The nation—or at least the media—is fixated on the Democratic presidential nomination battle. Although that campaign could be a defining moment for progressives, it isn’t the whole story. The top of the ballot must be met by transformation at the bottom.

As the right has already learned, down-ballot races are critical to shaping the nation.

The House of Representatives, won by Democrats in the 2018 wave, has passed dozens of progressive policies, including landmark legislation on equal pay and a major bill on climate change. But unless Democrats win a majority in the US Senate in 2020, those bills will continue to gather dust.

Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.