Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist,
every minute a chance to change the world

Dolores Huerta
Farm Workers Labor Leader.Civil Rights Activist

We are less than two months away from the Midterm Elections. Every moment gives us a chance to affect its outcome.

Inform

After Roe’s end, women surged in signing up to vote in some states. In the first few months of this year, more than half of Kansans who registered to vote were men. In the week after the court’s decision, more than 70 percent of newly registered voters in Kansas were women, An unusually high level of new female registrants persisted all the way until the Kansas primary that month, when a strong Democratic turnout helped defeat a referendum that would have effectively ended abortion rights in the state. Registration drives work.

President Biden signed The Inflation Reduction Act, an expansive health, climate and tax law. It passed the House and Senate entirely along party lines, as Democrats employed a legislative process to bypass a Republican filibuster. It includes nearly $370 billion for climate and energy priorities, provisions allowing the health secretary to negotiate the cost of the prices of certain drugs covered under Medicare and sets a cap on out-of-pocket Medicare costs of $2,000 a year. Also included is a 3-year Affordable Care Act subsidies extension, $5 billion in drought funding, a 15% minimum tax on corporations making $1 billion or more and a a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks. This is in addition to winning bipartisan victories on funding for infrastructure — including roads, bridges, water systems and high-speed internet — and an industrial policy bill meant to counter China. Will Biden’s recent wins give Democrats a boost heading into the midterms? It remains to be seen, but it does give Democrats a chance to explain how their legislation improved the lives of their constituents.

In the end, inflation and abortion emerge as top issues in the midterm elections. Independents, who are so key in swing districts and purple states, are saying, yes, they are most concerned about inflation, but abortion rights are also a motivating issue. That makes for a tricky line for both parties to walk in how they try to appeal to the group.

The Supreme Court decision and redistricting has had an enormous impact on a local race. The New Jersey Democrats sacrificed Representative Tom Malinowski by re- drawing his 7th Congressional District to be more friendly to Republicans in order to shore up other potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. The result is a highly competitive race.

Recently, Congressman Malinowski has taken the abortion issue front and center in his bid for a third term in Congress. His Republican opponent, Tom Kean, Jr. voted against the codification of Roe v. Wade and voted for defunding Planned Parenthood. In addition to his pro-choice position, Malinowski has been an effective representative in supporting legislation for affordable health care, fair taxes, jobs, small businesses, gun reform, and protecting the environment. Tom Malinowski needs your support in any way possible. Your support in competitive races is crucial.

Republicans are favored to win back control of the House. Historically speaking, the party not in the White House does better in midterm elections. Things have improved for Democrats following the Supreme Court decision and an expected move by some Republican lawmakers to pursue a national-level abortion ban. The questions now are whether that shift will last, and can polls can be trusted.

Respond

Donate/Fundraising Recommendations
Donate a small amount ($5) to many campaigns or a larger amount to a few campaigns. If funds are limited, donate to Toss Up Races (with the exception of CongressmanTom Malinowski who also needs your support). Choose to support within your own state or expand to adjoining states. Support the candidates in the states your friends and relatives live in.
Act Blue is a portal for most campaigns and is an easier way to donate. Fundraising drives usually involve meeting the candidate in person or by Zoom.
Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing
Join National Networks whose focus is on getting out the vote:
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States
Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

Support These Senate Races (updated October 27)

Each campaign offers opportunities for support. Ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball.
More information can be found on my earlier post We Shall Fight

Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning. 
Georgia – Support Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock
Nevada – Support Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Arizona – Support Democrat Senator Mark Kelly  (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Pennsylvania – Support Democrat John Fetterman (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Wisconsin – Support Democrat Mandela Barnes (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)


Leans Republican These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage.
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 (considered Likely Democrat by Sabatos)

Likely Republican
Florida – Support Democrat Val B Demmings (moved from Leans Republican )

Support These House Races (updated October 27)

Each campaign offers opportunities for support. Ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball.
More information can be found on my earlier post We Shall Fight

24 Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning  

California 22 Support Democrat Rudy Salas
California 27 Support Democrat Christy Smith (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Colorado 8 Support Democrat Yadira Caraveo 
Illinois 17 Support Democrat Eric Sorensen
Maine 2 Support Democrat Representative Jared Golden 
Michigan 7 Support Democrat Representative Elissa Slotkin
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
New Hampshire 1 Support Democrat Representative Chris Pappas (Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
New Mexico 2 Support Democrat Gabriel Vasquez (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
New York 19 Support Democrat Josh Riley
New York 22 Support Democrat Francis Conole (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
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 (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Pennsylvania 7 Support Democrat Representative Susan Wild
Pennsylvania 8 Support Democrat Representative Matt Cartwright
Pennsylvania 17 Support Democrat Chris Deluzio
Virginia 2 Support Democrat Representative Elaine Luria
Virginia 7 Support Democrat Representative Abigail Spanberger ( Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Washington 8 Support Democrat Representative Kim Schrier (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)

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

California 45 Support Democrat Jay Chen
Iowa 3 Support Democrat Representative CindyAxne
New Jersey 7 Support Democrat Representative Tom Malinowski PLEASE SUPPORT

5 Lean Democrat

Kansas 3 Support Democrat Representative Sharice Davids (considered Toss Up by Sabatos)
Michigan 8 Support Democrat Representative Dan Kildee (considered Toss Up by Sabatos)
Nevada 4 Support Democrat Representative Steven Horsford
New Hampshire 2 Support Democrat Representative Annie Kuster ( Likely Democrat by Sabatos)
Texas 28 Support Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar (considered Toss Up by Sabatos)

Support These Governor Races (updated October 27)

Governors in battleground states are at the frontline in a fight over American Democracy. Each campaign offers opportunities for support. Ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat
or Republican are from University of Virginia’s Sabato Crystal Ball.
More information can be found on my earlier post The Power of Statehouse Elections

Toss Up Races
Arizona Support Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs
Kansas Support Democrat Governor Laura Kelly
Nevada Support Democrat Governor Steve Sisolak
Oregon Support Democrat Tina Kotek
Wisconsin Support Democrat Governor Tony Evers

Leans Republican
Georgia Support Democrat Stacy Adams

Likely Democrat
Michigan Support Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Pennsylvania Support Democrat Josh Shapiro

Likely Republican
Florida Support Democrat Representative Charlie Crist
Texas Support Democrat Beto O’Rourke

Next Post: Upholding The Common Good