The DLCC is uplifting 12 candidates running in target races to break the GOP’s long-standing hold on the AZ legislature
WASHINGTON — Yesterday, the DLCC unveiled 12 Spotlight candidates running in critical races across Arizona and an additional $223K investment to break the Republican majorities during a virtual press conference. DLCC President Heather Wiliams, ADLCC Board Chair and Sen. Priya Sundareshan, Rep. Judy Schwiebert, and Spotlight candidates Kevin Volk and Nicholas Gonzales spoke about their efforts to break the extreme GOP majorities by flipping just two seats in each chamber. The battle to flip the legislature is one of the toughest on the map this year, and the new $223k investment will help candidates continue to hire staff to knock doors, support voter contact, build strong digital operations, and more.
Read more about the DLCC’s new efforts in Arizona below:
Arizona Republic: National Dems to pour $223K into battleground districts to flip Arizona Legislature
The Arizona Legislature is the Democrats’ top national target this year. They are optimistic about taking control, citing voter support for Democratic priorities and criticizing Republican policies that, among other things, rejected a proposal to protect contraceptive rights and led to delayed votes on repealing an 1864 near-total abortion ban.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that 2024 is the most important year in state legislative campaign history,” Williams said. “State legislatures are on the frontlines of shaping the issues that matter most — from abortion to democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, gun safety, and more.”
CNN: Democrats are also investing in key congressional races in Arizona, committee announces
“We all still have a lot of really hard work to do, and in a presidential year, our focus starts to shift in the fall into making sure that people are voting up and down the entire ballot, and that they are voting for their state legislator as well as who is running for president. So a lot of work ahead of us, but certainly we feel a shift in the environment,” DLCC President Heather Williams said.
AZ Family: National Democrats put new emphasis on flipping Arizona’s legislature
A national campaign arm of the Democratic Party announced Thursday it considers taking control of Arizona’s legislature its top priority this November, and it’s making new investments in a dozen local races. Since Democrats already hold the governor’s office, flipping control of the Arizona House and Senate would put the party in charge of all three branches of state government – a position Democrats haven’t enjoyed in generations.
KGUN: DLCC Arizona Spotlight Candidates
Around Arizona, Democrats are getting confident abortion is such a key issue in this election. It’ll compel voters to help the party take back the state legislature. The national Democratic party agrees that they are now investing in more than $200,000 to boost campaigns in 8 legislative districts across the state. Heather Williams from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee says turning Arizona blue would be significant for the party: “Delivering Democratic majorities in Arizona is paramount as Arizona Republicans are some of the most extreme in the country.”
KPHO: Plan to Flip the Legislature Blue
A campaign arm of the Democratic party announced yesterday some local Arizona races are top priority. So the party thinks it’s their best chance in decades to flip control of the Arizona legislature and they announced new investments hoping to sway the voters… That’s why the DLCC announced it’s spending another $223,000 on Arizona legislative races in order to help hire staff for signs, digital ads, and door knocking ahead of the November election.
Pluribus News: Pluribus AM: Dems make a play for Arizona
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee plans to spend $223,000 on 12 legislative races in Arizona, where Republicans hold the slimmest majorities in both the House and Senate. Democrats are targeting eight House races and four Senate contests.
KTAR Radio: DLCC Arizona Spotlight Candidates
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is targeting a number of races in Arizona in hopes of breaking the Republican majorities already in the state legislature…“It’s been a long effort to bring Arizona Democrats to a place where the majorities are in reach. Now we just need to flip two seats in each chamber to deliver Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs the trifecta needed to make a real difference in Arizona communities,” [said DLCC President Heather Williams]. The DLCC supports state Representative Judy Schwebert in legislative district two Senate race. They’re also endorsing Nicholas Gonzales in LD 13, and Kevin Volk in LD 17, both for state House races.
KFYI Radio: DLCC Arizona Investments
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee says it plans to spend more than $200,000 in an effort for the party to take control of the state Capitol. That effort includes targeting 8 House races and 4 in the Senate, where Republicans have a slim advantage in each chamber. Democrats have not been the majority party in the state legislature since the 1960s.
Blog for Arizona: Is this the Year Democrats Finally Flip the Arizona State Legislature? ADLCC Chair and State Senator Priya Sundareshan Thinks So.
“I think there are several salient issues on which we’ve seen Democrats stand in opposition to Republicans. The one that’s been clearest over the last few months is on reproductive freedom where Democrats led the way this year in repealing the state’s 1864 abortion ban. It’s very clear that Democrats support people’s ability to have reproductive freedom and to be able to make decisions over their bodies without interference from politicians,”- Sen. Priya Sundareshan
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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