Vox: “If the stakes of state legislative races are high, the cost of meaningfully influencing their outcomes can be remarkably low.”
WASHINGTON — Hot off the presses this morning, Vox reports on the resource deficit facing state legislative races – for a fraction of the billions being pumped into the top of the ticket, investing in Democratic power in the states opens the path for protecting abortion access, advancing paid family and medical leave, supporting workers, and feeding school children.
With only 61 days left until Election Day, it’s crucial to ensure these down-ballot races aren’t overlooked. By investing in state legislative races — where every major freedom is on the line — we can defeat Trump’s MAGA allies and make tangible impacts for the more than 70 million people whose rights hang in the balance on the DLCC’s target map.
Vox: Harris is swimming in cash — but Democrats may still have a fundraising problem
- “What we know for sure is that, when it comes to the parties themselves, Republicans are outraising Democrats in the fight for statehouses. That fight is often neglected by the national spotlight — but it can have profound implications for Americans’ daily lives.”
- “At the national level, the cost of progress is exorbitant. In the right down-ballot races, however, it retails at a steep discount.”
- “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v.Wade, the stakes of state legislative elections became even higher. Throughout much of the country, the right to an abortion has become contingent on the outcomes of down-ballot races. All 22 states that currently ban abortion — or restrict access to the procedure more tightly than Roe did — have GOP-controlled state legislatures. Meanwhile, all 16 states that have enacted new abortion protections since the end of Roe are governed by Democrats.”
- “Even as Harris has begun outraising Trump, the Republican committee responsible for funding GOP state legislative candidates has amassed far more money than its Democratic counterpart. From January 2023 through the second quarter of this year, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) — the body tasked with electing Democratic state legislators — had raised $35 million, according to the committee. Over the same period, its GOP rival, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), had raised $62 million.”
- “Ultimately, only Democratic donors can ensure that the GOP enjoys no down-ballot edge. Given blue America’s current enthusiasm and engagement, this should be possible — at least, if liberals come to appreciate the high stakes, and low cost, of winning state legislative races.”
The DLCC is the official arm of the Democratic Party with the sole mission of building Democratic power in the states and setting the national agenda at the state level. 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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