First of all, thank you to all our members and supporters for your work, your energy, your donations and yes, your votes. The election did not turn out the way many of us hoped it would. It has been a bad couple of days, and in the end, there is no way to soften the blow. We lost.

This week has been tough. But we'd like to remind you of a few things:

1. This election did not result in a mandate. 423,000 Kansans voted against Brownback and his agenda. Half a million of us. That's a lot of voters: active, angry, sad, vigilant, exhausted but ready to hold this administration and legislature accountable.
   
   
2. And we will hold them accountable. The MainStream Coalition will continue to watch and report, to hold sessions to educate voters, to send emails that keep you up to date, to alert you when your action is needed. Brownback and his allies will have to own this. This Monday, the state's Consensus Revenue Estimating Group will meet to revise their estimates of how much money the state can expect to take in, and will provide the estimated number for 2015, off of which the administration will have to work. It should be interesting.
   
   
3. This week we were reminded that Kansas is on the verge of recognizing same-sex marriages, joining a groundswell of freedom (yes, Freedom) working its way across these United States. Brownback is sure to appeal this decision, resulting in more delay, but no less certain an outcome. Kansas ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional: judge - Reuters
   
   
4. Though we lost the statewide races, we held our ground again, even netting a new seat in NE Kansas. No moderate Kansas House incumbents lost their seats in Douglas, Johnson, or Wyandotte counties. We held on to an open seat and even picked up a moderate representative. Every voice counts, just as every vote was needed to let these men and women represent us.

Whatever happens, moving forward, MainStream will be here, working. MainStream Board Member Sheryl Spalding penned a post for us after the election about keeping the faith. Read it on our site.

Thank you for all you have done.