# Moms for Liberty lose big

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [November 8, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841 "2023-11-08T18:18:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/1 "2023-11-08T18:18:27Z")

</div>

> **[Moms for Liberty Candidates Take a Beating in Some School Races](https://www.thedailybeast.com/moms-for-liberty-candidates-taught-a-lesson-in-2023-elections?ref=home?ref=home)**
>
> The far-right group’s school board candidates did not fare well in several important ballots across the U.S.

Moms for Liberty is the “antiwoke” purveyor of hate [deemed extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center](https://www.npr.org/2023/06/07/1180486760/splc-moms-for-liberty-extremist-group). After their major wins in 2021, liberal and progressive groups got their act together and ran as slates to take back school boards.

This worked extraordinarily well in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Iowa. They did win two seats in Alaska.

The right has been putting money into school boards for years, often using them as a springboard to drive those policies to the state level and/or using state wins to leverage their local efforts. Maybe, finally, the left is learning that local successes can rise upward to state and national successes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/2 "2023-11-08T18:33:41Z")

</div>

Brilliant This year I looked up and wrote down names for school board candidates. I ended up having to go by the endorsement of a political party because the schmarm they put on they page was useless.  
There was a candidate for school board at the early polling station. He thanked me for “helping to keep pornography out of grade schools” I wish I was more articulate and could argue how damaging he was but I just kicked him in the knee and walked past. Well I meant to. I expect he meant the penguin with two daddys book or some such.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/3 "2023-11-08T18:34:07Z")

</div>

> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Maybe, finally, the left is learning that local successes can rise upward to state and national successes.

God, I hope so. This is very heartening news, and I hope it’s the beginning of a trend.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/4 "2023-11-08T18:34:57Z")

</div>

This is wonderful news! 😀

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/5 "2023-11-08T18:44:50Z")

</div>

> [@Beesnest](#):
>
> There was a candidate for school board at the early polling station. He thanked me for “helping to keep pornography out of grade schools”

I don’t know where you live, but here in Illinois and I would guess in most states it’s illegal to do any campaigning within 50 feet of a polling place. If a candidate said anything related to the election to me at the polling place, I would have notified the election judges and then called my county Election Commission.

(In case anyone is wondering, several years ago when I went to vote shortly after the polls opened, I noted that campaign signs had been erected by the doors to the polling place. I called the Election Commission right away. I drove past there a couple of hours later, and the signs had all been moved. I take this election neutrality stuff seriously.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/6 "2023-11-08T19:12:58Z")

</div>

In New York, the law is “no electioneering” within 100 feet of the polls. The phrase takes in a multitude of possible offenses. And it is taken seriously here as well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/7 "2023-11-08T20:23:23Z")

</div>

For those not wanting to register to _The Daily Beast_ to read the OP’s article, here is another article:

> **[Moms for Liberty Falls Flat on Its Face in School Board Races](https://newrepublic.com/post/176746/moms-liberty-falls-flat-face-school-board-races-iowa)**
>
> In Iowa, Moms for Liberty endorsed 13 candidates for school board. Guess how many actually won?

I’m also sad to see they’re trying to infiltrate my own state of Washington.

> **[Controversial Moms for Liberty group fields candidates for local school board...](https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article277171373.html)**
>
> Moms for Liberty says they’re a parental rights group.

> **[Moms for Liberty pushes right-wing agenda in Washington state school board...](https://www.kuow.org/stories/moms-for-liberty-pushes-right-wing-agenda-in-washington-state-school-board-elections)**
>
> Across the country, members of Moms for Liberty have increasingly confronted school administrators at board meetings and advocated against school curriculum including subjects like diversity, equity and inclusion, racism in the United States, and...

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/8 "2023-11-08T20:54:29Z")

</div>

They’re losing in all the races cited by the Tacky Trib. Highest percentage is 43% in Dierenger (641-835).

Not exactly as newsworthy as the more prominent locations, but encouraging nonetheless.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/9 "2023-11-08T21:22:41Z")

</div>

The story I’ve been hearing is that the Dobbs decision is motivating voters against conservative candidates.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/10 "2023-11-08T21:32:39Z")

</div>

> [@Beesnest](#):
>
> He thanked me for “helping to keep pornography out of grade schools” I wish I was more articulate and could argue how damaging he was

“Hey, man. I don’t want to kink shame, and I respect that you get your jollies however you get them, and if that’s by drooling over _Our Bodies Ourselves_ or other children’s books, do what you gotta do. But please don’t make me a part of your kink. Your sexual fantasies are fine, but I don’t want to hear about them. And for real, man, you gotta keep your kinky imagination about kidlit away from actual kids, that’s super not okay.”

Whatever they come back at you with, affirm and set boundaries. “Sure, I see that that passage is getting you excited, and again, it’s okay to be aroused by it, but I don’t want to hear about your erotic turn-ons, and it’s really important you’re not communicating your excitement to children. You’re not, are you?”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/11 "2023-11-08T22:40:58Z")

</div>

Or just scream “Pervert! Child Molester!” over and over while running in panicked circles pointing at the freaky candidate.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/12 "2023-11-08T22:48:37Z")

</div>

I think “Groomer!” would really hit 'em where it hurts.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/13 "2023-11-08T23:11:28Z")

</div>

You’re approaching this as if rationality would be a defense. These aren’t people who bother to read the text. They can look at the cover and see that it’s gay or woke or promotes equality. Or just take names off a group chat. Read the text? That’s what you liberals do to catch teh gay.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/14 "2023-11-08T23:15:09Z")

</div>

It’s 100 feet in Texas as well; I measured it and placed the signs yesterday when I was working the constitutional election.

For what it’s worth, turnout for yesterday’s election here was the highest it’s been for this type of election since 1991, and most of that was in the cities. How that will translate into partisan turnout in other elections, I can’t guess, but I find it encouraging.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/15 "2023-11-08T23:20:04Z")

</div>

When I lived in Montana, there were signs posted “No electioneering past this point”. I’m not sure what the measured distance was, but I presume whoever put up that sign knew. And, of course, a variety of electioneering signs just outside that point.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/16 "2023-11-08T23:20:44Z")

</div>

I just love these ironic names! That one is up there with the _German Democratic Republic_ and _Democratic People’s Republic of Korea_. Once, just ONCE, I’d sure like to see one of these groups choose a name which _actually_ fits their agenda, like _Fascist Busybodies for Censorship_ or something…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/17 "2023-11-08T23:24:57Z")

</div>

A group of right wingers tried to run for our local school district in 2022. They were pretty coy about hiding their agenda behind “respect” and “fiscal responsibility” and “parent rights”, but it was pretty clear to the electorate what they were about. They avoided forums or talking about their plans.

9 school trustees  
30 people running

We could vote for up to 9. Or as few as 1

The right -wingers came in 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28

Bye bye.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/18 "2023-11-08T23:40:20Z")

</div>

This is the good stuff!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/19 "2023-11-09T00:10:44Z")

</div>

> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> 9 school trustees  
> 30 people running
> 
> We could vote for up to 9. Or as few as 1
> 
> The right -wingers came in 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28
> 
> Bye bye.

I’m curious. Who came in 29 and 30?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841/20 "2023-11-09T00:16:39Z")

</div>

> [@thorny\_locust](#):
>
> I’m curious. Who came in 29 and 30?

I had to look this up:

29 - an accountant with kids in elementary school who did not answer the local paper questionnaire, had no social media presence and did not attend candidate forums.

30 - a person who runs in many elections, and whose submitted biographical statement reads: “New worlds required, eh? Me thinks, me know, she expected, honourable, exciting, requiring…duty’s.”

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-for-liberty-lose-big/992841.md?page=2)
