Virginia is for lovers – and, for a long time, it was also for Confederate nostalgia and Republican politics. Richmond, Virginia's capitol, was one of the capitals of the Confederacy. Virginia still has over 150 public locations, like streets and parks, that bear Confederate names – for example, Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, which is named after Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Stonewall Jackson. So, given the state's Confederate pride, it should come as no surprise that, from 1968-2004, the state voted exclusively for Republican presidential candidates. But starting in 2008, things began to change. That year, and every four years since, Virginia's electors have gone to the Democratic presidential candidate. Now, Virginia is Democratic trifecta – the party control both legislatures and the governor's office – and the state is renaming its streets and parks to get rid of any associations to the Confederacy.
Tram Nguyen played a huge role in flipping Virginia blue. She is the co-founder and Co-Executive Director of New Virginia Majority, an organization that has registered nearly 300,000 new voters and knocked on 3.1 million doors to get out the vote. They've also played a vital role in restoring formerly incarcerated Virginians' right to vote, expanding Medicaid, and getting undocumented immigrants the right to drivers' licenses. Amanda and Faiz speak with her to learn how she did it and to find out what advice she has for activists and politically engaged citizens, in purple and red states, with similar aspirations.
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