We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Debra29

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The US presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris takes place next week on November 5, but it could be several days before a winner is confirmed. Some 244 million Americans are eligible to vote in this year’s presidential race. Should voter participation match the record turnout of 67 per cent in 2020, about 162 million ballots will be cast across the 50 states.

As you know the battleground states will determine who reaches 270 electoral college votes to secure the White House. They have individual methods for counting, analysing and handling ballots. Consequently the different states’ rules on processing votes means it could take several days before Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is named president-elect.

Turnout

In New York, Democrats see glimmer of hope for the House races. Democrats have embraced tougher stances on issues that typically play among conservative and moderate voters, like immigration and crime, while still hammering away on abortion rights .In addition, party leaders have assembled a sophisticated new turnout operation. Many believe that getting out the youth vote will be most important in this tight election.

Indivisible is recruiting a swing-state army of progressives to turn out their neighbors to vote for Kamala Harris and down-ballot Democrats. With a program called Neighbor2Neighbor, Indivisible is mobilizing progressive volunteers to canvas where they live — and persuade neighbors who are like-minded, but infrequent-voters, to cast a ballot. Other national organizations in GOTV include Black Voters Matter, Vote Latino and APIA Vote.

The elections of 2018, 2020 and 2022 were three of the highest-turnout U.S. elections of their respective types in decades. About two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate for any national election since 1900. With one week until Election Day, more than 48 million ballots have been cast across 47 states and the District of Columbia.

Closing speeches

Kamala Harris
Protector of the Public Good

Vice President Kamala Harris’ Closing Argument Speech to American Voters. She explained she would govern with unity in mind, based on what she said was a “lifelong instinct to protect” people who had been abused or victimized. But she also used the arc of history to make her case, saying that the country was born “when we wrested freedom from a petty tyrant” and that, over centuries, Americans had fought threats both foreign and domestic to preserve the promise of democracy.

“What Donald Trump has never understood is that E pluribus unum, ‘out of many one,’ isn’t just a phrase on a $1 bill — it is a living truth about the heart of our nation, our democracy. It doesn’t require us to agree on everything,” Harris said. “We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms. It is time to turn the page on the drama and the conflict, the fear and division. It is time for a new generation of leadership in America.”

Trump
Fear and Hate

In Trump’s lead-up to the rally, social media was full of reminders that the American Nazi Party had held an infamous event in Madison Square Garden’s predecessor in 1939. The Trump rally lived up to that billing. It was a closing argument of unvarnished bigotry and hate, one that showed that the MAGA movement has become so much bigger than the man who founded it. Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden was a parade of foot soldiers in a hateful movement .

His rally highlighted crude and racist insults. He called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” and disparaged Black Americans, Latinos and Jewish people. Trump made eight claims fact checked by PBS to further emphasize the lies the Republican Party is using to win the election.


Voting Information

The League of Women Voters have an excellent site, vote 411, that provides information state by state. This includes Voting by Mail applications and deadlines, Early Voting locations, and In Person Voting sites. Please forward ahead to friends and family.

NYC Votes is an additional site for New York City residents. It, too, provides information regarding your Early Voting site and hours, Election Day site and hours, in addition to Early Mail/Absentee Voting deadlines and applications. You can register to vote on this site, find your actual ballot, and determine who is running in your district.

Respond

Vote Remind friends and family members to do so as well. Share the voting information posted above.

Donate  Continue to support candidates who need your support from my last post You cannot be neutral. There are a multitude of fundraising drives. Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party.

Volunteer in a local campaign

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians by turning out the vote up to and including Election Day.
Indivisible

Next Post: The results.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

You cannot be neutral. You must either join with us who believe in the bright future or be destroyed by those who would return us to the dark past.

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Debra29

Daisy Lampkin. American suffragist and civil rights activist,

We are not going back

Former president Donald J. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he had nothing to do with Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s conservative policy initiative to reshape the federal government. Mr. Trump has said that he has not read its proposals and does not know who is behind it. But Project 2025 has numerous ties to Mr. Trump and his campaign, a New York Times analysis has found.

Spokespeople for Project 2025 have denied that they are advocates for any particular candidate, and Project 2025 has no official ties to the Trump campaign. But the president of the Heritage Foundation told The New York Times in an interview in January that he views the foundation’s role as “institutionalizing Trumpism.”

While Mr. Trump has publicly disavowed Project 2025, there is significant overlap between the playbook and the plans Mr. Trump has articulated in campaign speeches and in his current campaign agenda, Agenda 47.

The Uphill Battles for Abortion Rights Will Continue

Voters in nine states are deciding next month whether to add right to abortion to their constitutions, but the measures will not immediately change access. This is even if polls show a big increase in Republicans planning to vote for abortion rights. Instead, voter approval would launch more lawsuits on a subject that’s been in the courts constantly, and more than ever since the overturned Roe v Wade.

Still, the measure would mean that “the wind will be on our back” in court fights to overturn restrictions, said Emily Wales, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates in four states and is the only group in recent years to provide abortions in Missouri.

In the end, it is the work of various organizations and you, the volunteer, who will help protect reproductive rights for future generations. New Yorkers: remember to vote YES for Proposition 1

Voter Intimidation (title and link)

The GOP has recruited poll monitors from suburban areas to monitor the vote in Democratic cities.
Election experts expressed concern that the strategy could be disruptive to the vote-counting process this fall.

With Election Day drawing near, local officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have taken precautions to guard against any potential voter intimidation at the polls.

In New York, actual intimidation or attempts to intimidate should be reported immediately to the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-390-2992, or submitted online using the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s online Election Complaint Form.

This year, Philadelphia hired a security expert and is collaborating with state, federal and local law enforcement to address issues surrounding the count, as well as any type of potential voter intimidation on Election Day.

“If you’re outside the polls, you want to reach out to the police department or the district attorney’s office,” Deeley said. “If you’re inside the polls, you want to let the judge of elections know so that they can reach out to the proper people.”

MEMO To New York City Residents Only

UPDATE : The New York Chapter of the ACLU has recommended that you vote NO for Proposals 2 through 6. My last post gave the positions of the New York City Council regarding proposals 2-6 as well.

The 7 Battleground States Polling Results October 30, 2024

Always remember how accurate or off-target the polls can be. Despite that, I’ve used the posted polling results of The New York Times/Siena , and ABC’s 538 to give you an update as to what they believe is the status of the battleground states races. My prior post, It is not in the stars, explains how the Electoral College works in a presidential election. These races are the key players. The numbers represent points ahead or behind. The first number is from NYT/Siena (updated Nov 4) and the second is from 538 (updated Nov 4) ) The reason I’m including this is to emphasis how close this race is ten days ahead of Election Day. It’s time to DONATE to the Harris/Walz campaign , if you haven’t done so already.


Arizona Trump +3, Trump +3
Georgia Trump +1, Trump +2
Nevada Trump <1, Trump +1
Michigan Harris <1, Harris +1
North Carolina Trump <1, Trump +1
Pennsylvania Even, Even
Wisconsin Harris <1, Harris + 1

The House and Senate Races October 25, 2024

My post, Truth is Powerful and It Is Not In The Stars will provide links to these candidates websites. These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED November 1 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED Nov 4  . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Democrats need your support.

Toss Up House Races
Alaska – Support Mary Peltola (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Arizona 1st – Support Amish Shah (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Arizona’s 6th – Support Kirsten Angel (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 13th – Support Adam Gray (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
California 22nd – Support Rudy Salas (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 27th – Support George Whitesides (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
California 41st – Support Will Rollins (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
California 45th – Support Derek Tran (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Colorado 8th – Support Yadira Caraveo (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Iowa 1st – Support Christina Bohannan (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Iowa 3rd – Support Lanon Baccam (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Maine’s 2nd – Support Jared Golden (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Michigan 7th – Support Curtis Hertel (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
Michigan 8th – Support Kristen Rivet (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
New Mexico’s 2nd – Support Gabriel Vasquez (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW New York’s 19th – Support Josh Riley (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
North Carolina’s 1st – Support Donald Davis (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Oregon’s 5th – Support Janelle Bynum (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 7th – Support Susan Wild (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 8th – Support Matt Cartwright (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Virginia’s 7th – Support Eugene Vindman(CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Washington’s 3rd – Support Marie Perez (CfP thinks Leans Republican)

Lean Democrat House Races ( both Cooks and CfP agree)
Ohio’s 9th – Marcy Kaptur
NEW Nebraska 2nd – Support Tony Vargas
NEW New York’s 4th – Support Laura Gillen
NEW Ohio’s 13th – Support Emilia Sykes

Lean Republican House Races – ( both Cooks and CfP agree)
NEW New Jersey’s 7th – Support Sue Altman
NEW New York’s 17th – Support Mondaire Jones

Senate Races

My post, Truth is Powerful, provides links to these Democrats.These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED OCTOBER 21 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED Nov 4. Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Senate races need your support.

Toss Up Senate Races
Michigan – Support Elisa Slatkin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Ohio – Support Senator Brown  (CfP thinks Leans Republican)
NEW Wisconsin – Senator Baldwin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW Pennsylvania – Senator Casey (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)

Lean Democrat Senate Races (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Arizona – Ruben Gallego
Nevada – Senator Rosen

Lean Republican Senate Races (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Montana – Support Senator Tester

Likely Democrat Senate Races – (both Cooks and CfP agree)
Maryland – Angela Alsobrooks

Respond


Donate to any and all campaigns above.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that 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

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

Next Post: Election sites, dates and deadlines.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You cannot be neutral. You must either join with us who believe in the bright future or be destroyed by those who would return us to the dark past.

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Debra29

Ida B. Wells

The 5 Ws of Voting
Election 2024

The League of Women Voters have an excellent site, vote 411, that provides information state by state regarding Who do I contact for voting information? What is on my ballot? Where can I vote? When should I register and vote by? and Why is it important to vote? Please check this site as some states have already begun early voting.

State Elections

Legislative races in 44 states will be conducted in November 2024. These include races in 87 of the nation’s 99 legislative chambers. No legislative races will be held in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey or Virginia because they hold state elections in odd-numbered years; in Alabama and Maryland, all legislators in both chambers run on four year-terms that coincide with midterm elections. Contact your state’s government site to confirm who represents you in your statehouse or USA.gov.

Republicans control the Senate in 29 states, Democrats have control of 20. In Alaska, power is shared via a bipartisan coalition. There are currently 23 Republican and 17 Democratic trifectas, where a single party holds the governorship and controls both chambers of the state legislature.

Republicans control 27 State Houses, while Democrats have control of 21. In Alaska, power is shared via a bipartisan coalition.

Initiatives, referenda, amendments, and propositions are on the ballot throughout 2024 in multiple states.

Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, voters in 6 states have weighed in on constitutional amendments regarding abortion, and the side favoring access to abortion prevailed in every state. In 4 of these states – California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont – measures amending the state constitution to protect the right to abortion were approved by voters and in the other 2 states – Kentucky and Kansas – measures seeking to curtail the right to abortion failed. In 2024, 10 states will have abortion measures on their ballot seeking to either affirm that the state constitution protects the right to abortion or that nothing in the constitution confers such a right. The states included are Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota. The far right has these states in focus , and have used misinformation campaigns to influence the vote. See what’s happening in New York below.

New York State Elections

New York City Residents: Search for your Early Voting or Election Day poll site.

Confirm who your New York State Senator and your New York State Assembly Member is. Also confirm what your State and Assembly districts are.

Democrats have maintained supermajorities in both the state Senate and the Assembly, but Republicans are hoping to chip away at those numbers. It is important to stay informed and support the candidates who represent your views at the Statehouse. Here are the candidates running in the races below.

Losing just three seats in the Assembly held by Democrats would cost the party its supermajority. The state Assembly races to watch for include Districts 4, 11, 21, 23, 40, 46, 96, 99, 107, and 133.

Democrats in the state Senate saw their own supermajority drop by one member last cycle, but they still held onto their two-thirds majority of 42 seats. Any losses this year would drop their numbers into simple majority territory. The State Senate races to watch for include Districts 4, 7, 11, 17, 23, 38, 39, 40, 42, 46, 50, 52 and 63.

Vote Yes for New York’s Proposition 1
New York’s Equal Rights Amendment

The proposal prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex – including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, and abortion rights – by enshrining these rights in the state constitution.

Its Impact

Protects abortion access: Safeguards the right to abortion under the state constitution, ensuring lasting protections based on pregnancy status regardless of any changes at the federal level.

Keeps power in New Yorkers hands: Solidifies protections for civil rights in the State Constitution, keeping decision-making in the hands of the people of our state.

Closes loopholes: Strengthens anti-discrimination laws, closing the gaps that could be exploited to deny civil rights.

The Far Right’s War Against Reproductive Rights for New Yorkers
With Lies and Attacks

The New York Republican Party opposes this measure .Republicans have come up with new attacks on the ballot proposition that would enshrine abortion rights and other protections against discrimination. Others believe this ballot measure has become a battleground in the culture wars. The Catholic Church is joining the fight against reproductive rights for the women of New York.

What you can do

Help the fight against the misinformation campaigns out there by contributing to New Yorkers For Equal Rights. Share accurate information from the various organizations including the New York City Bar Association , The League of Women Voters and New York NOW is a weekly Emmy Award-winning public affairs program .

Propositions 2 through 6
Where did they come from and what do they say?

Proposals two through six would amend the New York City Charter, the city’s governing document. The path to getting these Charter-related propositions on the ballot has been rocky, and resulted in a legal clash between the New York City Council and Mayor Adams. The end result is only Mayor Adams’ proposed Charter revisions will appear this November. The New York City Council has posted their own reflection of Propositions 2 through 6.

Ballot Question 2: Cleaning public property
Ballot Question 3: Additional estimates of the cost of proposed laws and updates to budget deadlines
Ballot Question 4: More notice and time before votes on public safety legislation
Ballot Question 5: Capital planning
Ballot Question 6: Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), film permits, and archive review boards

The State of the 2024 Presidential and Congressional Races

My prior post , It is not in the stars, has the updated Cook Political Report and University of Virginia’s Center for Politics reports on how the toss up races are going.

The presidential race will most likely come down to voters in eight states that remain competitive, 

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that 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

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

NEXT POST: The status of the Presidential, Congressional and Senate races. Legal strategies Republicans are using to intimidate local election officials and challenge the election results.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Debra29

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Inform

Who will decide the 2024 Presidential Race?

Women

Women have registered and voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980, with the turnout gap between women and men growing slightly larger with each successive presidential election. Young people, especially young women, drove the Democratic resistance to the “red wave” in the 2022 election. Kamala Harris’ chances in November could hinge on a women’s voting surge.

Project 2025 will have a devastating effect on women. It maps out the permanent reversal of more than 50 years of hard-fought gains for American women and girls. It promotes the patriarchal family and biblically based marriage. It will destroy reproductive rights including abortion, contraception, sex education and gender-affirming healthcare.

How could the 2024 election affect coverage of and access to women’s health care? By strengthening or restricting Medicaid funding. By strengthening or restricting Title X funding for family planning and preventive services. While maternal wellness has strong backing of both parties, the way to do so differs.

Harris is targeting women of every stripe: Since Biden bowed out, poll after poll has shown women voting increasingly Democratic — an 18-point gap in the male-female vote in an ABC News/Ipsos poll out over Labor Day weekend. Reproductive rights soared past the economy as the top voting issue for women in swing states under age 45, New York Times/Siena College polling found.

Independents and the Undecided

Polls show an incredibly tight race between the two candidates , and a handful of swing voters could decide the election, depending on who they vote for or if they decide to stay home. Only a tiny slice of the electorate is considered persuadable — anywhere from 6% or less to the low teens. And while undecided voters often have unique reasons for what influences their votes, there was a clear gender divide.That reflects the wide gender gap seen in polls between the candidates. How could anyone at this date still be undecided?

With polls showing the presidential election a toss up, the votes that third-party and independent candidates receive in key states could very well decide the White House. In a race that will be decided on the margins in a handful of states, the Harris campaign and its allies are working to win over at least a few Republicans and right-leaning independents uncomfortable with the Trump-led Republican Party.

Young Voters

Young voters could have a monumental impact on the election, including the deadlocked presidential contest. Nationwide, nearly 42 million 18-to-27-year-olds — the group known as Generation Z — will be eligible to vote, according to a Post analysis of 2022 census data. Nearly half are people of color. n the seven battleground states — Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — about 7.8 million Gen Zers are eligible to vote in this fall’s election.

Voters concerned about Body Politics

In the five decades that Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, almost every abortion question on state ballots was put there by anti-abortion groups. In the last two years, abortion rights activists won seven out of seven ballot initiatives. So this fall, they’re swinging big, asking voters in 10 states to establish a constitutional right to abortion.

Democrats have another motivation for the initiatives: to drive turnout for Kamala Harris and the party’s congressional candidates, especially in battleground states like Arizona and Nevada. In some places, the ballot amendment won’t really change abortion policy — it just affirms state law. But it could draw more voters to the polls.

The 7 Battleground States Polling Results Post Debate
Arizona Georgia Nevada Michigan North Carolina Pennsylvania Wisconsin

In other U.S. elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they are chosen through the Electoral College process. The process of using electors comes from the Constitution . Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census .Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of Senators and Representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its Senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.

It will take 270 electoral votes to win the 2024 presidential election. As of today, 226 votes will likely be for the Democratic candidate and 219 votes will likely be for the Republican. Consequently, 93 electoral votes are a toss up. All States, except for Maine and Nebraska, have a winner-take-all policy where the State looks only at the overall winner of the state-wide popular vote.

September 25, 2024 – Polls change weekly, but the 7 battleground states remain the same.

Trump has a 0.5% lead in Georgia based on 31 polls. Vice President Harris holds a 1-point advantage over former President Trump among registered voters in North Carolina, according to an Elon University/YouGov poll released Tuesday, September 24th.

September 23, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump are neck-and-neck in four crucial states with 42 days to go until the election, a new poll has found.A survey of 9,794 swing state voters published September 23 by Redfield & Wilton Strategies for The Telegraph found that Harris and Trump were tied for support in four of these battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Vice President Harris has a small lead over former President Trump in Michigan, a new survey shows, but the results are within the margin of error.The poll, conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University, found Harris leading with 48 percent to Trump’s 45 percent. The results are within the poll’s 4.4 percent margin of error.

Help Democrats Regain Control of The House of Representatives

My last post, Truth is Powerful, links the Democrats of 9 competitive House races . These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED October 18 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 30 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly.

Toss Up House Races
Alaska – Support Mary Peltola
Arizona 1st – Support Amish Shah
California 13th – Support Adam Gray
Maine’s 2nd – Support Jared Golden
New York’s 4th – Support Laura Gillen (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Pennsylvania’s 8th – Support Matt Cartwright
Washington’s 3rd – Support Marie Perez

Lean Democrat House Races – continue to support
Ohio’s 9th – Marcy Kaptur

Leans Republican House Races – continue to support
New Jersey’s 7th – Support Sue Altman


Additional House races have become more competitive since then and, are listed below. All of these House races need your support.

The races below are all TOSS UP as rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED October 18 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 30 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I’ll update their status regularly.

Arizona’s 6th Congressional District
Democrat Kirsten Engel versus Incumbent Republican Ciscomani

California’s 22nd Congressional District
Democrat Rudy Salas versus Incumbent Republican Valadao

California’s 27th Congressional District
Democrat George Whitesides versus Incumbent Republican Mike Garcia

California’s 41st Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Will Rollins versus Incumbent Republican KenCalvert

California’s 45th Congressional District
Democrat Derek Tran versus Incumbent Republican Michele Steel

Colorado’s 8th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo versus Republican Gave Evans

NEW Iowa 1st Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Christina Bohannan versus Incumbent Republican Miller-Meeks

NEW Iowa 3rd Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Lanon Baccam versus Incumbent Republican Nunn

Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, Open
Democrat Curtis Hertel versus Republican Tom Barrett

Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, Open
Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet versus Republican Paul Junge

Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District (CfP now thinks it Leans Democrat)
Democrat Tony Vargas versus Incumbent Republican Bacon

New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Democrat)
Incumbent Democrat Gabriel Vasquez versus Republican Yvette Herrell

New York’s 17th Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Republican)
Democrat Mondaire Jones versus Incumbent Republican Lawler

New York’s 19th Congressional District
Democrat Josh Riley versus Incumbent Republican Molinaro

North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Donald Davis versus Republican Buckshot

Ohio’s 13th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Emilia Sykes versus Republican Coughlin

Oregon’s 5th Congressional District
Democrat Janelle Bynum versus Incumbent Republican Cheves De Remer

Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Susan Wild versus Republican Mackenzie

Virginia’s 7th Congressional District (CfP thinks it Leans Democrat)
Democrat Eugene Vindman versus Republican Anderson

The Status of the Senate Races

Thirty-four Senate seats are up for election in November, but the balance of power in the chamber will likely be decided by seven of the most competitive races, according to the most recent ratings by the Cook Political Report. Currently Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate, with four independent senators caucusing with the party.

My last post, Truth is Powerful, provides links to these Democrats.These races are rated by Cooks Political Report UPDATED OCTOBER 21 and University of Virginia Center For Politics UPDATED September 25 . Exceptions are stated in parentheses. I will update their status regularly. These Senate races need your support.

Toss Up Senate Races
Michigan – Support Elisa Slatkin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
Ohio – Support Senator Brown
NEW Wisconsin – Senator Baldwin (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)
NEW Pennsylvania – Senator Casey (CfP thinks Leans Democrat)

Lean Democrat Senate Races – continue to support
Arizona – Ruben Gallego
Nevada – Senator Rosen


Lean Republican Senate Races
Montana – Support Senator Tester

Likely Democrat Senate Races – continue to support
Maryland – Angela Alsobrooks

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough.  Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that 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

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time. 
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

NEXT POST:

2024 State Elections and Propositions

Status of the Presidential and Congressional Races

Voting Information

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

Truth is powerful. And it prevails.

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Debra29

We have all been thrown down so low that nobody thought we’d ever get up again; but we have been long enough trodden now; we will come up again, and now I am here. Sojourner Truth

Inform

The Harris Waltz Policies

Axios ‘s presentation of Harris’ policies on the economy, health, immigration, energy and foreign policy.

Additionally, The New York Times adds onto her proposed actions on climate change, democracy, and racial justice.

Lastly, Politico explains where both Harris and Walz stand on 2024’s biggest policy issues including the economy, abortion and IVF, labor, the environment, taxes, agriculture and Israel and China. They indicate whether it would make a difference to swing voters, and/or would be a major target for Republicans.

The Battleground States

The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Most of the drama in this year’s presidential election will focus on a handful of states.

While each major U.S. political party has many states it counts on winning on November 5, a handful of states are too close to predict. These “swing states” have populations that are closely divided politically. In recent elections, outcomes have swung back and forth between Democratic and Republican wins. They are the “battleground states” that candidates target with frequent campaign visits, advertising and staffing.

The 2024 Battleground States are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Taking the pulse in these states will happen up until November. Undecided voters could make the difference.

Republican money is being poured into the three “blue wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which were all carried by Biden in 2020 and are seen as vital to the outcome of November’s election.

Special attention is being paid to Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral college votes, and where a new CNN poll shows Trump and Harris tied at 47% each. Resources have also been transferred to southern and south-western Sun belt states – namely North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona – where Trump previously had healthy leads over Biden that have been whittled away since Harris replaced the US president at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Helping Democrats Regain Control of The House of Representatives

Upended by the summer shake-up that replaced President Joe Biden with Harris atop the Democratic ticket, the down-ballot campaigns enter this fall stretch at a virtual toss-up, a high-wire uncertainty where every single seat won or lost could make the difference in party control.

Democrats need to flip just four seats to take back control of the House while Republicans hope to expand their majority and make it easier to get priorities over the finish line. Resources are pouring into the few truly competitive congressional races expected to help determine the balance of power in Washington next year.

Alaska‘s sole Congressional Seat
Incumbent Democrat Mary Peltola versus Republicans Nick Begich and Trump endorsed Nancy Dahlstrom in ranked choice general election *

Arizona’s 1st Congressional District
Democrat Amish Shah versus Trump endorsed Incumbent Republican David Schweikert *

California’s 13th Congressional District
Democrat Adam Gray versus Incumbent Republican John Duarte who backs Trump *

Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
Democratic incumbent Jared Golden versus Trump endorsed Republican Austin Theriault *

New Jersey‘s 7th Congressional District
Democrat Sue Altman versus Incumbent Republican Thomas Kean Jr. who backs Trump*

New York‘s 4th Congressional District
Democrat Laura Gillen versus Trump endorsed Incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito *

Ohio‘s 9th Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur versus Trump endorsed Republican Derek Merrin #

Pennsylvania‘s 8th Congressional District
Democrat Matt Cartwright versus Trump endorsed Republican Rob Bresnahan *

Washington‘s 3rd Congressional District
Incumbent Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez versus Trump endorsed Republican Joe Kent *

Additionally, explore who is running a tight, toss up race in your own state by using the Cook’s Political Report linked below.

Helping Democrats Keep Control of The Senate

Senate Democrats face a grueling and narrow path to maintain their slim 51-49 majority this fall, as they prepare to defend 23 seats across the United States, many of them in purple and red states.

With Sen. Joe Manchin III (I-W.Va.) retiring, Republicans are all but guaranteed to pick up at least one seat in that ruby red state, putting even more pressure on Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to defy political gravity once again in their red states and win reelection.

Only 11 Republican-held seats are up for election in November. If Republicans win those races as expected and flip just one state, the Senate will be tied 50-50 with deciding votes made by the new vice president. If they flip two seats, Republicans will win back Senate control no matter who is in the White House.

Long gone are the days of supermajorities in the House and Senate, replaced by a new era of razor-thin margins that leave little margin for errors in political campaigns, or actual governing.

Arizona
Democrat U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego versus Trump endorsed Republican Kari Lake #

Maryland
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks versus Republican Larry Hogan +

Montana
Incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester versus Trump endorsed Republican Tim Sheehy *

Michigan
Democrat U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin versus Trump endorsed Republican Mike Rogers *

Nevada
Incumbent Democrat Senator Jacky Rosen versus Trump endorsed Republican Sam Brown #

Ohio
Incumbent Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown versus Trump endorsed Republican Bernie Moreno *

Pennsylvania
Incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey versus Trump endorsed Republican Dave McCormick #

Wisconsin
Incumbent Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin versus Trump endorsed Republican Eric Hovde #

*Toss Up
# Leans Democrat
+ Likely Democrat
~ Leans Republican

All ratings of Toss Up or Leans Democrat or Republican are from Cooks Political Report 2024 House Races as of September 6, 2024 or Cooks Political Report Senate Race Ratings August August 15, 2024

Respond

Donate to any and all campaigns above. $5 to each campaign is more than enough. Act Blue is a portal for the Democratic Party. There are a multitude of local fundraising drives that 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

The following organizations let you decide who to communicate with: battleground state voters, a particular campaign, specific congressional races, etc. You, yourself, can organize post card and letter writing “parties”. They’re a good way to work together and network at the same time.
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join National Networks whose focus is on electing local politicians:
Indivisible
Move On

Next Post:

The voters that will decide the 2024 Election, and the status of all races post debate.


Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Truth is powerful. And it prevails.

Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides..*

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Debra29

We are living in troubling times. We’ve watched as our Democracy and its freedoms have unraveled as a result of careful funding, planning, and execution by organized, extreme conservative forces. Town by town, state by state, and, now, on the national stage.

Inform

Project 2025

This is a right wing policy blueprint and personnel project prepared for the next Republican president. It’s a collaborative effort across the conservative ecosystem led by the Heritage Foundation.The website also notes that the project is backed by over 100 conservative organizations, many led by close allies of Trump, including

The Heritage Foundation

Turning Point USA

The Center for Renewing America

The Claremont Institute and here

The Family Policy Alliance

The Family Research Council

Moms for Liberty

America First Legal

Two years into Trump’s presidency, The Heritage Foundation touted that he had instituted 64% of its policy recommendations, ranging from leaving the Paris Climate Accords, increasing military spending, and increasing off-shore drilling and developing federal lands.

Other Project 25 policies include less federal intervention in education and more support for school choice; work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults on food stamps; and a secure border with increased enforcement of immigration laws, mass deportations and construction of a border wall.

The agenda calls for the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its 24-year-old approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. It also recommends the Justice Department enforce the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. It proposes to eliminate a long list of terms from all laws and federal regulations, including “sexual orientation”, “gender equality”, “abortion” and “reproductive rights”.

Project 2025 aims to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and government departments as part of what it describes as a wider crackdown on “woke” ideology. in addition to calling for the abolishing the Department of Education, aims to boost school choice and parental control over education and criticises what the party calls the “inappropriate political indoctrination of our children”.

It proposes that the entire federal bureaucracy, including independent agencies such as the Department of Justice, be placed under direct presidential control – a controversial idea known as “unitary executive theory”.

The document proposes slashing federal money for research and investment in renewable energy, and calls for the next president to “stop the war on oil and natural gas”.

Christian Conservatives

Christian Conservatives march ahead for God, for country, and for Trump . Only eight years ago, during the 2016 presidential campaign, many conservative Christians supported Mr. Trump pragmatically, for his promises to nominate conservative Supreme Court justices who would end abortion rights. He earned favor for his promise that Christians would have power in America.And they did. Even after his loss in 2020, a segment of Christians on the far right became emboldened, calling for the end of the separation of church and state. At the same time, the rituals of Christian worship became embedded in Republican rallies

The National Assault on Reproductive Rights

State legislative activity in the first half of 2024 included attacks on reproductive care for young people, restrictions on contraceptive access and criminalization of pregnancy outcomes. The harms caused by these attacks are compounded by the total abortion bans enforced in 14 states and the early gestational bans enforced in seven states that would have been unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade. Such harms fall particularly hard on those with lower incomes.

Now conservative attacks on birth control could threaten access. Far-right conservatives are sowing misinformation that inaccurately characterizes IUDs, emergency contraception, even birth-control pills as causing abortions. Lawmakers in many states focused on curtailing youth access to sexual and reproductive health care. These types of laws affect youth regardless of income status, but youth with the fewest resources will be the most affected. Requiring parental consent for contraceptive and STI care is another way lawmakers limit youth access to reproductive health care. In a recent decision, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling from 2022 that blocked clinics in Texas receiving federal Title X funding from providing prescription contraceptives to minors without parental consent. In addition, an Idaho law that was signed into law in March requires minors to get parental consent to access health care such as STI treatment.

A Threat to In Vitro Fertilization

U.S. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth outlined how Republican attacks on IVF are serious, real, and on the rise across America.

19 states have either broad personhood provisions in their law, language on personhood or defining “unborn children” in their criminal code or case law expanding the definition of child under state law to include fetuses, according to a report from Pregnancy Justice. The Texas Republican Party’s platform committee narrowly rejected a proposal classifying embryos created through IVF as “human being(s)” and calling for a state law to designate their destruction as a “homicide.”

In the House and Senate, hundreds of Republicans have signed on to legislation, the Life at Conception Act, that could threaten the use of IVF for pregnancy, a process in which unused embryos or those with abnormalities can be discarded. The Heritage Foundation has launched a concerted effort to “regulate”—thereby restricting access and advancing personhood principles and measures—IVF. The Southern Baptist Convention moved to adopt a resolution opposing in vitro fertilization.

More than a dozen other U.S. states have laws in place that could be interpreted as bestowing personhood rights on an embryo, even if it has not yet resulted in a pregnancy. And yet, in June, Republican senators—including Trump’s current running mate, J.D. Vance—voted against a bill that would have established a federal right to IVF care.

The Campaign Against Transgender Rights

About 1.3 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States identify as transgender. Today, the effort to restrict transgender rights has supplanted same-sex marriage as an animating issue for social conservatives at a pace that has stunned political leaders across the spectrum. It has reinvigorated a network of conservative groups, increased fund-raising and set the agenda in school boards and state legislatures. At least 20 states, all controlled by Republicans, have enacted laws that reach well beyond the initial debates over access to bathrooms and into medical treatments, participation in sports and policies on discussing gender in schools. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Republicans attacked transgender rights on RNC opening night.

The Education Department last month unveiled a final set of sweeping changes to Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools and education programs that receive government funding, after more than a year of delays. The new regulations, slated to take effect Aug. 1, also cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Fifteen Republican-controlled states sued the department last week in four federal lawsuits that argue the new regulations are “plainly illegal” and undermine protections meant for cisgender students.

Recently, the Supreme Court, for now, blocked expanded protections for transgender students in several Republican states that mounted challenges. All nine members of the court said that parts of the new rules — including the protections for transgender students — should not go effect until the legal challenges are resolved.

The Plan to Attack and Block Elections and Results

Election officials are facing a deluge of disinformation. They are staring down new conspiracy theories, political pressure and threats. The new generation of elections officials must multitask as defenders against disinformation and its consequences. On any given day, they are debunking claims that masses of dead people are contaminating the voting pool or that mail-in balloting is susceptible to fraud. They have faced harassment campaigns targeted at their female family members, received intimidating letters laced with fentanyl and been subjected to fake threats of bombings and break-ins.

In response to these threats, state legislatures have taken action to protect them and make elections more resilient. So far, 20 states have passed urgently needed reforms to protect election officials since January 2022. At least 21 states introduced additional protective bills since 2022.

Trump allies test a new strategy for blocking election results. In five battleground states, county-level officials have tried to block the certification of vote tallies — which election experts worry is a test run for trying to thwart a Democratic victory. Trump has instructed the Republican National Committee, now led by his daughter-in-law and a close ally, to prioritize building out a team of poll watchers and lawyers to monitor the vote and litigate potential post-election challenges.

Some of The Billionaires and Millionaires Supporting all MAGA Objectives

The Aug. 2 dinner at the Bridgehampton, N.Y., home of Howard Lutnick, the Cantor Fitzgerald chief executive, was a high-powered affair. Among the roughly 130 people who dined under an air-conditioned tent were some of Donald Trump’s wealthiest supporters, including the billionaire hedge-fund financier Bill Ackman, who sat next to the former president, and Omeed Malik, the president of another fund, 1789 Capital. Elon Musk committing around $45 Million a Month to a new Pro-Trump Super PAC Other backers of America PAC include Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale and the Winklevoss twins.

Respond

Become informed. Open the links of the eight conservative groups listed above and peruse their agendas. Then read what Project 2025 is all about. It’s not just jargon. Once you have read this post you can see how their goals have translated into action in all of the national news stories. Understand what’s at stake in this election, as organized and wealthy groups are attempting to dismantle the underpinnings of our Democracy.

“We will not go back” is more than a campaign phrase. The conservative movement in this country can fracture whatever gains we’ve made over the decades. It’s up to each of us to prevent that from happening, in whatever way we can,

Join organized groups in your state and volunteer whatever way you can. Some are:

Indivisible

Vote Forward

League of Women Voters

When We All Vote

Planned Parenthood

Human Rights Campaign

Resolve (IVF advocacy group)

Next Post(s): The Harris-Waltz Platform, the Swing States of 2024, and the Crucial Congressional Races

* King Lear

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides..*

Integrity

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Debra29

“How well we survive this time of creative destruction, it really is, depends on each of us, on each of us fighting our individual battles of integrity, for integrity.

Maria Rossa*

Thank you for your strength, perseverance and integrity. Your battles made all the difference.

Inform

I published the final results of the 2022 Midterm Races we have been following over the last seven months in the updated prior post of We Are Here.

Democrats held onto control of the Senate (50 to 49 as of 11/28) while Republicans narrowly won the House (220 to 213 as of 11/28). In the House, the Republican ranks grew more extreme and slightly more diverse, while Democrats added several young liberals to their caucus.

This ended two years of unified Democratic control in Washington. Many believe that in the first major election post-Roe, Democrats tied abortion rights to everyday economics and tapped into fears about the rise of right-wing Republicans. Young voters helped Democrats, but experts differ on just how much. Others blamed Trump for dragging down his party’s candidates.

Democrats had a strong election in the states. This is important because the winners could have significant implications for the next presidential election, as close to 20 gubernatorial candidates backed false claims of election fraud in 2020. Researchers who study disinformation said most efforts to stoke doubt about results had failed to spread widely.

One of the greatest upsets of the election happened in New York where a “red wave” did materialize. Democrats lost almost every single closely contested congressional seat in the state. Kathy Hochul, the incumbent governor, was elected by just six points. Inflation, crime, and redistricting tinted a blue state red.

It still might be too soon to know what effect the 2022 midterm elections will have on 2024. Some “takeaways” include a belief that Trump is more vulnerable, the difficulty the Leader of the House will have in legislating, the importance of Democrats holding the Senate, creating spectacles in the House and new Democratic leadership. Another analysis includes DeSantis’s landslide — and what it portends for 2024, the latest on abortion rights, independent voters favored Democrats 49 percent to 47 percent, and voters shunned election-denier secretary of state candidates. Stanford scholars found the midterm elections surprising and explained why.

Respond

We are one week away from December 6 runoff election for the U.S. Senate seat in Georgia. Incumbent Democrat Incumbent Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock could always use your support.

Stay involved at your local level by attending school board, library and other civic meetings. Let your voice be heard. Stay in communication with your representatives on all levels. They need to hear from their constituents regardless of whether you voted for them or not. Continue to be involved in issues that are important you including gun reform, reproductive rights, social spending including child care, expanded pre-K, paid leave, and health care. Let your representatives know your thoughts on legislation affecting climate change, inflation, criminal justice reform, job training, small businesses, and affordable housing. This is your Democracy.

*2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Rossa is an investigative journalist who distinguished herself as a fearless defender of freedom of expression and has exposed the abuse of power, use of violence and increasing authoritarianism of the regime of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. She sees authoritarian governments and weaponized social media as dual threats to democracy.

” If you want to rip the heart out of a democracy, you go after the facts. That’s what modern authoritarians do. You lie. All the time. Then you say it’s your opponents and the journalists who lie.”

Posted in 2022 Midterm Elections, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Integrity

We Are Here

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Debra29

“We’re not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.

John F. Kennedy

We are here in the final weeks of the contest for control of Congress. After months showing the Democrats running very well for a midterm year, the polls now offer pretty strong evidence that the party can’t overcome political gravity — at least not entirely. Democrats are being dragged back to earth. Now, the question is whether Democrats can survive the landing — especially in the Senate, but also in a large chunk of Democratic-leaning House districts.

After Labor Day, polls suggested Republican gains in key Senate races where Democrats had shown important summer strength. President Biden’s approval rating stopped increasing. Then the favorable news environment that seemed to give Democrats an opportunity just vanished, perhaps in no small part because of bad inflation news and a falling stock market. In the end, both parties are focusing on independent and undecided voters who will carry the election.

The most recent polls indicate that the midterm races are being shaped by larger, surprising forces beyond the traditional red and blue divide. These forces that reflect the country’s ethnic, economic and educational realignment. In other words, economic issues such as jobs, taxes and the cost of living have are prioritized more over societal issues like abortion, guns or democracy. Across four swing districts, voters with a college degree were 11 to 15 percentage points more likely to prioritize social issues than those who did not graduate from college.

Attacks on Democracy

Threats against Democracy have darkened the election process. Domestic disinformation campaigns and homegrown threats to poll workers are emerging as bigger concerns before the Nov. 8 midterm elections. The Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies are cracking down on the escalation of violent threats against election workers . In addition election workers in battleground states face a surge of cyberattacks. Lastly the New York City Police Department is warning that amid a “complex” threat environment, both racially motivated and anti-government extremists could target poll workers, political rallies, political officials and voting sites. The bulletin urges that this assessment requires “elevated vigilance as the US midterm elections begin.”

A majority of GOP nominees deny or question the 2020 election results. Experts say their dominance in the party poses a threat to the country’s democratic principles and jeopardizes the integrity of future votes. Election deniers will hold enormous sway over the choice of the nation’s next speaker, who in turn could preside over the House in a future contested presidential election. The winners of all the races — those for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Senate and House — will hold some measure of power overseeing American elections.

Respond

What you can do

Get Out The Vote – Many Democrats don’t vote in midterm elections.
League of Women Voters
Rock The Vote
Vote Forward
Postcard to Voters
Postcards to Swing States

Join Grassroots Movements
Indivisible
Move On

Volunteer in a local campaign or a campaign in another state. This includes, but not limited to, , canvassing, phone banking, text banking, post card and letter writing. Donate as little as $5 or as much as you can.

The Senate Races (updated Nov 28)

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.

Toss Up Races Either party has a good chance of winning. 
Georgia – Support Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Runoff Tuesday Dec 6
Nevada – Support Democrat Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Senator Cortez Masto won
Arizona – Support Democrat Senator Mark Kelly  (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Senator Mark Kelly won
Pennsylvania – Support Democrat John Fetterman (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat John Fetterman won

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

North Carolina – Support Democrat Cheri Beasley
Final Results: Republican Ted Bud won.
Ohio – Support Democrat Tim Ryan 
Final Results: Republican J. D. Vance won.
Wisconsin – Support Democrat Mandela Barnes 
Final Results: Republican Ron Johnson won.

Leans Democrat These are considered competitive races, but one party has an advantage.
 
New Hampshire – Support Democrat Senator Maggie Hassan
Final Results: Democrat Senator Maggie Hassan won.
Colorado – Support Democrat Senator Michael Bennet (considered Likely Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Senator Michael Bennet won.

Likely Republican 

Florida – Support Democrat Val B Demmings
Final Results:  Republican Senator Marco Rubio won.

The House Races (updated Nov 28)

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. 

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

California 22 Support Democrat Rudy Salas (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
California 27 Support Democrat Christy Smith (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
Colorado 8 Support Democrat Yadira Caraveo (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Yadira Caraveo won.
Illinois 17 Support Democrat Eric Sorensen (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Eric Sorensen won.
Maine 2 Support Democrat Representative Jared Golden  (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Jared Golden won.
Michigan 7 Support Democrat Representative Elissa Slotkin  (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Elissa Slotkin won.
Minnesota 2 Support Democrat Representative Angie Craig (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Angie Craig won.
Nebraska 2 Support Democrat Tony Vargas (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
Nevada 1 Support Democrat Representative Dina Titus  (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Dina Titus won.
Nevada 3 Support Democrat Representative Susie Lee (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Susie Lee won.
New Hampshire 1 Support Democrat Representative Chris Pappas (Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Chris Pappas won.
New Mexico 2 Support Democrat Gabriel Vasquez (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Gabriel Vasquez won.
New York 19 Support Democrat Josh Riley (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
New York 22 Support Democrat Francis Conole (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
North Carolina 13 Support Democrat Wiley Nickel (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Wiley Nickel won.
Ohio 1 Support Democrat Greg Landsman (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Greg Landsman won.
Ohio 13 Support Democrat Emilia Strong Sykes (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Emilia Strong Sykes won.
Pennsylvania 7 Support Democrat Representative Susan Wild ( Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Susan Wild won.
Pennsylvania 8 Support Democrat Representative Matt Cartwright ( Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Matt Cartwright won.
Pennsylvania 17 Support Democrat Chris Deluzio (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Chris Delusion won.
Texas 28 Support Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar  (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Henry Cuellar won.
Virginia 2 Support Democrat Representative Elaine Luria (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
Virginia 7 Support Democrat Representative Abigail Spanberger ( Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Abigail Spanberger won.
Washington 8 Support Democrat Representative Kim Schrier ( Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Kim Schrier won.

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

California 45 Support Democrat Jay Chen 
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
Iowa 3 Support Democrat Representative CindyAxne
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
New Jersey 7 Support Democrat Representative Tom Malinowski PLEASE SUPPORT
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.
Oregon 5 Support Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.

4 Lean Democrat

Kansas 3 Support Democrat Representative Sharice Davids 
Final Results: Democrat Representative Sharice Davids won.
Michigan 8 Support Democrat Representative Dan Kildee  
Final Results: Democrat Representative Dan Kildee won.
Nevada 4 Support Democrat Representative Steven Horsford 
Final Results: Democrat Representative Steven Horsford won.
New Hampshire 2 Support Democrat Representative Annie Kuster ( Likely Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Representative Annie Kuster won.

1 Likely Republican

New York 2 Support Democrat Jackie Gordon Exceptional endorsements, including Planned Parenthood and my family members who reside in this district.
Final Results: The Republican candidate won.

The Governor Races (updated Nov 28)

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 Cooks Political Report, and University of Virginia’s Sabatos Crystal Ball.. 

Toss Up Races

Arizona Support Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Katie Hobbs won.
Kansas Support Democrat Governor Laura Kelly (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Laura Kelly won.
Nevada Support Democrat Governor Steve Sisolak (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Republican Joe Lombardo won.
Oregon Support Democrat Tina Kotek (considered Leans Democrat by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Tina Kotek won.
Wisconsin Support Democrat Governor Tony Evers (considered Leans Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Democrat Governor Tony Evers won.

Leans Republican

Georgia Support Democrat Stacy Adams (considered Likely Republican by Sabatos)
Final Results: Republican Governor Brian Kemp won.

Leans Democrat

Michigan Support Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Final Results: Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer won.

Likely Democrat
Pennsylvania Support Democrat Josh Shapiro
Final Results: Democrat Josh Shapiro won.

Likely Republican

Florida Support Democrat Representative Charlie Crist
Final Results: Republican Governor Ron DeSantis won.
Texas Support Democrat Beto O’Rourke
Final Results: Republican Governor Gregg Abbott won.

Vote

Absentee Ballot Deadlines and Ballot Tracker by State

Absentee Ballots in New York State.
Absentee Ballots in New Jersey.

Early Voting Start and End Dates by State

Early voting in New York State
Early voting in New Jersey

Voting on Election Day, November 8, 2022

The League of Women Voters provides you with information by State

Election Day Voting in New York State
Election Day Voting in New Jersey

Next Post: Integrity

Posted in Congress, State Elections, The House Race, The Senate Race, Uncategorized, Voter Suppression, Voting | Tagged | Comments Off on We Are Here

Upholding The Common Good

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Debra29

A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good.

Barbara Jordan

Inform

We are now a month away from the United States Midterm Elections on November 8 2022. Will Biden have a Democratic-controlled Congress for the remainder of his first term? Or will Republicans pick up one or both chambers of Congress, which will empower them to block Biden’s agenda?

Republicans need to flip just five Democratic seats to retake the House majority. Plus House Republicans may have already secured their majority through redistricting. Every 10 years, states must redraw their congressional and state legislative districts based on new census data. It’s supposed to reflect population changes, but many state politicians use the opportunity to affirm their party’s grip on power in state legislative and congressional districts.

Democrats’ majority in the Senate is even more precarious than in the House — at least on paper. Republicans need to win just one Democratic seat to take back control of the Senate for at least the next two years. But some of the most competitive Senate races are in states that voted for Biden in 2020, and Republican voters nominated arguably some of the most extreme candidates in recent memory.

I recently read a disturbing article about Spain’s fascist regime. “Up to the early 1930s, Spain had been among Europe’s most progressive countries, allowing for married couples to divorce and women to seek abortions. Under Franco, those rights were swiftly rescinded. Contraception was outlawed, adultery was criminalized and women lost the right to vote. Newspapers were censored, and many books were banned.” Does any of this sound familiar?

There have been assaults on school boards and libraries. Extreme candidates are running for local, state and national positions. We have had attacks on election officials and have seen efforts to infiltrate and cast doubt on the 2022 midterm results. False and cynical claims of voter fraud threaten our democracy as much as Trump himself. The US Supreme Court’s decision to remove constitutional protections on access to abortions will have significant effects on women and their families. Research shows that the reproductive, social and economic lives of those who are poor, young and/or black are likely to be most damaged. Most abortions are now banned in at least 13 states. In addition, many in the anti abortion movement have a new target: hormonal birth control. They claim that hormonal contraceptives like IUDs and the pill can actually cause abortions.

Christian nationalism, a belief that the United States was founded as a white, Christian nation and that there is no separation between church and state, is gaining steam on the right. Prominent Republican politicians have made the themes critical to their message to voters in the run up to the 2022 midterm elections. These similar nationalist movements in Europe has impacted Italy, France, Sweden and other western democracies.

Midterm Election

Tuesday November 8, 2022

Registration: The deadline to register to vote varies by state.

Registration by state.

Register to Vote in New York State.

Register to Vote in New Jersey.

Absentee Ballot Deadlines and Ballot Tracker by State

Absentee Ballots in New York State.

Absentee Ballots in New Jersey.

Early Voting Start and End Dates by State

Early voting in New York State

Early voting in New Jersey

Respond

Donate to the Senate and House races that could determine who controls Congress.

Donate to governor races as we grapple with state laws that control our own bodies, gun reform, elections, health care and education.

Volunteer in local campaigns by canvassing, phone banking, text banking, letter and postcard writing.

Join national networks in getting out the vote and/or registration drives.

Contact your local election office and become a poll worker. This job was never as important as today.

Become involved. On any day, in any way. Let your voice be heard agains those who are choosing to dismantle this democracy and its freedoms brick by brick. Let’s share in the responsibility of upholding the common good.

Next post: We are Here



Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Upholding The Common Good

Every Moment

Posted on September 12, 2022 by Debra29

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

Posted in 2022 Midterm Elections, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Every Moment