WASHINGTON — Earlier this week, DLCC President Heather Williams hosted a virtual press conference with state legislative leaders in top target states to discuss how to defeat Republican extremism and the stakes for the 2024 elections. ADLCC Board Chair, Senator Priya Sundareshan, New Hampshire House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm, and Wisconsin Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer spoke about how GOP extremism threatens their states and how state legislative candidates will play a key role in the fight against Donald Trump and his MAGA allies this November.
Regardless of who wins the White House this year, Republicans’ playbook is to move their MAGA agenda through the states. State Democrats are the top line of defense for our fundamental freedoms and our democracy. That’s why last month, the DLCC launched a first-of-its-kind $10 million “Summer of the States” campaign, calling attention to the critical window in the summer months to make key investments and build the infrastructure needed for Democrats to win in November.
Check out coverage of the DLCC’s “Summer of the States” press conference below:
The [DLCC] plans to focus on issues where state legislatures can have a major effect on people’s daily lives, like abortion, L.G.B.T.Q. rights and education. And they’re spending $10 million on their effort to get people to care about the bottom of the ballot.
The DLCC is framing the battle for control over state legislatures as shoring up the last line of defense against former President Trump returning to the White House.
Democrats are focused on defending their majorities in Minnesota, Michigan, and Pennsylvania House, flipping control in Arizona and New Hampshire, and making gains in North Carolina and Wisconsin. Seventy percent of Americans live within the Democrats’ target map this year.
DLCC PRESIDENT HEATHER WILLIAMS SAYS: “Our work to grow our power in the state legislatures is a critical way to defend our future, especially if Donald Trump ends up back in power.”
DLCC President Heather Williams said, “As we stare down the potential of a second Trump presidency, one fact is abundantly clear: State Democrats are the top line of defense for our fundamental freedoms and our democracy. Abortion, LGBTQ rights, gun violence, and democracy itself are all being decided in the states. Republicans are pouring tens of millions of dollars into their state operations to build an army of MAGA allies in state legislatures across the country.”
“To stop a MAGA takeover this year, Democrats must show up in all ways to reject Donald Trump’s allies and protect our rights at all levels of the ballot. The groundwork to meet this moment must happen now.”
[DLCC President Heather] Williams also said that electing more Democrats to state legislatures would be imperative to help protect states should Trump return to the White House.
“A second Trump term combined with unchecked MAGA-controlled state legislatures across the country would be catastrophic for our democracy as well as our fundamental freedoms and rights,” Williams said.
WBAY/ABC 2 (Green Bay):
Legislative leaders from Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin discussed how the state’s redrawn legislative maps give Democrats a chance of no longer being the minority party in Madison. “We’ve been demonstrating for years what Wisconsin could look like if the will of the people was reflected in the legislature.”- Leader Greta Neubauer
Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-Tucson, took part in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s “Summer of the States” event where the power and role of state legislatures was discussed.
She said within the Arizona legislature, Democrats are currently only two seats away from potentially flipping both chambers, which would deliver what she called a “Democratic trifecta” for the Grand Canyon State. Sundareshan has been an advocate for protecting contraception and reproductive rights in Arizona.
Yesterday…the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC,) hosted by the organization’s President Heather Williams, convened its first ever DLCC Summer of the States Press Conference. […]
Arizona, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire are crucial purple battle ground states, not just at the Presidential level but also in the campaign to achieve Democratic majorities in these states respected Legislative bodies. […]
“State Democrats are the top line of defense for our fundamental freedoms and our Democracy regardless of who wins the White House this year.” [said Heather Williams]
WIZM (La Crosse):
“This year, we have the opportunity to go on offense,” Neubauer told reporters during a national on-line news conference, also featuring Democratic lawmakers from New Hampshire and Arizona […]
Neubauer is promising that Democrats will knock on doors all over the state this campaign season, to personally talk with voters about important issues. She says voters respond well to hearing about the programs her party has been working on.
Arizona State Senator Priya Sundareshan took part in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s Summer of the States event, where the power and role of state legislatures was discussed.
It was Democrats who led the effort successfully to repeal our 1864 abortion ban, and we’ve got one or two Republicans to join with us, but that was not an effort that the Republican majority led.”
Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin legislative leaders joined DLCC President Heather Williams to highlight GOP extremism in the states and the need for attention on down-ballot races this summer.
This presser builds on the DLCC’s “Summer of the States” campaign, which calls attention to the critical window this summer to make key investments to build Democratic power in the states. The work being done in the states is essential for stopping Trump and his MAGA allies from a total takeover this fall.
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