DLCC Shares Breakdown of 2018 Democratic Legislative Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2018
CONTACT:
Mara Sloan
DLCC Communications Director
[email protected]
202.449.6740

DLCC Shares Breakdown of 2018 Democratic Legislative Candidates
Report and new video boast record numbers

WASHINGTON — Today the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) released a new report highlighting the record number of Democrats running for state legislatures nationwide, including the number of men and women, first-time candidates, veterans, and educators who are running this fall.

Democrats are running over 5,300 candidates this year for 6,066 seats on the ballot – contesting nearly 88% of races – while Republicans are contesting only 78% of races. The DLCC also released a video showcasing some of these amazing candidates, underscoring the importance of diverse representation on the ballot and what it means for the future of our democracy.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity this Nov. 6 to change the face of power by electing as many of these incredible state Democrats as possible,” said Jessica Post, executive director of the DLCC. “These candidates are running to make a difference in their communities – from improving traffic commutes, to expanding access to health care, to investing in improving education in America. We know that when Democrats have the majority in state legislatures, we see more progressive policies turned into law. With the most Democrats running since 1982, we’ll need a lot of people power and shoe leather to help Democrats win big in just a few weeks. We are fortunate to have legions of candidates and supporters who have so many new ideas for how to move our country forward. This is only the beginning of what’s to come for Democrats, and the DLCC is proud to be working hand in hand to be an important part of this chapter in our history.”

The DLCC’s report breaks down Democrats’ impressive slate while the video goes further and puts faces and names to the numbers:

Alberta Griffin, candidate for Michigan House District 61, notes that nearly 1,200 people of color are running to change the face of state legislatures, which is more than four times more than the Republicans have running.
Emily Randall, candidate for Washington Senate District 26, highlights a more than 60% increase in LGBTQ candidates, like her, who will defend the rights of LGBTQ Americans in the states.
Casey Weinstein, candidate for Ohio House District 37, notes that almost 400 veterans, like him, are running to continue serving our country at the local level.
Mari Manoogian, candidate for Michigan House District 40, is part of the wave of over 1,600 first-time candidates – almost double the number from 2016 – running to build the Democratic bench from the ground up.
Darrin Camilleri, candidate for Michigan House District 23, is one of more than 1,000 educators running to keep our schools funded and students safe.
Hana Ali, candidate for Tennessee House District 45, notes that over 2,300 women are running to bring much-needed change to our politics, a 37% increase from 2016 and more than twice as many compared to Republicans.
Rich Andrade, candidate for Arizona House District 29, is one of over 300 Labor candidates running who will stand up for a living wage and fair working conditions.
Nearly 700 millennials are running to bring the voice of their generation to state capitols.

After flipping 44 state legislative seats since Trump was elected, the DLCC and state Democrats are sending a message that there is no such thing as a “safe Republican” district. With its budget of $35 million and record-breaking fundraising and grassroots engagement, the DLCC is committed to making sure our candidates and in-state partners have the training, data, expertise, resources, and everything else they need to win this November. Democrats are only 17 seats away from flipping eight chambers and with critical majorities on the line, the DLCC is confident headed into Election Day.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the only organization exclusively committed to electing Democrats to state legislatures all over the country and winning Democratic control of chambers. For over two decades, the DLCC has been working with state legislative leaders to invest strategically in state programs, which has led to Democrats flipping 44 seats since Trump was elected. The DLCC is building on Democrats’ winning momentum and continues to lay the groundwork for substantial gains in 2018 in statehouses nationwide. State Democrats are leading the resistance against the Trump administration’s extremist policies while moving our nation forward one state at a time. You can learn more about critical upcoming elections and follow DLCC’s Spotlight Races at races.dlcc.org.

To view the full report, visit www.dlcc.org/state-of-play-oct. For more information or to schedule an interview with the DLCC, please contact Mara Sloan at [email protected].

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