State of the States: Republicans Resort To Scare Tactics

🎵 They’re creepy, and they’re kooky, mysterious, and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, the MAGA family. They waged an insurrection, now undermine elections, quite the hateful collection, the MAGA family. 🎵 With less than TWO weeks until Election Day, things are getting SPOOKY, so the DLCC is helping you catch up on all of the state legislative stories that have been haunting us this week. It’s October 28th; scream into the void of the weekend with a frightful roundup of state stories from across the country… if you dare! 

By the way, we will be ghosting you as the DLCC prepares for Election Day, but don’t worry, we will be back in the new year. 

For questions and suggestions, e-mail us.

ICYMI 

• Last week, the DLCC released its final strategy memo that outlines the state of play for the midterms and highlights the need for resources at the state legislative level of the ballot. Up against a historically difficult cycle for Democrats and an onslaught of Republican spending, DLCC President Jessica Post said, “State Democrats need as many resources as possible to overcome historic headwinds and MAGA millions pouring into legislatures in order to protect Democratic majorities and challenge GOP control in key swing states. With so much at stake in state legislatures, the DLCC is committed to building durable power and countering the MAGA movement during this cycle and for cycles to come.”
  
  
• Resurfaced photos appear to show Arizona Republican nominee for LD-9 (House) Mary Ann Mendoza wearing costumes that display deeply rooted racial stereotypes. The DLCC is joining the chorus of Arizonans who are decrying this racism and calling on Republicans to denounce this behavior. This is a clear pattern of behavior for Mendoza who, in 2020, was removed from the lineup at the Republican National Convention because of an antisemitic conspiracy theory she promoted on Twitter, calling into question why Arizona Republicans supported her candidacy in the first place. Mendoza is running against two incredible DLCC Spotlight candidates, Seth Blattman and Lorena Austin, who will deliver for all of the communities that the Arizona GOP has left behind.
  
  
• Mendoza wasn’t the only Republican normalizing extremism and hate this past week… New reporting revealed that Minnesota House GOP candidate Stephen Doerr has an alarming right-wing history, including encouraging individuals to fly the confederate flag, pushing conspiracies about President Obama, and referring to Islam as a “plague.” It’s not only dangerous and racist rhetoric, Doerr was also previously arrested and charged with felony false imprisonment, reckless endangerment, and possessing a loaded firearm. The Minnesota Reformer story includes details of Doerr allegedly threatening individuals, including the mother of his child, with a gun at a party in Wisconsin. Doerr is also one of the 24 Minnesota GOP candidates on the DLCC’s Threats to Democracy site – the whole apple is rotten to its core.
  

GOP Fail 

• In lieu of practical policies that will lower costs and bolster public education, Oregon Republicans are stooping to new lows in order to scare voters to the polls this fall. Look no further than Republican Senator Bill Kennemer, who is exploiting a murder victim for electoral gain — despite the family’s pleas his ad be taken down. Clearly, the GOP has nothing to run on but fear and are lying through their teeth when they claim to support crime victims.
  
  
• A Georgia Republican candidate for House is attacking her opponent for being a mom of young children, putting in a recent mailer that she is more qualified than Democrat Kelly Coffman because her “adult kids are grown” and has ample flexibility for “full-time service” in the House. This is a slap in the face to the millions of working parents across the country, especially in a state where Republicans have passed abortion bans to literally force people into parenthood. So much for their laughable claims of being the party of parents!
  
  
• A bombshell report this week outlined the “criminal enterprise” that former Michigan GOP House Speaker Lee Chatfield was allegedly running while serving as the highest position in the House. Chatfield is alleged to have received nearly $450,000 from his nonprofit committees to go on elaborate vacations, paid his brother directly from Chatfield’s political accounts for no work, given out lucrative marijuana industry jobs to his relatives, abused controlled substances while in office, and recorded an alleged sexual assault of a woman who has accused him of grooming her on his cellphone… just to name a few. Despite the head-spinning amount of allegations against the former Republican speaker, legislative Republicans are stonewalling an investigation into the actions of their former leader, but state Democrats this week affirmed that if they were able to take legislative control this fall, Chatfield would be fully investigated — just another reason to vote for state Democrats in Michigan next month.
  

Democratic Leadership

• State Democrats in Nevada’s legislature last week approved nearly $50 million to help seniors and Nevadans with disabilities have access to caregiving and key resources — partially funded by the American Rescue Plan. This historic investment will help thousands across the Battle Born State maintain their own independence and increase access to workforce training for older adults and people with disabilities. Nevada is just one of many Democratic states that are stepping up to help the most vulnerable in the face of rising costs.
  
  
• While Republicans have no solutions, state Democrats everywhere are actively working to cut costs and help folks save money when they go to pay the energy bill this winter. Last week, we highlighted the millions of relief dollars Senate President Troy Jackson and fellow Maine Democrats delivered for Mainers, and in Vermont, state Democrats are also earmarking millions to help cover home heating costs.
  
  
• For the second time in the past two months, Connecticut Democrats have stepped up to send relief checks to low-income families to combat the pressure of rising costs. Over 200,000 checks were sent out this past week. This reimbursement was made possible by Connecticut’s Earned Income Tax Credit Enhancement Program, a policy crafted by Democrats aimed at helping low and middle-income working households with children. Connecticut Dems are leading the way when it comes to prioritizing the needs of families across the country, unlike Republicans, who, despite their ranting and raving, have no solutions to cut costs.