For a supposedly slow month, August has been chock-full of news -- and most of it is good! Women, Democrats, and independents turned out in droves to defeat a constitutional amendment to allow an abortion ban in Kansas. Democratic voter registration is outpacing Republicans in key states post-Dobbs. Democrats over-performed in several special elections to the US House, including winning an upset race in NY-18 just last night (yay, Pat Ryan!). Inflation and gas prices are down; unemployment reached record lows in dozens of states. And Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, ushering in the largest investment ever in climate change abatement. Polls are moving in Democrats’ favor -- the generic ballot is even, President Biden’s approval rating is ticking up, and Democratic candidates in toss-up statewide races are inching ahead of their Republican opponents.
Lest we forget, polls are a snapshot in time and margins of error are real. And we have 75 days until the election -- a lifetime in politics. But we should take this wind at our backs and work like crazy to win up and down the ballot. Our rights, our democracy, and our planet depend on it.
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People said we were hysterical, that they would never overreach. The Court wasn’t on the line in 2016. But we knew. We knew the Right had a forty-year plan to overturn Roe and the three Justices appointed by President Trump would make their plan a reality.
We knew -- and we planned. There’s not a lot we can do to prevent this decision and the huge state implications. But as a proud Board member of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Federation Action Fund, the abortion rights movement has a plan and we’re executing it, albeit a few weeks earlier than we thought.
Below please find information on key state races as well as key organizations and how to get involved in the fight to save abortion access. With everything on the line, this is not a moment to care about tax deductions. Give hard money to candidates and c4 dollars to organizations.
You can refer to this handy map to review existing restrictions and where abortion is likely to be outlawed if/when Roe is overturned. Bans Off Our Bodies has comprehensive information as well.
Crooked Media (aka the Pod Save America folks) has a great website where you can learn where to give and how to volunteer: https://votesaveamerica.com/roe/
And finally: Save the Date! On May 14, we rally. Think Women’s March-style protests around the country. Find a rally near you.
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Now it’s time to show off your dorkiness with AL Advising’s Election Pool. We will ask you to predict the electoral college results, the most competitive Senate races, the number of seats Democrats will hold in the US House, and when the race will be called by the AP. The winner receives bragging rights and some election related swag. Entries must be received by 11:59pm Pacific on Monday, 11/2.
Now we give our time instead of our treasure. (But yes, there are still places to give treasure -- read on.) By the end of today, over 85 million voters will have cast their ballot. This is expected to be the highest turnout election in over a century. But there’s more we can do!
Below are a bunch of ways to engage around the election. Be sure to read to the end for instructions on how to participate in our election pool!
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I was pleased to contribute to this CNN story, discussing the importance of women donors and the role Electing Women Bay Area has played in helping raise money for Democratic women.
This is it. Our willingness to donate again and again is the reason why Democrats are heavily favored to keep the House and are now favored to win the Senate -- something prognosticators would have laughed at a year ago. (It has the added bonus of pissing off Mitch McConnell.) And it’s a big part of why Joe Biden is competitive in states like Iowa, Ohio, and Texas. Trump has gone dark in crucial Midwestern battleground states amid reports that his campaign is nearly broke. So, dig deep.
And yes, there are targeted places where last-minute money still helps, primarily in down-ballot races. Some key US Senate races can also use additional funds.
One final note: we all hate money in politics and our crazy campaign finance system. We spent a record $5.7 billion on the 2018 elections. But we spent $9 billion on Halloween that year. So while COVID has made trick or treating all but impossible, put your candy budget to good use saving democracy.
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