Brennan Suen was inspired. After the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) urged progressives to dig in and work to change someone’s mind about voting.
Suen took her words to heart and in a touching Twitter thread, he recounted what happened when he spoke to his Republican grandmother about her vote. His story quickly went viral and that’s when AOC replied.
Related: Voting deadlines, registration & what’s at stake for LGBTQ voters in 2020
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“After RBG died,” he tweeted, “I listened to AOC say, there is someone in your life who only you can get to in this election, and it is your job to get to them. Since then, I have been filled with anxiety knowing what I needed to do. For me, that’s my 94 year old grandmother.”
“She has always voted Republican.”
He goes on to recount the emotional conversation with granny and her response, admitting, “I have never called her crying, but I did today.”
“I am still crying.”
As his story took the internet by storm and other people starting telling their own stories of convincing their loved ones to vote, the Congresswoman tweeted her own response to Suen.
“Congratulations,” she tweeted. “Proud of you and your grandmother!”
She has always voted Republican. My very first memory of politics was seeing polls during Gore v. Bush and her telling me she supported Bush but my parents supported Gore. I took one look at the two and said that I agreed with my parents.
— Brennan Suen (@brennansuen) October 7, 2020
I have never called her crying, but I did today. I told her that in my work, I advocate for my community every day, and the last four years has been unbearably difficult for me. I told her the Republicans are trying to take away our right to marry, adopt, access health care.
— Brennan Suen (@brennansuen) October 7, 2020
I am still crying.
Please call your loved ones. Tell them what's at stake. Tell them it's personal. Because it's true. There is someone out there who only you can get to.
And their decision will mean the world to you.
— Brennan Suen (@brennansuen) October 7, 2020
Congratulations. Proud of you and your grandmother!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 7, 2020
This is beautiful. For me it was my father who never voted. He had his reasons and I respected them but two weeks ago I explained that he has 5 grandkids whose entire lives would be greatly impacted by this single election. He registered that night.
— Greg Armstrong (@GregDArmstrong) October 7, 2020
I got my son and his fiance to register to vote and they will vote for Joe. I consider that to be a huge accomplishment as no matter how hard I tried I couldn't convince them to vote for Hillary. They didn't vote because the nominee wasn't Bernie.
— Murrow's Girl (@MadelineTriebw3) October 7, 2020
As Nike Says, Just Do It. No matter how it turns out, feel good knowing that you tried and then go talk to somebody else more amenable. One vote is one vote and if it's not your dad, make it someone else. I know you can do it. We all have to do it
— Meet The Resistance (@MeetResist) October 7, 2020
Man, if my parents came to me crying about the future and begging me to vote I too would respond. You would have to think if they are so worried and upset something is seriously wrong. Well done.
— wilmox (@wilmox) October 7, 2020
