There is a lot of focus on the national/federal races out there right now, with everyone waiting impatiently to see who will come out of this election as the next President of the United States, who will control the Senate, and how much power Democrats will or will not have over Congress.

This race, like no other in my life, has everyone energized and waiting to go vote. Lines are hours long in some places, and people want their voices to be heard.

It’s very easy to get wrapped up in all the excitement of the Trump-Biden showdown, but we can’t forget that today and from here on out, it’s our state and local races that will help us either rebuild or build from today’s national election. As I explained last week:

That is where I think conservatives need to take the battles next. If we are indeed about to transition into a post-Trump era, conservatives (and conservatism in general) need to begin locally and rebuild. We will need a bench, and one that isn’t overly tied to Trumpism and isn’t tied to the old guard that led to Trumpism in the first place.

However, if Trump wins, then conservatives need to shore up the obvious weaknesses we’re seeing in the polling rather than assume we have a permanent majority (it is tempting to think the Democrats can’t win if they manage to lose to Trump twice). In 2008, the Democrats assumed they would have a permanent majority. They figured they had all the time in the world to make the policy changes they wanted to in order to shift America to the left. Instead, they overreached and in 2010 lost control of the Senate. Then, they lost control of the House. Finally, they lost the White House to, again, Donald Trump of all people.

There is no such thing as a permanent majority, but there are ways to prolong it. If Republicans lose their majority here, it is time to restructure and start by winning local elections everywhere they can. If Republicans keep the Senate AND the White House, then its time to shore up the local communities and work toward regaining the House of Representatives as soon as possible.

If you haven’t voted yet, make sure you are paying attention to the way-down-the-ballot stuff. Make sure you know who will be your next district attorney, sheriff, mayor, councilman, school board member, or whatever else is being voted on. Know what propositions are up for a vote. Be aware of what’s there and how you’re going to vote.

The federal stuff is going to be there, and that will be something that affects us down the road. But nine times out of ten, people will be more affected by what happens in your city, county, and state.