Welcome to our new Chair
Welcome to our new Chair for the MCDC! Butler Knight will bring a wealth of experience and energy to share.
Thoughts from our Chair
March 10, 2026
Good Morning Fellow Dems,
1. No Tyrants Tuesday: this gathering, an extension of the No Kings Protests, will take place at Liberty Square Courthouse from 5:00-6:00 now that Daylight Saving time is here. Congressman Bobby Scott of the 3rd Congressional District joined the Congressional District 1 weekly Democratic Committee's chair's call in response to the despicable racist mailings that have been sent to Black voters, largely threatening them to vote NO on the Redistricting Referendum. This concerted effort by Republicans to further disenfranchise Black voters is at the heart of the gerrymandering that has occurred in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, and Florida. Trump is increasingly desperate to limit voting rights and is now threatening Republicans in the Senate that, unless they weaken the filibuster to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, he will refuse to sign other Bills. Chuck Schumer, Congressman of New York, referred to The Save Act as Jim Crow 2.0.
2. More on the Redistricting Referendum:
Thank you to our Mathews Dems who turned out for the first day of early voting last Friday. We represented 20 of the 25,000 Virginians who cast their votes.
Many voters, when given the facts on the Redistricting Referendum, are in favor of voting YES. Republicans are flooding Virginians with misinformation, disinformation, and lies. We must speak to our neighbors and provide them with accurate information so that they will vote YES. The Virginia Independent has a good article on the Redistricting Amendment and an inspiring article and link to the Obama ad in support of the Redistricting Amendment.
The Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal had a front-page article on the NAACP town hall in which 69 people attended. Many left with yard signs, literature, and VOTE YES stickers.
Thank you to Diane Grice and Maureen Bongarzone for attending the anti-Referendum town hall event sponsored by the Breakfast Club at Living Waters Church last Saturday. They estimated 25 people attended this event.
3. Ways to Get Involved:
Yard signs are in my car, and I would love to have a home on your lawn. Call me at (804) 366.0024 if you want one or two.
Virginians for Fair Elections Phone Bank- this is a great way to make a difference from the comfort of your home. Weekday phone banks take place Monday-Friday, 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm. You can sign up through the Virginians for Fair Elections website.
I am cutting small neighborhood turfs of strong Dems to call. Sheila is putting together a script that will make this an effortless undertaking. Thank you to those who have already volunteered. I hope to get these turfs and scripts out to you this week. We will be initiating door-to-door canvassing of strong Dems we did not reach by phone or who are undecided.
4. In American We Have No Kings, March 28, 2026
No Kings Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Rally is now a registered event. Be sure to register so that we can get a head count. Carpooling is highly recommended as parking is limited.
No Kings has sent out the following list of recommended trainings on how to protest safely:
No Kings Activists,
In less than one month, neighbors and communities will gather to say in one voice - We Don’t Do Kings in America!
We want No Kings to be massive, loud, boisterous, joyful, and safe for everyone. That’s why we’ve put together a series of trainings for YOU on how to organize for No Kings, on how to have conversations about No Kings, and how to protest safely. Please join us for these trainings so that you are ready and prepared for No Kings Day.
March 16 from 7:30 – 9:30 pm ET: Organizing for No Kings and Beyond!
March 18 from 8-9 pm ET: Know Your Rights: Protest Rights and Safety Practices (for all No Kings Attendees)
March 23 from 6-7 pm ET: Know Your Rights: Protest Rights and Safety Practices (for all No Kings Attendees)
March 23 from 8-9 pm ET: Conozca sus derechos: Derechos de protesta y prácticas de seguridad (para todos los participantes)
March 25 from 8-9 pm ET: People Power: How to have conversations about No Kings that move people
We can’t wait to see you in the streets on March 28. Together, we are united against kings. It’s in our DNA as a country.
In solidarity,
The No Kings Team
A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.
Thanks for all of your support and commitment to preserving our democracy,
Butler Knight, chair, MCDC
1. No Tyrants Tuesday: this gathering, an extension of the No Kings Protests, will take place at Liberty Square Courthouse from 5:00-6:00 now that Daylight Saving time is here. Congressman Bobby Scott of the 3rd Congressional District joined the Congressional District 1 weekly Democratic Committee's chair's call in response to the despicable racist mailings that have been sent to Black voters, largely threatening them to vote NO on the Redistricting Referendum. This concerted effort by Republicans to further disenfranchise Black voters is at the heart of the gerrymandering that has occurred in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, and Florida. Trump is increasingly desperate to limit voting rights and is now threatening Republicans in the Senate that, unless they weaken the filibuster to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, he will refuse to sign other Bills. Chuck Schumer, Congressman of New York, referred to The Save Act as Jim Crow 2.0.
2. More on the Redistricting Referendum:
Thank you to our Mathews Dems who turned out for the first day of early voting last Friday. We represented 20 of the 25,000 Virginians who cast their votes.
Many voters, when given the facts on the Redistricting Referendum, are in favor of voting YES. Republicans are flooding Virginians with misinformation, disinformation, and lies. We must speak to our neighbors and provide them with accurate information so that they will vote YES. The Virginia Independent has a good article on the Redistricting Amendment and an inspiring article and link to the Obama ad in support of the Redistricting Amendment.
The Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal had a front-page article on the NAACP town hall in which 69 people attended. Many left with yard signs, literature, and VOTE YES stickers.
Thank you to Diane Grice and Maureen Bongarzone for attending the anti-Referendum town hall event sponsored by the Breakfast Club at Living Waters Church last Saturday. They estimated 25 people attended this event.
3. Ways to Get Involved:
Yard signs are in my car, and I would love to have a home on your lawn. Call me at (804) 366.0024 if you want one or two.
Virginians for Fair Elections Phone Bank- this is a great way to make a difference from the comfort of your home. Weekday phone banks take place Monday-Friday, 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm. You can sign up through the Virginians for Fair Elections website.
I am cutting small neighborhood turfs of strong Dems to call. Sheila is putting together a script that will make this an effortless undertaking. Thank you to those who have already volunteered. I hope to get these turfs and scripts out to you this week. We will be initiating door-to-door canvassing of strong Dems we did not reach by phone or who are undecided.
4. In American We Have No Kings, March 28, 2026
No Kings Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Rally is now a registered event. Be sure to register so that we can get a head count. Carpooling is highly recommended as parking is limited.
No Kings has sent out the following list of recommended trainings on how to protest safely:
No Kings Activists,
In less than one month, neighbors and communities will gather to say in one voice - We Don’t Do Kings in America!
We want No Kings to be massive, loud, boisterous, joyful, and safe for everyone. That’s why we’ve put together a series of trainings for YOU on how to organize for No Kings, on how to have conversations about No Kings, and how to protest safely. Please join us for these trainings so that you are ready and prepared for No Kings Day.
March 16 from 7:30 – 9:30 pm ET: Organizing for No Kings and Beyond!
March 18 from 8-9 pm ET: Know Your Rights: Protest Rights and Safety Practices (for all No Kings Attendees)
March 23 from 6-7 pm ET: Know Your Rights: Protest Rights and Safety Practices (for all No Kings Attendees)
March 23 from 8-9 pm ET: Conozca sus derechos: Derechos de protesta y prácticas de seguridad (para todos los participantes)
March 25 from 8-9 pm ET: People Power: How to have conversations about No Kings that move people
We can’t wait to see you in the streets on March 28. Together, we are united against kings. It’s in our DNA as a country.
In solidarity,
The No Kings Team
A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.
Thanks for all of your support and commitment to preserving our democracy,
Butler Knight, chair, MCDC
But What Can We DO?
Posted by Inequality Media, Robert Reich, professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator, tells us the 5 things we can do to protect our democracy.
Reich served in the Ford, Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations.
Reich served in the Ford, Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations.
Mourning in America
What you can do to Organize
This is copied from an essay from Robert Reich (who I follow on Substack) on January 26. I love that he frequently has a list of things to do... Diane
Today we mourn the death-by-execution of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. I use the term execution intentionally because they were murdered intentionally by Trump’s goons. (I’ve seen the videos; I’m sure you have as well.)
At times like this, Gandhi used to say, “The truth is revealing itself.”
To show our grief and solidarity, you might want to wear a black armband this week and light a candle in your window this evening and for the remainder of the week.
But there is much more to do than mourn. As the labor leader Joe Hill asked in 1915 just before he was executed: “Don’t mourn … Organize.” The best way to honor the memories of Alex Pretti and Renee Good is to take action against the forces that executed both of them.
Obviously, your energies are needed in organizing your congressional district and your state for the midterm elections, and getting out the vote. (I’ll be back in coming months with detailed suggestions for how.)
But the midterms are nine and a half months away. In the meantime, Trump and his thugs can do a great deal of damage if not stopped. What can you do now?
A few action items occur to me:
1. Tell your U.S. senators to vote NO on the Department of Homeland Security spending bill they’ll be considering this week — unless ICE is disarmed and prohibited from using racial or ethnic profiling and its agents are explicitly liable to criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. At the very least, DHS’s funding should be slashed. If DHS is shut down after January 30 because no spending bill has been enacted, so be it. (The congressional switchboard is: (202) 224-3121.)
2. If you’re represented by Republicans, call them and demand they rein in ICE. They need to hear from you. Some Republicans are beginning to come around. (Remember: They now have a margin of only 3 votes in the House.)
3. Urge your state attorneys general to join with other state AGs and to investigate ICE, the Border Patrol, and their leadership (Noem, Miller, Trump), with a view toward possible criminal prosecution. Trump cannot pardon them or protect them from state-level prosecutions. (You can locate the office of your state attorney general through the National Association of Attorneys General website or the USAGov directory. Most offices have official websites with online complaint forms, phone numbers, and mailing addresses for submitting consumer inquiries, complaints, or reports.)
4.. If ICE is coming to your city or is already there, call on your mayor and your state police to protect those protesting ICE.
5. Circulate a pledge in your community to oppose ICE if and when it arrives there. Aim for signatures from 10 percent of the adults residing there.
6. If you are a member of your local Indivisible group (or if you’re not a member, join one; or if there’s none in your community, start one), suggest a general strike. What might this entail? I can imagine three elements: (1) no one goes to work (call in sick), (2) no one buys anything (stock up beforehand), and (3) no one uses social media (except Substack). In coordination with other Indivisible groups and other resistance groups across America, decide what date and for how long. (Then let me know!)
7. Isolate the United States economically, even more than Trump is doing. If you live in an EU country, urge your government to activate the Anti-Coercion Instrument. The Trump regime represents a clear and present danger to the world, including the sovereignty of European nations. The Anti-Coercion Instrument in the EU would allow the sanctioning of Trump regime officials, freezing of assets of corporations benefiting from the theft of Venezuelan oil, and expulsion of U.S. forces from European bases.
8. Allow the U.S. dollar to fall. Under the Trump regime — which is actively trying to take over the Fed, America’s central bank, and is dissolving ties with the rest of the free world — the dollar is becoming a highly risky currency. It’s already falling. Allow it to fall further. If you work in a large global corporation, urge your top executives to do the firm’s international transactions in currencies other than dollars. If you are in a large financial institution, urge traders to dump dollars.
Clearly, this is an incomplete list of the peaceful “good trouble” we could make. If other actions occur to you, please share them with the rest of us in the comments.
Friends, have courage. Be strong. Hug your loved ones. Remember Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Please do not succumb to fear or despair. We will be victorious.
Today we mourn the death-by-execution of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. I use the term execution intentionally because they were murdered intentionally by Trump’s goons. (I’ve seen the videos; I’m sure you have as well.)
At times like this, Gandhi used to say, “The truth is revealing itself.”
To show our grief and solidarity, you might want to wear a black armband this week and light a candle in your window this evening and for the remainder of the week.
But there is much more to do than mourn. As the labor leader Joe Hill asked in 1915 just before he was executed: “Don’t mourn … Organize.” The best way to honor the memories of Alex Pretti and Renee Good is to take action against the forces that executed both of them.
Obviously, your energies are needed in organizing your congressional district and your state for the midterm elections, and getting out the vote. (I’ll be back in coming months with detailed suggestions for how.)
But the midterms are nine and a half months away. In the meantime, Trump and his thugs can do a great deal of damage if not stopped. What can you do now?
A few action items occur to me:
1. Tell your U.S. senators to vote NO on the Department of Homeland Security spending bill they’ll be considering this week — unless ICE is disarmed and prohibited from using racial or ethnic profiling and its agents are explicitly liable to criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. At the very least, DHS’s funding should be slashed. If DHS is shut down after January 30 because no spending bill has been enacted, so be it. (The congressional switchboard is: (202) 224-3121.)
2. If you’re represented by Republicans, call them and demand they rein in ICE. They need to hear from you. Some Republicans are beginning to come around. (Remember: They now have a margin of only 3 votes in the House.)
3. Urge your state attorneys general to join with other state AGs and to investigate ICE, the Border Patrol, and their leadership (Noem, Miller, Trump), with a view toward possible criminal prosecution. Trump cannot pardon them or protect them from state-level prosecutions. (You can locate the office of your state attorney general through the National Association of Attorneys General website or the USAGov directory. Most offices have official websites with online complaint forms, phone numbers, and mailing addresses for submitting consumer inquiries, complaints, or reports.)
4.. If ICE is coming to your city or is already there, call on your mayor and your state police to protect those protesting ICE.
5. Circulate a pledge in your community to oppose ICE if and when it arrives there. Aim for signatures from 10 percent of the adults residing there.
6. If you are a member of your local Indivisible group (or if you’re not a member, join one; or if there’s none in your community, start one), suggest a general strike. What might this entail? I can imagine three elements: (1) no one goes to work (call in sick), (2) no one buys anything (stock up beforehand), and (3) no one uses social media (except Substack). In coordination with other Indivisible groups and other resistance groups across America, decide what date and for how long. (Then let me know!)
7. Isolate the United States economically, even more than Trump is doing. If you live in an EU country, urge your government to activate the Anti-Coercion Instrument. The Trump regime represents a clear and present danger to the world, including the sovereignty of European nations. The Anti-Coercion Instrument in the EU would allow the sanctioning of Trump regime officials, freezing of assets of corporations benefiting from the theft of Venezuelan oil, and expulsion of U.S. forces from European bases.
8. Allow the U.S. dollar to fall. Under the Trump regime — which is actively trying to take over the Fed, America’s central bank, and is dissolving ties with the rest of the free world — the dollar is becoming a highly risky currency. It’s already falling. Allow it to fall further. If you work in a large global corporation, urge your top executives to do the firm’s international transactions in currencies other than dollars. If you are in a large financial institution, urge traders to dump dollars.
Clearly, this is an incomplete list of the peaceful “good trouble” we could make. If other actions occur to you, please share them with the rest of us in the comments.
Friends, have courage. Be strong. Hug your loved ones. Remember Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Please do not succumb to fear or despair. We will be victorious.
Axioms for Interpreting Trump
The following is copied from an email sent to subscribers of Robert Reich, January 22, 2026. I found him on Substack and subscribed. He is quite progressive in his positions, but this is just plain common sense.
Thought you might be interested. Diane
Thought you might be interested. Diane
As Trump’s dementia worsens, several axioms are useful for interpreting his increasingly incoherent bloviation.
Axiom #1: Whatever he asserts to be a fact is either a wild exaggeration or a bald-faced lie. Always disregard.
Axiom #2: Whatever he blames on anyone else is something he’s done. He projects like mad, so his accusations are always windows into what he’s worried that others will discover about himself.
Axiom #3: Whatever he criticizes as being fake news is a fact he doesn’t want you to know. So pay special attention to it.
Axiom #4: Whenever he attacks some source of information — a survey, poll, or report — it’s come up with some truth he fears. So look at it and share it.
Bud Ward with President Obama
Bud Ward worked at Anheuser Busch in Williamsburg starting in 1982. He was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Bud was active in the Mathews Democratic Committee for many years and became chair in 2012. He also became vice chair for the Southeast Region of the Virginia Democratic Party in 2012.
Under Bud’s leadership, our annual Crab Steam grew to be one of the most successful fundraisers of rural Democratic Committees in the state. He was well known among Democratic leaders across the state and was close friends with former Governor Ralph Northam. He completed his tenure as chair of the Mathews committee in 2020, but continued to be active in local and state Democratic affairs.
In recent years, Bud became an integral part of the effort to tell the story of the Black Exodus from Gwynn’s Island. He helped form the association of the descendants of Black people who were enslaved by Gwynn’s Island white families and who lived and worked on Gwynn’s Island after emancipation. The first reunions of the descendants were held on Bud’s property on the Piankatank River. He was so determined that the historic marker commemorating the Black Exodus from Gwynn’s Island be located on the island that he offered his property as the place for it to be installed. It is a fitting tribute to Bud that this historic marker will be erected in front of his house on Old Ferry Road.
Bud was an unapologetic champion of all principles and priorities of the Democratic Party in a place where not too many people agreed with him. He loved Mathews County nonetheless.
Bud was active in the Mathews Democratic Committee for many years and became chair in 2012. He also became vice chair for the Southeast Region of the Virginia Democratic Party in 2012.
Under Bud’s leadership, our annual Crab Steam grew to be one of the most successful fundraisers of rural Democratic Committees in the state. He was well known among Democratic leaders across the state and was close friends with former Governor Ralph Northam. He completed his tenure as chair of the Mathews committee in 2020, but continued to be active in local and state Democratic affairs.
In recent years, Bud became an integral part of the effort to tell the story of the Black Exodus from Gwynn’s Island. He helped form the association of the descendants of Black people who were enslaved by Gwynn’s Island white families and who lived and worked on Gwynn’s Island after emancipation. The first reunions of the descendants were held on Bud’s property on the Piankatank River. He was so determined that the historic marker commemorating the Black Exodus from Gwynn’s Island be located on the island that he offered his property as the place for it to be installed. It is a fitting tribute to Bud that this historic marker will be erected in front of his house on Old Ferry Road.
Bud was an unapologetic champion of all principles and priorities of the Democratic Party in a place where not too many people agreed with him. He loved Mathews County nonetheless.
But What Can We DO?
Posted by Inequality Media, Robert Reich, professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator, tells us the 5 things we can do to protect our democracy.
Reich served in the Ford, Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations.
Reich served in the Ford, Carter, Clinton, and Obama administrations.