306

 

This is America: A Black Democratic representative from Georgia was handcuffed and charged with two felonies on MARCH 27 for trying to watch her state's governor sign an egregious voter suppression bill, while sitting Republican members of Congress face no consequences for inciting January's deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.¹

Georgia's new law—which Governor Brian Kemp signed behind closed doors—goes so far as to criminalize handing out water to people waiting in line to vote.²

The truth of the matter is that Republicans are getting away with the greatest assault on our right to vote since the Jim Crow era—an assault that progressive leader Stacey Abrams calls "Jim Crow in a suit and tie"—because just like in Georgia, Republicans control the legislature in a majority of states.^3,4

State and local elections matter. They matter a lot. And here's a shocking statistic: In as many as 75% of races for elected office in America, Democrats don't even compete.⁵

We're not even trying to win! The result is that while millions more Americans now identify as Democrats than Republicans, Republicans hold far more seats in state and local government.

That's why I'm writing to you today to tell you about a major MoveOn initiative to recruit hundreds of diverse, progressive MoveOn members to run in down-ballot races across the country.

MoveOn just announced that it is expanding its partnership with Contest Every Race, a coalition working to end GOP rule in rural America by making sure that no Republican runs for office without a fight. Together, we will help end GOP dominance in down-ballot races by making sure that no Republican runs for office without a Democratic challenger in the race.

306. That's the number of voter suppression bills that have been introduced in state legislatures just this year.⁶

And now that Georgia's governor signed the sweeping voter suppression law, the battle to stop voter suppression bills moves to Arizona, Florida, and Texas—all states with Republican governors and Republican majorities in the state legislatures, which means that these bills will likely pass and become law.⁷ In Florida, for example, S.B. 90—a top priority of Governor Ron DeSantis—would ban drop boxes, limit mail-in voting, and criminalize handing out water or food to people in line to vote.^8,9

Let's be clear: Republicans are advancing these bills to disenfranchise people of color. According to an analysis by The Washington Post, the bills would create new hurdles to voting for tens of millions of Americans.¹⁰

Which is why MoveOn's effort to recruit hundreds of diverse, progressive MoveOn members to run for office and challenge the GOP's stranglehold on state and local offices is so important.

Of the local elections that Republicans win, 70% have no challenger.¹¹ It's time we fight back. It's time we stop letting the GOP win elections, stroll into office without ever facing a challenger, and trample on our very democracy.

With your help, MoveOn will be able to provide strong support for endorsed candidates, including offering training on how to recruit and organize volunteers, raise grassroots donations, most effectively use social media to get their message out, and more.

The next election may seem far away, but in many states and localities, candidates are already filing paperwork to run for office.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

Sources:

1. "'We're going to fight this' says attorney for Georgia lawmaker charged with 2 felonies after knocking on governor's door," ABC, March 27, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150567?t=8&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

2. "Georgia law makes it a crime to give food, water to people waiting to vote," The Hill, March 26, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150568?t=10&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

3. "Abrams on GOP efforts to target voting: 'It is a redux of Jim Crow in a suit and tie,'" CNN, March 14, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150569?t=12&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

4. "State Partisan Composition," National Conference of State Legislatures, March 16, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150570?t=14&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

5. "It's time to Contest Every Race," Contest Every Race, accessed April 2, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150396?t=16&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

6. "The States Where Efforts To Restrict Voting Are Escalating," FiveThirtyEight, March 29, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150571?t=18&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. "Another Ban On Water For Voters: Sweeping Florida Bill Would Make It A Crime," Forbes, March 29, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150572?t=20&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

10. "How GOP-backed voting measures could create hurdles for tens of millions of voters," The Washington Post, March 11, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150398?t=22&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

11. "It's time to Contest Every Race," Contest Every Race, accessed April 2, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/150396?t=24&akid=293893%2E3735812%2EvcCVHE

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