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T.G.I.S.O.T.S. Thank God It’s State of the States! There’s a lot going on, so the DLCC is helping you catch up on the state legislative stories you might have missed. It’s September 2nd; ease into the weekend with a roundup of state stories from across the country.
For questions and suggestions, e-mail us.
ICYMI
- Republicans are now screaming the quiet part out loud. This week, Minnesota House GOP candidate Mark Bishofsky laid out the stakes for voters if Republicans take control of the state legislature, saying, “I know if we were to implement all of our conservative values onto people, there will be people that will suffer.” While Bishofsky pushes for policies that, in his own view, will harm Minnesotans, he is running against DLCC Spotlight candidate Josiah Hill, who is committed to addressing real problems with real solutions, bringing down costs for families, and defending reproductive rights.
- This week, on Keeping Up With The Insurrectionists, we bring you a few recent highlights from the 17 known Republican Insurrectionists who are running for state legislatures in 2022. First up, we have Colorado Republican House candidate Katie Lehr, who bragged about being “one of the first people” at the Capitol on January 6th. Next, we have Republican Senate candidate Bob Ide from Wyoming, who was also near the Capitol on the 6th and successfully primaried the former Wyoming Senate president last month. Lastly, rounding out this seditious bunch is Samson Racioppi, who is running for House in Massachusetts after helping bus people to the Insurrection and organizing an embarrassing “Straight Pride Parade” in 2019. As more Republicans out themselves for being enemies of democracy, we can’t help but say, “another one.”
- New Hampshire Republican House Majority Leader Jason Osborne was revealed to have used racial slurs, made light of racial terror, and questioned the need for an age of consent in a series of stomach-churning messages he posted to online message boards. This brings up serious questions about his judgment and ability to lead — do New Hampshire Republicans want to be led by a man who doesn’t even know whether he used racial slurs in regular conversation?
GOP Fail
- It’s state fair season in Minnesota, so you know what that means: elaborate butter sculptures, fried Oreos, and state Republicans trying to gloss over their extreme stances on abortion. GOP candidates greeted fairgoers this week but strategically didn’t mention abortion. Minnesota’s Republicans are beginning to realize just how unpopular attacks on abortion access are and are growing increasingly mum on the subject. But don’t let their deceptive tactics fool you — a spokesperson for House Republicans has confirmed that not a single GOP-endorsed House lawmaker or candidate supports abortion rights. And when given the opportunity this year, Republicans in the Senate refused to codify abortion rights.
- The Michigan legislature is scheduled to return after Labor Day, but state Republicans still haven’t made any plans to return to policymaking. One reason Republicans might be taking an extra long late-summer vacation…Democrats have called on Republican House Speaker Jason Wentworth to initiate an investigation into Republican Representative Daire Rendon’s involvement in an alleged “conspiracy” to obtain voting tabulators in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
- An Arizona judge ruled that former Representative Anthony Kern and Representative Mark Finchem must pay over $75,000 in legal fees as punishment for bringing a frivolous lawsuit against former House Speaker Charlene Fernandez. Kern and Finchem, along with U.S. Representative Paul Gosar, had filed a defamation lawsuit against Fernandez after Arizona Democrats called out Kern and Finchem’s connection to the January 6th Insurrection. The judge said that the three Republicans filed the case “primarily for purposes of harassment.”
Democratic Leadership
- The fight to renew the federal child tax credit may have sputtered in Congress, but state Democrats all across the country are using their power to enact similar policies for their constituents and deliver life-changing assistance for families. Democrats in Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Vermont have all implemented tax credits and cost-saving programs that put money back into the pockets of parents and lift millions of children out of poverty — and Democrats aren’t done yet. In Connecticut, state Dems announced that relief checks provided by their recent child tax credit are being sent out right now.
- As kids go back to school this fall and federal COVID-19 assistance for free school meals expires, millions of children are now at risk of going hungry at school. In response, Democrats in states like California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Vermont have stepped up to ensure that children in their states have the nutrition they need to learn and thrive during this school year. While Republicans attack teachers and support banning books, Democrats support the total well-being of all students in and outside the classroom.
- #Demsdeliver all across the country, like in California, where state Democrats are passing a flurry of crucial legislation as they approach the end of their session. Since the last time we spoke, California Democrats have passed measures that would help curb medical misinformation, incentivize the construction of more affordable housing, and make the state a safe haven for transgender children and their families from all across the country.
