaging or partisan activity, nor should they create opportunities for donors to exert influence with federal decision-makers under the guise of patriotic celebration.”  

Martina McBride Becomes Fourth Performer to Withdraw From D.C. Concert Series as Backlash to Trump-Backed ‘Freedom 250’ Grows - Variety   With McBride being the fourth to exit, the list of artists participating has seriously dwindled. The only one so far to have a representative state that they definitely plan to proceed with their show is Vanilla Ice.


America250 - On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.  America250 is striving for “350 for 250” — our goal to engage all 350 million Americans by our nation’s 250th anniversary. 

WHO TO CONTACT

Show some love!!!  Fortify her for whatever lies ahead.  And maybe we should all listen her her music a bit more 

Martina McBride, (fan mail address)
4409 Franklin Ave
Nashville, TN 37204-4410



Thomas Massie - Pushes to Release the Epstein Files

Thomas Massie, a current REPUBLICAN U.S. Representative from Kentucky (4th District), was defeated in the primary election against a trump-backed, Ed Gallrein.  Pro-Israel groups supported Galleria in "the most expensive advertising campaign on record."  Massie is one of several that Trump was determined to oust.




Massie has pushed back against Trump on a number of key issues, including the Iran war.  He criticized Trump's tariff policies.  He was one of the two house Republicans who voted against Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  He was a co-author of legislation that forced the Department of Justice to release the files linked to Jeffrey Epstein.  

In other words, he is one of the few Republicans willing to say out loud that the emperor does not have on beautiful clothes.  He's naked as a jay-bird.






Massie has already filed to run for office again in the 2028 race.  

Meanwhile, he still has until January, 2027 to continue to push against trump's insane policies. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press shortly after the election,  he promised to identify more individuals whose names were redacted from files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.



We need to support him in his efforts.  Having two viable and sane political parties is vital to our system.  When a Republican shows signs of decency, we need to encourage it.  When one of them shows extreme courage as Massie has, we need to reward it!  Standing up against trump seems to be very risky in more ways than one, but Massie is doing it and did it well before the elections.  His pushbacks began within a month or two of trump taking office.  


READ MORE 


Massie files to run in 2028 after losing House primary - Politico - Advertising spending in his primary fight — the most expensive on record — surpassed $32 million as pro-Israel interest groups poured millions into the effort to unseat Massie, who has been an outspoken critic of Israel during his time in Congress.

Thomas Massie files to run in 2028 after losing to Trump pick Ed Gallrein - The Guardian. Massie sharply criticized the use of AI in political advertising in the race, in which one ad realistically depicted him accompanying two female Democratic leaders into a hotel room.

WHO TO CONTACT

Your opinion only matters to our lawmakers if you let them know!  The more people who speak up, the more meaningful our opinions will be.  Don't wait to figure out the perfect people to contact or the perfect thing to say.  Just start!!!

Representative Thomas Massie

2371 Rayburn HOB 
Washington, D.C. 20515 
Phone: (202) 225-3465

110 W. Jefferson St. 
Suite 100 
LaGrange, KY 40031 
Phone: (502) 265-9119

541 Buttermilk Pike 
Suite 208
Crescent Springs, KY 41017 
Phone: (859) 426-0080


MORE CONTACT OPTIONS


Roger Wicker Urges Trump to "Finish the Destruction of Iran's Military Capabilities"

I read Heather Cox Richardson's "Letters from an American" every morning.  Her May 25th post has been haunting me a bit.  I highly recommend reading this entire post to get the full story.

In it, she goes into some detail about Trump's weekend negotiations over the Iran situation - the WAR.  He posted that an agreement had been "largely negotiated".  Iran posted that that wasn't true.  I had to sit with this paragraph for some time - 
But Iran’s state media immediately posted that Trump’s claim that the strait would reopen as it was before the war was “not true,” adding that “it should be noted that American officials have acknowledged in multiple messages to Iran that Trump’s tweets are primarily for promotional purposes and media consumption within the United States, and they have recommended that no attention be paid to these statements.”
Meanwhile a journalist from Al-Jazeera posted some details from the proposed deal and noted “This would be a total U.S. surrender.”

Before Trump started this whole mess, the US had agreed to a very carefully negotiated agreement which we will likely not be able to get to again for some time.  They no longer trust us to honor our agreements.


As disturbing as that is, there is something else from the post that keeps nagging at me.  

Roger Wicker

Roger Wicker, a Republican senator from Mississippi and Chair of the Armed Services Committee, condemned the supposed deal.  Here's another snippet from HCR's post -
He [Wicker] told reporters it “would be a disaster. Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught.” Wicker urged Trump to “allow America’s skilled armed forces to finish the destruction of Iran’s conventional military capabilities and reopen the strait. Further pursuit of an agreement with Iran’s Islamist regime risks a perception of weakness. We must finish what we started. It is past time for action.”
Roger Wicker and his wife, Gayle

I am sick to death of all the war-mongering and eagerness to bomb countries (and innocent civilians) unprovoked.  Who the heck is this Roger Wicker?  I want to know a bit more than the surface info.

Roger Wicker was born July 5, 1951.  He was a former Air Force officer, so he's no stranger to the military.  He was married in 1975.  He has 3 children - Margaret, Caroline, and McDaniel and 9 grandchildren.  I wonder if any of them would be involved in the fight with Iran.  He is supposedly quite religious, but doesn't seem to have much empathy when it comes to how he votes.  

I looked up his net worth and the answers varied widely.  One source said he was one of the richest politicians with a net worth of around 5 million in 1923.  In the area where it lists how he made his money, it said "politician".  That seems about right.    Another source said he was worth around 10 million in 2025.  That source also said he is a co-owner of a minor league baseball team, the Mississippi Braves and serves on the board of directors for several companies, including Trustmark Corporation and Sanderson Farms.  Yet another source said he claims his liabilities exceed his assets.  

He's one of the larger recipients of donations from Israel lobbies according to Track AIPAC.   This page on Open Secrets provides a bit more detail about some of his donors.  His cash on hand seems quite large.  This page on Who Bought My Rep is quite enlightening as well.  The CONNECT THE DOTS section was particularly interesting.  It connects Industry donations to votes on related bills. 

Wicker voted against releasing the Epstein files.  His constituents were apparently not happy with that.  This article from Mississippi Free Press talks a bit about that.

This article on Medium might have been the most "interesting" of all - The Wicker War Machine: How a Mississippi Senator Built an Empire on War and Betrayed His Own Veterans.  I didn't have time to find multiple sources on ALL the information in this article, but I fact checked several claims and they check out.  I should be shocked or surprised or something, but I've become far too jaded.  These days I'm only shocked when a politician turns out to be decent.







WHO TO CONTACT

Senator Roger Wicker  (R-MS) 
425 Russell S.O.B.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6253

You might also want to contact others on the Armed Services Committees.

Updates to the US Senate Contact Page

The Senate Contacts Page has been updated.  It now includes a list of senators who are up for re-election and a list of those who are retiring.  



Senators up for re-election are walking a fine line between wanting to please voters and wanting to please those who give them big donations.  Sadly, that often means talking the talk to voters, but walking the walk with donators.  I have trust issues when it comes to what politicians say versus what they actually do. Still, I view those up for re-election as prime postcard targets, especially when it comes to key votes.

Senators who are retiring are interesting.  They may not care at all and just want to coast out with as little hassle as possible.  They might be angry and willing to burn it all down (tell the truth) on the way out - that can be risky for them, so not many do that.  They might be disappointed / angry and want to diplomatically try to make a difference on the way out.  They might be retiring as senator, but heading over to be a lobbyist or work for those who have been lining their pockets for a while.  In that case, they don't care much about what voters think but are trying to stay on good terms with colleagues.  Who knows.  It's good to listen in case they are one of the rare ones willing to burn it all down, but mostly I see little reason to waste a stamp on these.


The PAGES Pull-Down Menu


There are all sorts of resources under the PAGES pull-down menu at the top of the page!


When you click on PAGES a list of choices will come up.


There are quite a few pages with contact information, including the "Contacts - US Senators" page referring to in this post.  

There are also plenty of other resources.  The DIY Postcards 1 and 2 are helpful for those who want to learn more about creating unique postcards for use in contacting those who are wielding power in government and businesses.  

I add to and tweak these pages fairly often.  I hope you find them useful!

Alabama Gerrymanders + Montgomery Protest

This story is a bit crazy.  I have read numerous articles about it and still feel a bit confused by the back and forth doings in the courts.  I recommend reading the articles linked below and continuing to watch as more unfolds.

As I understand it...
Alabama tried to redistrict for years, trying to gerrymander away the districts that are predominantly African-American and lean Democrat.  They were unable to adopt their proposed district maps because the maps violated the Voting Rights Act.  


The Supreme Court blew up the Voting Rights Act at the end of April and red states went into high gear to gerrymander with abandon.  

Alabama immediately moved to go back to the gerrymandered map they had previously wanted and their governor, Kay Ivey, signed it as fast as she could.  There were a flurry of court actions, which is where the story gets a bit fuzzy for me.  Since Alabama's primaries were underway as all of this is going down, they continued to hold a partial election, but moved primaries in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th Congressional Districts to August.  The vote for governor, senate and a full slate of state and local offices continued as planned.  

You can see the results of the Alabama primaries HERE.  (AP)

Montgomery Protest

A large protest was held in Montgomery Saturday, May 16.  Montgomery is famous for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march in 1965.




The Rev. Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was one of the speakers.  “Sixty-one years later, we come back as new generations to this same hallowed place to reclaim and redeem that legacy because the recent Supreme Court decision demands our presence. It was not only a legal decision, y’all, it is a moral disgrace and a shameless assault on Black political power,” King said.  She said the decision strikes “at the very heart of my father’s and my mother’s sacrifice” and is a direct attack on the generations who faced “dogs and batons and bombs and billy clubs so that Black people and all marginalized communities could participate fully in this democracy.”

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was another speaker - “They think they can draw us out of power. They do not know the sleeping giant that they just awakened.”

SIDE NOTE

I saw this post regarding the election results that feels hopeful - 
Alabama Republicans want people to believe this state is hopelessly red, but the numbers from yesterday say otherwise.

Yesterday’s gubernatorial primary:
858,011 total votes cast.
• 364,635 for Democratic candidates
• 493,376 for Republican candidates

That’s 42.5% Democrat to 57.5% Republican — and even that gap is misleading, because many Democrats voted Republican to oppose Tuberville or vote in important local races.
Alabama is not nearly as red as we are told.

If Democrats, independents, and Republicans who are unhappy with the state of the current Republican party work together, the midterms are absolutely within reach.


READ MORE 

Alabama splits U.S. House primaries after court ruling; S.C. redistricting stalls - Jefferson Public Radio.  Voting rights groups have asked a federal court to keep the current congressional map in place, writing in a filing: "Alabama's attempt to revert to its 2023 map—a map that was never implemented and under which no one has ever voted—when this election is already underway, absentee ballots have been mailed, and every relevant deadline under state and federal law has long since passed, is contrary to the public interest.”

What to expect in Alabama’s primaries - AP.   The Court-inspired actions in Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee, as well as earlier legislative actions in other states to redraw their boundaries through mid-decade redistricting, are part of a nationwide Republican effort championed by President Donald Trump to maximize the party’s chances of keeping its U.S. House majority in the 2026 midterm elections.


Supreme Court lets Alabama speed adoption of congressional map eliminating a majority-Black district - NBC News. The state has been battling civil rights plaintiffs over its congressional map for years, with a focus on whether a second majority-Black district was required to comply with the 1965 Voting Rights Act.





WHO TO CONTACT

You have lots of choices!  Alabama politicians need to hear from "we the people".  They are supposed to represent us, not rule us!!!  Many of them ( and their dim-witted supporters) think we are still living in the Confederacy.  We are not... unless too many people fail to speak up.

Alabama Governor 

Kay Ivey (R)
(Term ends in 2027)
https://governor.alabama.gov/
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
334.242.7100

Lt Governor 

Will Ainsworth (R)
(Term ends in 2027)
https://ltgov.alabama.gov/
11 S Union Street, 
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: (334) 261-9590

Attorney General 

Steve Marshall (R)
(Term ends in 2027)
https://www.alabamaag.gov/
501 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 242-7300

Alabama US Senators

Tuberville is running for governor and is endorsed by trump.

Tommy Tuberville (R)
(Term ends in 2027)
https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/
Russell SOB
Suite 455
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4124

Frank M Johnson Jr. Annex

One Church Street, Suite 500-B

Montgomery, AL 36104

(334) 523-7424


Katie Britt (R)
(Term ends in 2029)
https://www.britt.senate.gov/ 
416 Russell SOB
Washington, DC 20510

202-224-5744

United States Federal Courthouse

One Church Street
Suite F-401
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-777-1150


ALABAMA
US Representatives

Alabama has 7 districts.
Two addresses are shown for each representative -
their DC address and another address in their Alabama district.
All terms end in 2027.

1st - Barry Moore (R, 2025)
https://barrymoore.house.gov/
1511 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2901

5253 Hwy 90 W
Mobile, AL  36619
Phone: (251) 264-6710


2nd -  Shomari Figures (D, 2025)
https://figures.house.gov/
225 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4931

Montgomery Co Courthouse 
Annex 1
100 South Lawrence Street
Montgomery, AL  36104
Phone: (334) 777-5700


3rd - Mike Rogers (R, 2003)
https://mikerogers.house.gov/
2469 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3261

G.W. Andrews Federal Building
701 Avenue A, Ste 300
Opelika, AL 36801
Phone: (334) 745-6221


4th - Robert Aderholt (R, 1997)
https://aderholt.house.gov/
272 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4876

205 4th Ave NE
Suite 104
Cullman , AL 35055


5th - Dale Strong (R, 2023)
https://strong.house.gov/
449 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4801

2101 Clinton Ave W, Ste 302
Huntsville, AL  35805
Phone: (256) 551-0190


6th - Gary Palmer (R, 2015)
https://palmer.house.gov/
170 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-4921

177 Ashton Plaza Street
Millbrook, AL  36054
Phone: (334) 694-5140


7th - Terri Sewell (D, 2011)
https://sewell.house.gov/
1035 Longworth HOB

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-2665

Two 20th Street N, Ste 1130

Birmingham, AL 35203

Phone: (205) 254-1960

Brian Kemp Brings Georgia into the Gerrymander Chaos

Oh dear.  Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia, is calling lawmakers back for a special session to start June 17th to work on redrawing the voting districts AND work on some changes to the voting system.  This is in reaction to the Supreme Courts Louisiana vs Callais decision that gutted the voting rights act.  The redrawing would  not affect the 2026 elections which are currently in progress.  It will apply to the 2028 elections.  Kemp said it was too late to change Georgia’s maps for 2026, but that the Callais decision requires Georgia to change its electoral maps.




Kemp's term as governor is ending.  A new governor will be elected in the current 2026 election.

Georgia has 14 districts.  Five of the representatives are black.  

Funny (not in a good way) - This headline was from just 12 days ago - before the Supreme Court blew up The Voting Rights Act - 




Republicans are very worried they could lose power in the 2026 mid-terms.  They are pulling out all the stops to prevent that from happening and it doesn't seem to matter whether the plus they use are ethical or not.  Some of the plus are an effort to change the 2026 elections.  Some are meant to put in place laws that will make the 2028 election more likely to swing Republican.  





Quote from Joyce Vance -

Here’s the perspective part: Sometimes you need to step back, because when you focus only on the trees, you miss the forest. We are seeing a radical, racist transformation of voting maps in many Republican-led states. The larger question we should be asking is: why?

The answer is self-evident, but it’s important that we say it directly. Republicans are afraid they can’t win elections on the merits of their governance and policies. So now, they’ve turned to moving the goalposts, changing the rules for winning elections so they can try to hold onto power nonetheless.

Note:  There is more to this story.  There are other very concerning things Kemp is doing to change voting laws.  Be particularly alert to what they are doing to remove the D and R from ballot names to make voting more confusing.   We need to stay informed!!!  And we need to respond!!!!!!!!


READ MORE 

May 13, 2026 - Heather Cox Richardson.   On May 13—today—Georgia governor Brian Kemp called a special session of the Georgia General Assembly for June 17 to redraw Georgia’s congressional maps before the 2028 election. He said it was too late to change Georgia’s maps for 2026, but that the Callais decision requires Georgia to change its electoral maps.

Kemp signs metro Atlanta elections overhaul as prosecutors vow lawsuit - AJC.  Critics call it a direct attack on Democratic power in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties and an effort to punish Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who became a favorite GOP target after she sought election interference charges against President Donald Trump and his allies.  Democratic district attorneys have promised to sue the state to block the law, which opponents say disproportionately affects Black elected leaders. All five counties covered by the law have Black Democratic women serving as district attorney.




The Redistricting Race to the Bottom - Joyce Vance    Even though Kemp’s stated plans concern the 2028 election, people familiar with Georgia politics, including Fair Fight President Lauren Groh-Wargo, have pointed out that Republicans could return during the lame-duck session later this year and “gut the congressional maps” if Democrats win the governor’s mansion and/or the state legislature.   Note: This post includes info about how things are changing in numerous states - Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and South Carolina.

Georgia governor calls for Republicans to gerrymander maps ahead of 2028 elections - Democracy Docket. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) quickly condemned the move.  “We just learned that Georgia is moving forward with gerrymandering for 2028,” Warnock wrote. “There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions.I will fight this with everything I have.”

Georgia Governor Calls Special Session to Redistrict for 2028 Elections - NYT.    But in Georgia, where early voting for next week’s primaries has already begun, lawmakers will instead consider new maps for 2028, taking action now in case Republicans lose control of the governor’s office or the State Legislature in November.

Georgia’s Republican governor calls for special session to redraw electoral maps - The Guardian.   The Republicans could seek to draw the Democratic representative Sanford Bishop, a Black member of Congress who has served since 1993, out of his seat, the Atlanta Journal Constitution noted. Other districts are less clear and could risk a “dummymander”, where an aggressive redraw backfires on the majority party.

“Dummymander” is a play on the term “gerrymander,” and it refers to a redrawing of a district map that actually ends up benefiting the opposite party that was designed to help.



WHO TO CONTACT

Your opinion only matters to our lawmakers if you let them know!  


Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp
206 Washington Street 
Suite 203 
State Capitol 
Atlanta, GA   30334
Phone:   (404) 656-1776

Attorney General
Chris Carr
https://law.georgia.gov
40 Capitol Square SW
Atlanta, GA 30334

Lieutenant Governor
Burt Jones
https://ltgov.georgia.gov
240 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-5030

Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger
https://sos.ga.gov
214 State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404-656-2881

Senator
Jon Ossoff
https://www.ossoff.senate.gov
317 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone:   (202) 224-3521

Senator
Raphael Warnock
https://www.warnock.senate.gov
717 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC   20510
Phone:  (202) 224-3643



This includes contact info for all 14 US House Representatives.



Supreme Court Torches the Voting Rights Act

Oh my.  This was a tough one.  It happened a couple of weeks ago, but I am still reeling.  The Supreme Court upended another ruling that had been accepted as precedent for decades.  Southern states are responding to the decision and it's not pretty.  What an ugly, ugly mess.  

It started in Louisiana.  Louisiana has six US House representatives.  One third of the people of Louisiana are black.  The districts had been drawn to reflect that, allowing for two representative districts to be in predominantly black areas.  Meanwhile the state has never had a black governor or any black senators.   A Louisiana voter challenged the way the districts had been drawn.  


The Louisiana v. Callais suit went all the way to the Supreme Court.  The final decision split with all 6 right wing justices saying Louisiana's gerrymandering was unconstitutional.  The 3 left wing justices voted to stand by precedent (the way the 1965 Voting Rights Act had been interpreted for decades).  


Side note:  Several of the justices have been in the news this past year or so with allegations they accepted VERY LARGE "gifts" from people with special interests going before the court.  TNone of those justices bothered to recuse themselves from those cases and they voted in favor of the grifters.  Oops, I meant GIFTers.    John Roberts is the latest to be in hot water.





Since this decision, all hell has been breaking loose with numbers states changing voting districts in numerous ways.  Louisiana stopped an election already in progress to redraw the districts.  Virginia and Tennessee quickly joined in the chaos and more states are moving to do the same.


Voters in Virginia had voted on a temporary redistricting referendum to counter against extremely partisan Republican gerrymanders in Texas, Florida, Ohio and others.  Our country is in a gerrymander war it seems.  The Virginia state supreme court over-ruled the people's vote.  See more -   Virginia Supreme Court throws out redistricting results in blow to Democrats - The Hill.  


Tennessee redistricted without input from voters.   Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature approved a new congressional map Thursday that dismantles the state’s majority-Black district and will likely secure them an all-GOP federal delegation.   See more - Tennessee Republicans pass new gerrymander following Supreme Court's Voting Rights Act ruling - Politico




Maria Teresa Kumar, president of Voto Latino, said the decision will allow more aggressive “cracking and packing” of populations to dilute their votes, “not just in congressional districts but also in state legislatures, county commissions, school boards and city councils.”  (AP) 





CRACKING, PACKING and GERRYMANDERING -

Gerrymandering is a way that some politicians try to win elections by changing the
voting maps. It’s not about getting more votes—it’s about drawing the lines in a way that
helps their team win, even if fewer people vote for them.

Packing is when they take a group of people who usually vote the same way and squish them all into one district. That way, those voters can only help pick one leader—even though they could have helped pick more if they were spread out.

Cracking is when a group of voters is split up into many districts, so their voices get weaker in each one. Imagine you and four friends want to play a team game. Together, you’re strong and could win. But someone splits you up, putting each of you on a different team. Now none of your teams win. Your group was strong, but it got broken apart. That’s what cracking does to voters—it breaks up their power.

The Supreme Court has recently overturned several longstanding precedents, including significant cases related to abortion rights and administrative law, reflecting a shift in its approach to previous rulings. This trend has raised concerns about the Court's legitimacy and adherence to the principle of stare decisis.

Stare Decisis is a legal doctrine that means "to stand by things decided," which requires courts to follow precedents set by previous decisions when making rulings on similar cases. This principle promotes consistency and predictability in the law.


READ MORE 

 'If You Can Keep It': The Supreme Court And The Voting Rights Act - NPR.  (This link includes an audio discussion.)  Last week, in a six-to-three ruling along ideological lines, the Supreme Court dealt a major blow to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  That’s the landmark Civil Rights era law designed to prevent racial discrimination in an election. The law was passed to unravel Jim Crow era policies that limited or blocked Black Americans’ access to the ballot.  But the ruling goes further. It effectively rewrites the rules for how the Voting Rights Act can be used to challenge discriminatory maps, making it much harder to do so going forward. It’s the latest in a string of rulings making the last all but moot.

Supreme Court hollows out a landmark law that had protected minority voting rights for 6 decades - AP.  Voting rights experts said the ruling leaves the Voting Rights Act only a shell of what it had been and will provide an open door for political mapmakers at every level — from local school districts to state legislatures to Congress — to undermine minority representation. 

Supreme Court Updates: Justices Further Weaken Voting Rights Act, Igniting Political Scramble - NYT It is unclear how the decision, which split 6-3 along ideological lines, will impact November’s midterm elections amid redistricting battles that have raged in multiple states, but several are moving to draw new congressional maps in time. The decision is likely to create new Republican districts across the South for future elections, for the presidential election in 2028 and beyond.

The Supreme Court keeps overturning precedent. It swears that it’s not - CNN. “The upshot is that the majority, without any good reason, has overturned Congress’s studied determination — along with this court’s precedents upholding it — about how to rectify racial inequalities in electoral politics,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent for the three liberal justices.

WHO TO CONTACT

Your opinion only matters to our lawmakers if you let them know!  The more people who speak up, the more meaningful our opinions will be.  Don't wait to figure out the perfect people to contact or the perfect thing to say.  Just start!!!




You can write one of the justices -

John Roberts (Conservative)
The Chief Justice of the United States
One First Street N.E.,
Washington, D.C., 20543

For any other Supreme Court justice, 
address the envelope to: 

Justice (surname), 
The Supreme Court of the United States
One First Street N.E.
Washington, D.C., 20543

The other 5 Conservative Justices -
Clarence Thomas
Samuel Alito 
Neil Gorsuch
Brett Kavanaugh 
Amy Coney Barrett

THANK YOU to the Liberal Justices:
Elena Kagan 
Sonia Sotomayor
Ketanji Brown Jackson


You can write lawmakers - 


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