Rust Belt Rising

09/01/2026

It's not too late to be a Rust Belt Rising candidate this cycle! With an outstanding lineup of trainers and topics this fall, sign up to get our weekly invites, free mentorship, and messaging research!
Register for "How to Win in 2026" to hear from the best practitioners on elevating your campaign.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Rust Belt Rising Leader! Cohort members have access to free training and polling throughout the election cycle.

08/12/2026

Sign up below to become part of Rust Belt Rising’s fall cohort with their course, How to Win in 2026. Learn from strategists, pollsters, and other practitioners about the latest research and practices to win elections in the Midwest right now and receive Rising's free individual support. Apply now to be a Rust Belt Rising leader.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Rust Belt Rising Leader! Cohort members have access to free training and polling throughout the election cycle.

06/02/2026

We're excited to invite you to the Midwestern Regional Rural Forum tomorrow hosted by the Democratic National Committee Rural Council Committee. We’re honored that the DNC asked Rust Belt Rising to share what we do with Democrats around the country. This is an exciting opportunity to improve how our party engages with voters and rural communities.

Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM CT
RSVP HERE: https://democrats.zoom.us/meeting/register/RgsuwxtVRjem42mCYXGqmw

The forum is hosted by Rural Council Midwestern Representative Julie Fryer, and our Rust Belt Rising team will present on best practices, strategy, and what we've learned from working with local Democratic leaders.

Speakers:
• Former North Dakota U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp
• Katrina Shankland, Rust Belt Rising
• Christopher Gibbs and Jordan Horstman, The Ohio Democratic Party Rural Caucus

It will be a great place to learn from Democratic organizers across the Midwest and hear from other regional organizations as primaries take place all across the Midwest. You can also weigh in and ask questions of the speakers.

These events increase momentum to elect more Democrats up and down the ballot. We hope to see you there!

05/01/2026

Today is May Day, an important celebration of labor and the strength of working people’s organizing power and voices. Rust Belt Rising is proud to stand with workers today and every day! Our Executive Director Katrina Shankland spoke to folks in Wisconsin Rapids, a city of 18,700 in the heart of Wisconsin. Our message? When we put workers first, we win! Power to the people, always. 💪

04/06/2026

Don’t miss the chance to meet with Ben Wikler, one of our region's and country’s most impactful organizers as the exceptional former Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Wednesday, April 8 at 2:00 pm ET/1:00 p.m. CT

REGISTER HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tIQHTmUjSNymy9LFUD1nmg

Ben will share with us what leaders and activists need to know from his time spent at the helm of WisDems, and insights from his new book, This Is The Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy.

Drawing on his remarkable leadership of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and digital advocacy at MoveOn before that, Ben’s book shows what individuals and small groups can do to help build a future where democracy thrives and our country works for everyone.

During Wikler’s chairship from 2019 to 2025, WisDems won 10 out of 13 statewide races—including Joe Biden’s presidential win in 2020, Tony Evers’s re-election in 2022, and Tammy Baldwin’s victory in 2024, as well as three state Supreme Court landslides that flipped the majority and ended the state’s extreme partisan state legislative gerrymander.

Wikler has spent over two decades at the forefront of progressive advocacy and political action. Before leading the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Wikler served as Washington Director for MoveOn, where he helped spearhead campaigns to protect the Affordable Care Act and resist the Trump agenda. He now lives with his wife, three kids, and enormous dog in Madison, Wisconsin.

Join us for a chance to learn from and talk with Ben Wikler for insights you can bring to your community and campaign.