Ohio, Mississippi and Maine got a lot of the headlines, but North Carolina voters also struck a heroic blow against the Koch brothers in elections Tuesday night.
Charles and David Koch were obviously not on the ballot, but the election was a referendum on their influence in Raleigh, N.C. Their presence in North Carolina has roots in 2009 when the Kochs supported organizations that worked to elect a new school board majority. Those candidates won and began pushing to overturn a highly successful diversity policy, which was the model framework for scores of school districts across the country.
As Sue Sturgis from Facing South wrote before the election:
The Kochs have given over $5 million to date to AFP, which supported the anti-diversity candidates who won the majority of seats in the 2009 Wake school board election. Brave New Foundation points out that the AFP-NC chapter had access to approximately $1 million from 2007 to 2009 -- money critical in laying the groundwork for that election. AFP also supported local groups that advocated for an end to the diversity policy.
While Americans everywhere rightfully celebrate the outcomes in Ohio, Mississippi and Maine last night, let's not forget the hard fought win for public education last night in North Carolina.
Organized people can beat organized money and Koch money alike.