Governor Pat McCrory, the man behind North Carolina’s now infamous and wildly unpopular HB2 bill, has finally admitted he lost the 2016 election. This after parading around for the last month making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud throughout his state. It is a huge victory for democracy, for Democrats, for people of color, and for LGBT folks — McCrory never met a minority group he wasn’t happy to scapegoat.

McCrory’s support of HB2, which made it illegal for trans people to use public facilities that correspond with their gender identity and stripped LGBT people of anti-discrimination protection, is ultimately what cost him the election. The bill passed in March and the backlash has been swift and catastrophic. Companies like Paypal and Deutsche Bank halted planned expansions into the state. Dozens of major cities and states banned all non-essential business travel into North Carolina. The Justice Department has sued McCrory and various public institutions for violating Title IX by implementing HB2. It’s estimated that McCrory’s refusal to stand down on HB2 cost his state thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in tourism and investment capital, just in 2016.

So, that’s that. Guy’s a bigot, guy gets kicked out of office. Maybe it’ll even put a tourniquet on these free-bleeding post-election hot takes that continue to insist “identity politics” are what cost Hillary Clinton the presidential election. But even if that conversation calms down, Donald Trump is still going to be president and we’re in for the civil rights fights of our lives. A lot of what’s coming is going to take place in individual state legislatures, as Elizabeth Warren reminded the audience today at the State Innovation Exchange Conference.

https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/805842747840139264

Even North Carolina isn’t in the clear. As Slate points out, McCrory could still pack the courts with anti-equality judges in the legislative special session playing out right now.

Luckily the internet exists and we can use it to organize and empower our activism.

The ACLU is tracking anti-LGBT bills across the country and updating their status every Wednesday. Most state won’t begin new legislative sessions until January 2017. There aren’t any anti-LGBT bills hanging around in committee at the moment; however, we can expect to see an unprecedented number of anti-LGBT bills in the coming year as anti-equality lobbying groups and anti-equality legislators find themselves emboldened by Trump’s presidency. All of his cabinet picks so far are vehemently anti-LGBT, after all. And remember Nom? The National Organization For Marriage? Yeah, they’re back with a four-point plan.

GLAAD has also launched a tracking system called the Trump Accountability Project, which will catalog the administration’s anti-LGBT actions and statements in the hopes of empowering journalists.

We’re in a holding pattern right now, expecting the worst — but Pat McRory’s defeat is a big victory and reminder that Trump’s electoral college win doesn’t signal the end of the war. Hillary’s lead in the popular vote is over two million; companies and Democratic-led city/state governments will make states that pass anti-LGBT laws pay; and minority voices matter. No one is more responsible for McCrory’s defeat than NAACP and Moral Monday leader Rev. Dr. Barber, who has stymied McCrory at every turn through classic grassroots activism.

This is a a good win, and an admonishment to keep fighting.