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☆ These recently elected trans lawmakers say anti-LGBTQ bills inspired them to run
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Julie Moreau | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Zooey Zephyr, the first out transgender woman elected to the Montana Legislature, was inspired to run after her state passed three pieces of legislation targeting the LGBTQ community. 'Real, tangible effects on trans people'State legislatures have increasingly become battlegrounds over LGBTQ rights. Republicans began introducing legislation targeting queer rights at an increased clip in the wake of the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationally. In 2017, Republicans introduced 129 bills targeting LGBTQ rights, many of which focused on issues of religious freedom. However, she believes bills targeting LGBTQ rights are ultimately a losing strategy.

☆ Fewer states than ever could pick the next president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Five states decided the last presidential race by flipping from Trump in 2016 to Joe Biden in 2020 – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Democratic and Republican presidential nominees have each carried 20 states in every election since at least 2008. Democrats did not demonstrate the capacity to threaten any of the GOP’s core 20 states, as Republicans did in Nevada. A race with just Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona as true battlegrounds would begin with Democrats favored in states holding 260 Electoral College votes (including Washington, DC) and Republicans in states with 235. After 2022, the list of genuinely competitive presidential states may be shrinking, but, if anything, that could increase the tension as the nation remains poised on the knife’s edge between two deeply entrenched, but increasingly antithetical, political coalitions.

The justices declined to review a ruling by a three-judge federal district court panel denying an injunction against the reconfigured state Senate district sought by the challengers. The dispute centers on a state Senate district that includes part of the city of Fort Worth in north-central Texas. loadingBlack and Hispanic plaintiffs sued after the Texas legislature approved new electoral maps in 2021. They argued that they had been "splintered" into other Senate districts where they will be "overpowered" by white voters. In their appeal to the Supreme Court, the plaintiffs said resolution was needed prior to the 2024 election.

☆ California Heads for a Budget Crunch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Democrats in Sacramento last month sent $10 billion in direct payments to voters. California’s steeply progressive income tax makes it heavily dependent on the income, and especially the capital gains, of high earners. The top 0.5% of taxpayers pay 40% of state income tax. Tax revenue surged in the pandemic as the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policies inflated asset values. Many tech workers cashed out stock options.

☆ DeSantis overtakes Trump as the 2024 presidential nominee Republicans prefer, new YouGov poll says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

More Republicans say they would prefer DeSantis to be their 2024 nominee over Trump. After the GOP's lackluster midterm election results, Trump has received criticism from within the party. 42% of Republicans and Republican-leaners said they would prefer to see the Florida governor as the nominee, compared with 35% saying they would prefer the former president, according to a new YouGov America poll. The poll, conducted in the three days following the elections, is a reversal from the results of a Yahoo News/YouGov poll last month, when 45% said they'd prefer Trump and 35% said they'd prefer DeSantis. While DeSantis beat out Trump overall, scoring higher among "not very strong Republicans" and those that "lean towards" the GOP, Trump still edged him out among "strong Republicans," with 45% favoring him compared with 43% for DeSantis.

National Democrats were fairly happy on Election Day as they dodged a predicted trouncing at the polls, but state Democrats might have even more to celebrate. And Democrats appear on track to flip the state House in Michigan, as well as in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the nonpartisan organization that represents legislative chambers. Democratic wins this cycle signals a shift in state legislative priorities that could have major ramifications on contentious issues. The Republican-controlled state legislatures in Pennsylvania and Michigan had entertained election denial conspiracies after the 2020 election, for example. "Success does beget success," she said, noting that many state legislative candidates outperformed those competing at the federal level.

☆ Live updates: Voters head to the polls for the US midterm elections with the balance of the House and Senate at stake
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Insider will have real-time live election results on thousands of races across the country, including every House, Senate, Governor, and State Legislative election happening in the United States. The most significant story is unfolding in dozens of House races across the country, as the Democrats' tenuous control of the chamber is being challenged by the GOP. Midterms tend to be disastrous for the incumbent president's party, and this election has control of the House very much up for grabs. This is why this cycle has a number of critically important state legislative races. The first polls close at 6 p.m. EST, come along and follow all the critical races of this election here.

☆ Live Results: Virginia votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. VA-02VA-07 HouseVirginians will elect 11 members of Congress this year, with several races with national implications among them. Long a swing state, Virginia recently has skewed toward Democrats. Virginia is also home to one of the more contentious state legislative fights.

☆ Live Results: Arizona votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. EST. (3 Districts) Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. AZ-01AZ-06AZ-04 House Governor Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Arizona is home to some of the most interesting elections in the country, some of which will determine power on a national scale. Lastly, the state has a number of compelling ballot questions on voting procedure and state officials with implications for 2024.

☆ In Tight Wisconsin Governor’s Race, Gerrymandering Takes Center Stage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

RACINE, Wis.—A longstanding battle over redistricting in Wisconsin has emerged as a leading issue in the gubernatorial race between incumbent Democrat Tony Evers and Republican challenger Tim Michels . In 2021, Mr. Evers led an initiative to have a nonpartisan commission create new maps of state legislative districts. The effort failed after the state Supreme Court in April picked a map similar to the 2011 version, which had helped Republicans gain majorities in the state Senate and the state Assembly.

☆ Proposition 30: Californians will vote to tax high-earners to fund electric vehicle rebates and other climate change initiatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Proposition 30 would raise the personal income tax to create a Clean Cars and Clean Air Fund. Opponents say it's a scheme by rideshare companies to avoid paying for their electric vehicle transition. The state legislative analyst's office estimates an increase of $3.5 billion to $5 billion annually in funding for climate change initiatives. Gavin Newsom, the California Republican Party, the California Teacher's Association, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the California Hawaii State Conference NAACP. The largest financial contributors for or against the proposition include Lyft, a coalition of rideshare companies, and labor and environmental groups, according to OpenSecrets.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Police back Republican candidates in U.S. midterms, even those at Jan. 6 riot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Julia Harte | Daniel Wiessner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

The rightward shift held true even in races where a Republican candidate attended the Jan. 6 rally. "But are you going to work with law enforcement, are you going to support law enforcement?" A union's backing also helps remove the stigma around a candidate's presence at the Jan. 6 rally, experts said. Van Orden has denied entering the grounds and said he left when the protest became a mob. Windorff, the Wisconsin police union president, said there was no evidence Van Orden had done anything wrong.

☆ Jim Obergefell's Supreme Court case helped legalize same-sex marriage 7 years ago. Now, he could become the only openly gay member of Ohio's state House.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Now, Jim Obergefell — the man for which that case was named — is running for Ohio state House. "But you know, the nice thing is, everything I went through with the court case — a lot of that really prepared me for something like this." The "court case" in question was Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 civil rights case in which the Supreme Court ruled five to four that same-sex couples were guaranteed the right to marry. "I don't start with it, and I don't focus on it," he said of his association with the 2015 Supreme Court case. "Very, very few of them have a Supreme Court case that happened because of that relationship."

But none of that explains why political campaigns have been turning away from Facebook. Political ads have always been a small part of Facebook's overall business. The pandemic accelerated that trend since so many consumers turned to streaming platforms while stuck at home, and content for cord-cutters proliferated. Ad tracking firm AdImpact projected that of the $9.7 billion spent on political ads this cycle, $1.4 billion would go to connected TVs. Apple's crackdown has indeed diminished Facebook's position in political advertising.

If election deniers in those races win, their ability to affect future elections could be made more robust by having cooperative election deniers in their state houses to help push legislation remaking certain election laws in those states. The group’s analysis found that election deniers were most prevalent in Arizona state legislative races, where they made up 87% of all Republican nominees in those races. In both Pennsylvania and Michigan, 62% of all Republican state legislative nominees in each state were election deniers, the group found. In Minnesota, 42% of all Republican nominees in state legislative races were election deniers, while in Nevada, 31% were. That included several incumbents and candidates in Minnesota who'd who had questioned or challenged the results of the 2020 election.

☆ Billionaire Ronald Lauder gives $1 million to GOP group supporting state candidates who questioned 2020 election results
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

A representative for the Republican State Leadership Committee did not return a request for comment. The Concord Fund, which previously spent millions of dollars on ads backing Trump's judicial nominees, gave $1.5 million to the Republican State Leadership Committee in September. The Republican State Leadership Committee is considered a tax exempt politically active group under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Republican State Leadership Committee is supporting dozens of candidates running to become secretaries of state, lieutenant governors, state legislators and judges on state courts. In this year's state legislative races, the Republican State Leadership Committee has bolstered some candidates who raised doubts about the 2020 election results.

☆ Biden, campaigning for Oregon's Kotek, warns about Trump's impact on states
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Jeff Mason | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about lowering costs for American families during a visit to the East Portland Community Center in Portland, Oregon, U.S., October 15, 2022. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBiden, a Democrat, praised Kotek as an "articulate, tough, committed woman" and emphasized the stakes of state leadership contests. "As long as Trump controls the Republican Party, he's going to have incredible impact on state legislative bodies," and state government, Biden said at a reception for Kotek. Thirty-six of the 50 U.S. states will elect governors in November's U.S. elections, with potential impact on abortion access, transgender rights, education and future state elections. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Democrats are getting a boost from an unlikely source: Laid-off tech workers with more free time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Like many tech workers and investors, she moved to San Francisco from elsewhere — Michigan, in her case — and still feels invested in the politics of her home state. Whether there’s a tech expertise gap between Democrats and Republicans is difficult to measure. The Republican State Leadership Committee, which works to elect Republicans at the state level, didn’t respond to requests for comment. Some tech workers are in their third election cycles as volunteers, giving them a base of experience to work from. Given its size, Tech for Campaigns can test different messages and tactics across states.

☆ Alabama’s arguments in voting rights case are rooted in white supremacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-08 | by ( Bradley E. Heard | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Stripping away the right of communities of color to equal representation is just the latest effort by anti-voter politicians to destroy voting rights in America. Just 16 years ago, the Voting Rights Act was reauthorized unanimously by the Senate and signed into law by President George W. Bush. Now, politicians are showing that they do not want Black communities to have a fair voice in government by blocking any attempt to restore federal protections for voting rights, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. This ongoing assault on voting rights calls for a renewal of the civil rights movement. We must stand against politicians who wish to strip away our democracy and threaten our voting rights.

☆ U.S. state legislative races carry high stakes for abortion access
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Both the Republican State Legislative Committee (RSLC) and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), which support legislative candidates, reported a record pace of fundraising in the first half of the year. A Democratic-aligned group, the States Project, said it would spend a massive $60 million on state legislative races this cycle. Democratic candidates have sought to ensure voters understand the connection between legislative races and abortion access after decades of federal protection. The state Supreme Court this year ruled the state constitution does not protect abortion rights, reversing its own ruling from four years earlier after several new appointees joined the court. She reeled off a list of steps the Democratic majority has taken to expand abortion rights.

☆ Dozens of Trump’s phony electors, many under investigation, still hold powerful GOP jobs in key states
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Kaitlyn Francis | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

Law enforcement activity has not pushed these false electors from their political perches. Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAll told, 23 of those false electors hold positions of power within their Republican parties. Then there are additional actors that didn’t serve in the slate of false electors themselves but were instrumental in the scheme. Others hold positions of power within the state GOP, including Shafer, who is chair; Joseph Brannan, state GOP treasurer; Vikki Consiglio, the state party’s assistant treasurer; and Ken Carroll, the assistant secretary. On June 21, federal agents scattered across key states to deliver subpoenas to those who acted as Trump electors.

Curtis Ried, a career foreign service officer and veteran of the National Security staff for two presidents, has been named as the NSC’s new chief of staff, officials tell NBC News. He has traveled regularly with President Biden at home and abroad, another key factor in his selection. Ried in particular played a key role in working with the United Nations and rebuilding the refugee admissions program. That number doesn’t include so-called DNC “fellows” and other part time staff who are engaged in some of the key party efforts, especially voter registration. Obama has already done fundraisers for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (August 30 in Martha’s Vineyard) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (Sept. 8 in New York).

☆ Some of Congress' youngest members have famously flamed out. Can a candidate be too young to serve?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

More youthful representation would better serve the country, young members of Congress say. But members of Congress, political scientists, and strategists generally don't blame age for these downfalls — leaders both young and old are prone to controversy. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made history in 2019 as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, at 29. "I was always accustomed to being the youngest," Schatz told Insider at the Capitol. The nation needs "more principled members of Congress," Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, 35, told Insider, adding: "It doesn't matter their age."

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