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There’s a lot going on, so every Wednesday, the DLCC is sending a roundup of the state legislative stories you might have missed. It’s October 7th and here is the state of the states.
For questions and suggestions, e-mail us.
- Even after a positive COVID test, Donald Trump is still ignoring public health safety guidelines — and state Republicans are in lock-step with their party leader. Wisconsin has an uncontrolled outbreak thanks in part to GOP lawmakers suing to reopen bars in May. Iowa Republicans refused to enforce a statewide mask mandate and now face an outbreak as in-person learning resumes. In Kansas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and other states across the country, GOP lawmakers have exposed others to coronavirus by not wearing masks and not alerting their colleagues to potential exposure.
- The GOP’s avoidance of masks doesn’t start and end with Donald Trump. Click here for a fun (read: horrifying) list of Republicans opposing the science of masks and just not wearing them.
- With just under a month until Election Day, the DLCC announced that it has invested $1.3 million to flip the Texas House this November.
- Yet another Pennsylvania Republican House member tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the cancelation of the rest of the legislative session. And despite a GOP lawmaker testing positive earlier this year, Republicans haven’t really been wearing masks in the Capitol.
- Texas Republicans are on the verge of losing their House majority, but don’t take it from us. Numbers don’t lie. One Republican candidate in a battleground district had barely more than $1,000 cash on hand headed into the final weeks of the campaign.
- Minnesota Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt said masks are designed to make you “vote Democrat”…maybe he should’ve worn one when greeting our COVID-19 positive president.
- Michigan Republican Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield claimed that Donald Trump opposes racism — says the speaker who has no Black lawmakers in his caucus, as noted by Democratic Representative Kyra Harris Bolden.
- Adding to his growing list of infamous takes, Minnesota state Senator Roger Chamberlain defended the Proud Boys because apparently that’s the GOP platform now.
- North Carolina state Senator Bob Steinburg threatened a public school teacher and demanded the principal reprimand him — all because the teacher asked about increasing educators’ wages. Public servants shouldn’t have to be afraid that GOP lawmakers will make them pay for speaking their minds.
- Arizona state Senator Kate Brophy McGee is against a proposition that would raise much-needed funds for Arizona schools, while also saying she is committed to “building up our education system.” You know you’re on the wrong side when you have to lie about your views to get votes.
- Sandy Salmon, an Iowa Republican representative, defended Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his views on slavery. She also said that “leftist anarchists feel justified in their indignation” of the traitor — if by “leftist anarchists” she means every decent human then we agree with her.
- Georgia GOP House candidate David Jenkins compared the Democratic Party and police brutality protesters to the Taliban. Say what now?
- The Democratic-led Virginia legislature is working to pass a bill establishing new procedures for law enforcements’ response to mental health crises to better protect the safety of those with mental health issues.
- Democratic Representative Kent Smith of Ohio again asked the Republican speaker to mandate masks at all legislative sessions — because Democrats listen to science.
- Washington state Senator Jamie Pedersen sponsored a police reform bill that places accountability into the hands of civilians, makes it easier to decertify officers, and requires background checks for law enforcement.
- With less than four weeks until Election Day, Republicans are kicking their voter suppression machine into full gear. With numerous Trump campaign lawsuits in the states and other nefarioustactics by GOP leaders, watch how they try to suppress the vote in these final weeks.
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