We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…
Winston Churchill

The 49 year crusade to overturn Roe v Wade was a movement that succeeded by mobilizing a determined minority of Americans. They transformed religious interpretations of prenatal life, embraced medical advancements that gave new understanding of the fetus and helped to build an academic legal movement in the Ivy League universities. A group of law students at Yale, Harvard and the University of Chicago began meeting under the auspices of the Federalist Society in 1982. They were united by the idea that American law had strayed too far from the original intent of the nation’s founders.Most importantly, they nurtured a generation of political and legal leaders who saw in the setbacks of the 1970s to 1990s a defining cause.

How overturning Roe could backfire for Republicans. The party was making headway with suburban women on crime, schools and inflation. Now the abortion debate is front and center. How will the midterm elections reflect how Americans feel about having their rights to abortion, contraception and same sex marriages taken away?

Kansas’s consequential vote on abortion rights

The nation’s first statewide vote on abortion rights, after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, has upended traditional wisdom about the politics of abortion. Advocates on both sides were looking for lessons as they prepare for similar votes on abortion rights measures this fall. In a Republican-leaning state that preferred President Donald Trump by 15 points in 2020, the outcome was landslide that few expected: Nearly 60% of voters chose to support abortion rights.

Among the states with ballot measures scheduled for November is Kentucky, where voters will consider a constitutional amendment similar to the one that failed in Kansas. Kentucky is more conservative than Kansas — it went for Trump by 26 points — but some dynamics are similar, with a small number of blue counties set in a sea of red.

RESPOND

Act with ACLU to Defend Abortion Access For All.
Center For Reproductive Rights – Seven things you can do right now for Abortion Rights
Become Involved with Planned Parenthood
National Network of Abortion Fund
The Brigid Alliance
Apiary for Practical Support
If, When, How, Lawyering For Reproductive Justice

What message will Americans send on Election Day 2022?

Midterm elections historically favor the party that is not in the White House. Will this devastating decision impacting a woman’s personal freedom and public health invigorate disaffected base voters? Will the moderate suburban swing voters help to keep the Democratic majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives? Will you surrender or will you fight?

Focus on these races. Donate (no amount is too small) Volunteer. Become involved.

The U.S. House of Representatives Races (updated October 7)

Republicans are favored to win back the majority in the lower chamber given both the national mood and historical precedent of a first-term president’s party losing seats in the midterm elections. 

The New York Times #, Washington Post@, Washington Examiner +, Politico* and The Hill% have identified these 33 Congressional House races as the most vulnerable and likely to flip. All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball

28 Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning These Democrats need your help

*+California 22 Support Democrat Rudy Salas
+California 27 Support Democrat Christy Smith
#+Colorado 8 Support Democrat Yadira Caraveo (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
+Illinois 17 Support Democrat Eric Sorensen
@+Kansas 3 Support Democrat Representative Sharice Davids
+Maine 2 Support Democrat Representative Jared Golden
 #+Michigan 7 Support Democrat Representative Elissa Slotkin
  #+Michigan 8 Support Democrat Representative Dan Kildee (considered Leans Democrat by Cook)
@Minnesota 2 Support Democrat Representative Angie Craig
*Nebraska 2 Support Democrat Tony Vargas (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
+Nevada 1 Support Democrat Representative Dina Titus (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
%+Nevada 3 Support Democrat Representative Susie Lee
+Nevada 4 Support Democrat Representative Steven Horsford
+New Hampshire 1 Support Democrat Representative Chris Pappas
+New Hampshire 2 Support Democrat Representative Annie Kuster (listed Leans Democrat by Cook)
+New Mexico 2 Support Democrat Gabriel Vasquez
+New York 19 Support Democrat Josh Riley
New York 22 Support Democrat Francis Conole
#+North Carolina 13 Support Democrat Wiley Nickel (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
*+Ohio 1 Support Democrat Greg Landsman
#%+Ohio 13 Support Democrat Emilia Strong Sykes
%Oregon 5 Support  Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner
@Pennsylvania 7 Support Democrat Representative Susan Wild
Pennsylvania 8 Support Democrat Representative Matt Cartwright
%Pennsylvania 17 Support Democrat Chris Deluzio
#%Texas 28 Support Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar (considered Leans Democrat by Cook)
%+Virginia 2 Support Democrat Representative Elaine Luria
+Washington 8 Support Democrat Representative Kim Schrier (listed as Leans Democrat by Sabatos)

3 Lean Republican These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage. These Democrats need your help.

 #*+California 45 Support Democrat Jay Chen (considered Likely Republican by Sabatos)
+Iowa 3 Support Democrat Representative CindyAxne
@+New Jersey 7 Support Democrat Representative Tom Malinowski PLEASE SUPPORT

The Senate Races (updated October 7 )

Democrats are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their ultra-narrow Senate majority this year in a midterm election cycle that has several of the party’s most vulnerable incumbents facing voters amid rising inflation and surging gas prices.

The New York Times #, Washington Post@, Politico* and The Hill% have identified these crucial races . ^A competitive Colorado Senate race evolved in August. These 10 Senate Races are the most vulnerable and likely to flip. All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball

Focus on these races. Donate (no amount is too small) Volunteer. Become involved.

Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning.
These Democrats need your help.

*@#% Georgia – Support Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock
*@#%Nevada – Support Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
*#%Wisconsin – Support Democrat Mandela Barnes (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
*#%Pennsylvania – Support Democrat John Fetterman (considered Likely Democrat by Sabatos)

Leans Republican These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage. These Democrats need your help.

#Florida – Support Democrat Val B Demmings (considered Likely Republican by Sabatos)
*#%North Carolina – Support Democrat Cheri Beasley
#Ohio – Support Democrat Tim Ryan

Leans Democrat These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage.

*#@%New Hampshire – Support Democrat Senator Maggie Hassan
^Colorado – Support Democrat Senator Michael Bennet
*@#%Arizona – Support Democrat Senator Mark Kelly (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)

Next Post : The New York August 23 Primary for newly drawn State Senate and Congressional Districts