WASHINGTON — This week, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced $2 million total invested in the Virginia legislative elections, a six-figure investment in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and a new Spotlight candidate in the November 7th New Hampshire special election.
Building on six-figures spent in special elections since January, all of these strategic and targeted investments show that the DLCC is in it to win and investing heavily to build state infrastructure on the most important level of the ballot.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Interim President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“Following a historic midterm in which the DLCC picked up four new legislative majorities, we’ve seen our momentum continue in 2023 with special election wins and overperformance across the country. While our level of the ballot remains underfunded, we’re leading the charge to direct resources to Democrats’ best opportunities this cycle. The Virginia legislative elections, the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court election, and the New Hampshire special election are three of the most important elections in November. The DLCC has played early, played hard, and continues to put Democrats in a better position to shift the balance of power in the states. We are all hands on deck for November as we hold MAGA extremists accountable across the country.”
To read a few of the articles about the DLCC’s targeted investments, see below:
Virginia
Axios: Dems flood Virginia with cash ahead of off-year elections. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is pumping another $1 million into Virginia’s high-stakes legislative elections this fall, doubling its commitment for the year, Axios has learned.”
ABC News: Democrats pour $2M more into Virginia, where battle for statehouse could decide abortion and more. “Every seat in both the state House of Delegates and state Senate is up for grabs on Nov. 7 and the new investment by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the latest example of how both parties see the election as critical — not just for gaining legislative power but as indicators of where voters stand on abortion, the economy and more.”
National Journal: The DLCC Invested Another $1 Million into Virginia. The “DLCC is ‘pumping another $1 million into Virginia’s high-stakes legislative elections this fall, doubling its commitment for the year.’ The investment ‘has been transferred to the state’s House and Senate campaign committees.’”
NBC News: Tuesday’s Campaign Round-Up, 10.3.23 “With just five weeks remaining in this year’s election cycle, Axios reports that the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee “is pumping another $1 million into Virginia’s high-stakes legislative elections this fall, doubling its commitment for the year.”
The Messenger: Democrats Boost Spending For Local Virginia Elections. “The policies that have the biggest impact on our lives are increasingly being decided in the states,” said interim DLCC President Heather Williams in a statement. “Alongside state legislatures, we believe state supreme courts from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin are critically important in determining the future of our democracy. As we implement our long-term strategy to build Democratic power in the states, we’re investing accordingly.”
WRIC: Democrats spending big on key state races in Virginia’s 2023 elections. “‘Virginia is our top priority in 2023,’ DLCC spokesperson Abhi Rahman told 8News in a phone interview, adding that the latest contributions would help boost Virginia Democrats’ get-out-the-vote efforts.
The DLCC said it was the first national organization on the ground in Virginia, bringing volunteers and resources to the commonwealth in January, with the goal of helping Democrats keep a majority in the state Senate and flip the House of Delegates to win control of the Virginia General Assembly.”
The Messenger: Money Flows To Key Virginia Legislative Races, Highlighting Importance to Both Parties. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, one of the party’s top organizations focused on winning control of state legislatures, recently announced they will spend a total of $2 million in Virginia this cycle, a sizable expenditure for the group. ‘So far we’ve been able to keep pace with Youngkin flooding the state with billionaire’s dollars. However, to continue to keep pace in the future, we need all hands on deck in Virginia — be it donors, grassroots funders, or volunteers,’ said Abhi Rahman, a spokesperson for the group. ‘The future of the Commonwealth and the future of reproductive care in the south depends on it.’”
Politico: How swing district members voted on funding the government. “DOWN-BALLOT DOLLARS — The DLCC has invested more than $2 million in this year’s Virginia legislative elections. Democrats hold a slim majority in the state Senate, and the GOP has narrow control of the state House.”
Augusta Free Press: D.C. Democrats sinking $2M into Virginia General Assembly races to counter Youngkin, GOP. “A D.C.-based Democrat campaign finance group is sinking more than $2 million into Virginia’s 2023 House of Delegates and State Senate races. “The DLCC is leading the fight this year to hold the Virginia Senate and flip the House of Delegates,” said Heather Williams, listed in a Monday press release as the interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the D.C. outfit founded in 1992. “We invested early and have kept up the pace because the stakes are so high. Democrats must win in November to protect Virginians’ fundamental rights and to advance an economic agenda to grow the middle class. If we fail, Virginia will fall into the hands of unchecked Republican power, and their extreme MAGA agenda will set Virginia back decades,” Williams said.”
The Washington Times: Youngkin’s political fortunes on the line in battle for control of the Virginia Legislature. “‘This is the first year on new maps and first year all seats are up post-Dobbs,’ Heather Williams, interim president and former executive director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, told reporters on a conference call. “Make no mistake: An unchecked Republican trifecta would be devastating. “You will see an abortion ban if that happens, and other fundamental freedoms would be taken away,” she said. “With how extreme Virginia Republicans have gotten, there is no telling how far they might go, but what is clear is the stakes of the election could not be higher.’”
The Bull Elephant: DLCC targets Republicans running for General Assembly. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) believes there are 17 safe Democrat state Senate seats in the General Assembly. (There are a total of 40 seats in the state Senate.) Democrats need to pick up 4 additional seats to keep their majority. […] The DLCC believes there are 45 reliably Democrat seats in the House of Delegates and they are targeting 20 more. (There are 100 members in the House of Delegates.)”
Fox News: Republicans and Democrats focusing on ‘high-stakes’ Virginia election.
Blue Virginia: NEW: DLCC Announces A Total $2 Million Investment In Virginia “Today the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is announcing a total investment of over $2 million in Virginia to boost Democrats in this fall’s critical legislative elections. The DLCC was the first national organization to be on the ground in Virginia this year and the latest investments this week make the DLCC the largest direct contributor among national Democratic groups this cycle, to date, including deploying seven figures over the past two weeks alone. These investments will support the Democratic caucuses, fight back against Republicans trying to flood Virginia with money, and ensure that Democrats are getting out the vote and holding Gov. Youngkin and the GOP accountable – neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block”
Pennsylvania
The Messenger: Democratic Group Investing Six Figures Into PA Supreme Court Race (Exclusive). “A group dedicated to electing Democrats at the state level is set to announce a six-figure investment in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race, The Messenger has exclusively learned. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s investment in the race comes as several issues, including abortion and redistricting, have increasingly been decided at the state level. And the open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is just the latest in a series of high-stakes partisan battles occurring down the ballot.”
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: DLCC making six-figure investment in Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced Wednesday it plans to make a “six-figure investment” in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court race, calling it an election that will have “long-term consequences, not just for the court, but for the state Legislature as well.” […] And Democrats want to prepare for the long term, said DLCC spokesperson Abhi Rahman, something he acknowledged the party has struggled to do. “In the mid-2010s we lost everything,” because Republicans had built a strong bench of candidates, he said. Recognizing that most legislation happens at the state level, “we did a 180 after 2016.” Democrats currently have a 4-2 majority on the state’s highest court, and justices serve 10-year terms.”
The Hill: Pennsylvania court race puts abortion, elections center stage. “Voters in the Keystone State will be heading to the polls next month to weigh in on a vacant Pennsylvania Supreme Court seat that could put Republicans one step closer to retaking the high court’s majority. […] “The fight for our democracy isn’t one and done,” said Heather Williams, interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), which told The Hill that it was spending six figures in the state Supreme Court race. “It is absolutely critical that every elected official is 100 percent upholding the standards of our democracy and in certifying a clear election, and is ensuring that people have access to the ballot box,” she added.”
AP News: Attack ads and millions of dollars flow into race for Pennsylvania Supreme Court seat. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee said it will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
PoliticsPA: October 4: History Made. “DLCC Making Six-Figure Investment In PA Supreme Court Race. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced Wednesday it plans to make a “six-figure investment” in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court race, calling it an election that will have “long-term consequences, not just for the court, but for the state Legislature as well.”
Politico: Playbook PM. “KEYS TO THE KEYSTONE STATE — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is putting a six-figure investment into the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court race this fall, The Hill’s Caroline Vakil reports. Though the election won’t change the partisan balance of power on the court, Republicans could move one step closer to flipping the court by winning this seat.”
DailyKos: PA-Sen: Quinnipiac Poll Has Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D) Beating David McCormick (R. CT) 50-44. “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced Wednesday it plans to make a “six-figure investment” in Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court race, calling it an election that will have ‘long-term consequences, not just for the court, but for the state Legislature as well.’”
New Hampshire
Nashua Telegraph: DLCC backs Beauchemin for Hillsborough 3 seat. “Paige Beauchemin, a candidate in the Hillsborough District 3 race, recently got a leg up from the Democratic Legislative Campaign.”
Spotlight Candidate Page: “Paige Beauchemin is a registered nurse and midwife running for the New Hampshire House to protect abortion rights and improve access to health care. As a medical professional who helped establish one of the first perinatal mental health clinics in America, Paige will be a champion for Granite State women and families. Her special election this November will bring Democrats one seat closer to breaking the GOP’s House majority and ending New Hampshire’s Republican trifecta.”
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