WASHINGTON — This weekend, DLCC President Heather Williams joined Reverend Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation to discuss the stakes of legislative races across the country in 2024, including an upcoming must-win special election in Pennsylvania next week on February 13th. This special election will determine the House majority and the landscape of rights in Pennsylvania, as well as indicate the national mood given Bucks County is a perennial bellwether.
Heather highlighted the stark contrast in the priorities of Democratic leaders working to expand fundamental freedoms, versus Republicans committed to taking away rights. The DLCC has a plan in place to make 2024 the year of the states by building momentum from recent wins and communicating why this is the most important level of the ballot.
To watch the full video, click here.
From Heather Williams on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation:
- On the year of the states: “The states have never been more important. With the Dobbs decision, so much of the work has been remanded down to the states. And we know that this is where our rights are being protected, and where we are making progress for not just the Democratic party, but for people across this country. When we think about 2024, we see real opportunities to protect what we have recently gained in winning elections, to expand our power in places where there are real vulnerable Republican majorities, and to continue to build power in the states.”
- On the PA special: “Democrats picked up the majority in the Pennsylvania State House in 2022. This special election will be for the majority again…It is really important – the State House is divided, there is Republican control in the State Senate…This seat will determine control of the chamber once again.”
- On why the states matter: “This is where we know that our agenda – the Democratic Party’s agenda and the President’s agenda – is getting accomplished. We saw incredible results in new Democratic trifectas that came out of the 2022 election, looking at Minnesota and Michigan as a great example where we saw real progress being made for communities across those states and real examples of what bold leadership looks like. As we look at November’s elections, we see the same opportunities in Arizona and in New Hampshire.”
- On Republicans’ vs. Democrats’ agenda: “The stakes could not be clearer. We know that the contrast between Republicans in states and Democrats in states could not be clearer. We see Republicans creating issues that don’t actually exist. They are banning books. They are banning abortion. They are taking rights away, whereas Democrats in leadership across the country in these states are expanding our rights.”
To book Heather Williams on future appearances to talk about the DLCC’s work, state legislatures on the frontlines of defending fundamental freedoms, or the DLCC’s battleground map in the “year of the states,” please contact the DLCC press team at [email protected].
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures and building state infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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