The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

This is it, folks. As of the release date of episode #1221, we are exactly 2 weeks out from election day. If you have been slacking on donating or volunteering, there is absolutely no time to lose. Early voting is now open many states, so check out all early voting information by state, including the three vote by mail states. Information for ALL of the battleground races and how to get involved can be found at The Midterms Minute H.Q..

We continue today with our focus on toss up battleground races for the House that we haven’t covered yet. Specifically, we’re talking about states with more than one of these races. As a reminder, Democrats must flip 24 Republican seats to take the house.

Let’s dive in….

NC-09: North Carolina has two toss up battleground races. The state’s 9th district is an open seat race because, in a rare occurrence, the incumbent lost his primary. Now Democratic businessman and veteran Dan McCready is challenging Republican pastor Mark Harris, who led the fight against gay marriage in the state. Trump won the district by 11 points and the Republican primary was fought over who loved and supported Trump the most. However, McCready appears to have a slight lead in the polls even though a Democrat hasn’t held this seat in 56 years.

NC-13: In North Carolina’s 13th district, Democrat and lawyer Kathy Manning is challenging Republican incumbent Ted Budd, who is adamantly anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. Though Budd has already served a term in congress, he is still calling himself a “political outsider,” while Manning has never held political office. Manning has made standing up to the insurance industry a pinnacle of her campaign and says she will not vote for Nancy Pelosi as House leader, but she is slightly behind in the polls.

TX-07: Now, moving on to Texas, which has two toss up battleground races. In Texas’ 7th district, which includes Houston, Democratic attorney and reproductive rights activist Lizzie Pannill Fletcher is challenging Republican incumbent John Culberson. Culberson is best known for co-sponsoring birther legislation, as well as denying climate change and opposing abortion and gay marriage. Culberson serves on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the subcommittee on commerce, justice, science, and related agencies. If it’s concerning to you that a climate denying, oil and gas politician who didn’t mention climate change or zoning laws once after hurricane Harvey flooded Houston is sitting on these committees, that concern would be justified. Fletcher has pointed out that warnings about Houston’s flood risk came as long ago as 1996 but politicians ignored them. Clinton won this district by 1 percentage point and this race is neck and neck.

TX-32: In Texas’ 32nd district, Democratic civil rights attorney Colin Allred is challenging Republican incumbent Pete Sessions, former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Although Sessions won his last re-election by 26 points, Clinton won this district. The fact that End Citizens United has heavily invested in targeting Sessions with negative ads might tell you a bit about who he is. Sessions, of course, is trying to link Allred with Nancy Pelosi, who is once again the Republican embodiment of scary liberalism. The candidates are within a point of each other in the latest New York Times poll.

VA-02: Virginia also has two toss up battlegrounds. In Virginia’s 2nd district, Democratic businesswoman and Navy veteran Elaine Luria is challenging Republican incumbent and former Navy SEAL Scott Taylor. Taylor won in 2016 by 23 points, however Trump only took the district by 3 points. The latest polls have Taylor leading Luria in this district that includes the world’s largest navy base and one of the highest concentration of veterans. Taylor, who wants more military spending but hates taxes and Obamacare, is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. It’d be nice to see him go.

VA-07: In Virginia’s 7th district, Democratic former CIA operations officer Abigail Spanberger is challenging Republican incumbent David Brat, who won this seat in 2014 by beating then House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. This district has been held by Republicans since 1971. The district’s counties were split in the presidential election, but both voted Democratic in the 2017 governors race. As Brat has been calling Spanberger “Nancy Pelosi” every chance he gets instead of using her real name, a video of her forceful response to his idiocy during a recent debate has gone viral. She was inspired to run after Brat voted for an Obamacare repeal measure that passed the House and has called out Brat for avoiding town halls with constituents.

As a reminder, voter purging is happening across the country so we urge you to confirm your voter registration ASAP. Visit HeadCount.org to quickly be directed to your state’s specific website to confirm your voter registration. If there is a problem, contact 866-OUR-VOTE to report the problem and get guidance ASAP.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE (Quick Links)

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

All Battleground Info/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

Early Voting Information by State

TOSS UP BATTLEGROUND HOUSE SEATS (part 2)

North Carolina

NC-09: Dan McCready

Red to Blue NC-09

NC-13: Kathy Manning

Red to Blue NC-13

Texas

TX-07: Lizzie Pannill Fletcher

Red to Blue TX-07

TX-32: Colin Allred

Red to Blue TX-32

Virginia

VA-02: Elaine Luria

Red to Blue VA-02

VA-07: Abigail Spanberger

Red to Blue VA-07

Posted October 23rd, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1221: Strategies to take back power for the left

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

As of the release date of episode #1220, we are 18 days out from election day. That’s less than 3 weeks of volunteering left. Early voting is now open many states, so check out all early voting information by state, including the three vote by mail states. 

Because we’re running out of time, we’re only highlighting battleground races that are considered toss ups from now on. However, information for ALL of the battleground races in the show notes at The Midterms Minute H.Q..

For the next two segments, we’re going to focus on toss up battleground races for the House that we haven’t covered yet. Republicans are defending the vast majority of seats in the battleground races across the country, but the so-called “red exodus” of Republican incumbents leaving office is in Democrats favor this year. Thirty seven Republican held seats are now open and, therefore, more likely to flip. To take the House, Democrats must flip 24 Republican seats.

Now, let’s dive into some toss ups….

IA-03: In Iowa’s 3rd district, Democratic small business owner Cindy Axne is challenging Republican incumbent Representative Rep. David Young. Obama won by four points here in 2012, but Trump won by 3 points. Young pissed off his constituents last year when, after saying he was opposed to Trumpcare, he voted for it at the last minute. He is now running unbelievably misleading ads that claim he “stood up to his party” to protect people with pre-existing conditions. Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Early voting in Iowa began October 8th.

KS-02: Kansas’ 2nd district is an open seat race. Former Democratic state house Minority Leader Paul Davis is facing Republican army veteran and engineer Steve Watkins. Trump won here by 19 points, but Davis, the Democrat, was recently endorsed by 36 Kansas state Republicans. One can only assume these are the Republicans that woke up to the severe damage extreme conservatism inflicted on their state. Early voting in Kansas began October 17th.

KY-06: In Kentucky’s 6th district, Democratic Marine Corps pilot Amy McGrath is challenging three-term Republican incumbent Rep. Andy Barr. Although Barr won his re-election in 2016 by more than 20 points, McGrath is a strong, nationally-admired challenger and is only behind in this deep red district by 2 points - within the margin of error. Of course, Barr is trying to paint McGrath as a “radical” on abortion, climate and healthcare. McGrath supports a public option and a medicare buy-in option, but falls short of backing single-payer. Early voting is not available in Kentucky.

ME-02: In Maine’s 2nd district, Democratic former Marine and state Rep. Jared Golden is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Bruce Poliquin. No incumbent has lost an election here since 1916, but before Poloquin won in 2014, Democrats held this seat for 20 years. Obama won here by 9 points in 2012 and Trump won by 10 points. I know you’ll be shocked to hear, but Poloquin is also wildly waving around the term “radical” to make Golden sound scary… you know, for wanting to work toward Medicare-for-All and expanding Medicaid. Early voting in Maine begins November 1st.

MI-08: In Michigan’s 8th district, former Democratic Obama administration official Elissa Slotkin is challenging Republican incumbent Mike Bishop. Trump won here by 7 points. Slotkin, who grew up in Michigan and moved back to start a business after working for the CIA under both Bush and Obama, is being called an “outsider recruited by Nancy Pelosi” by Bishop’s campaign. Slotkin has said she will not support Pelosi as House leader and is not accepting corporate contributions to her campaign. Early voting is not available in Michigan.

NM-02: And finally, New Mexico’s 2nd district is another open seat race because the Republican Steve Pearce is running for Governor. Democratic attorney Xochitl Torres Small is facing Republican state Rep. Yvette Herrell to take this seat. Trump, Romney and McCain all won this district. Herrell is focusing on defunding Planned Parenthood, informing immigration laws and shrinking the government. Meanwhile, Small is focusing on affordable healthcare, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and fixing the VA. Small has raised three times as much as Herrell in a race where Latino turnout is critical. Early voting in New Mexico starts October 20th.

As a reminder, voter purging is happening across the country so we urge you to confirm your voter registration ASAP. Visit HeadCount.org to quickly be directed to your state’s specific website to confirm your voter registration. If there is a problem, contact 866-OUR-VOTE to report the problem and get guidance ASAP.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

All Battleground Info/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

Early Voting Information by State

TOSS UP BATTLEGROUND HOUSE SEATS (part 1)

IA-03: Cindy Axne

KS-02: Paul Davis

KY-06: Amy McGrath

ME-02: Jared Golden

MI-08: Elissa Slotkin

NM-02: Xochitl Torres Small

Posted October 18th, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1220: Fighting the Dark Money Machine

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

As of the release date of this episode, we are 21 days out from election day. That’s exactly 3 weeks away, leaving just 3 weekends of volunteering left. State voter registration deadlines are quickly passing, so if you are still not registered, or know someone who is putting it off, make that your first priority.

Because we’re running short on time, for the next few weeks we are only going to highlight on air the battleground races that are considered toss ups. However, we will still provide information for ALL of the battleground races in the show notes and at The Midterms Minute H.Q..

Last time, we told you about the toss up Senate races where Democrats could pick up seats. Today, we’re going to focus on the vulnerable Democratic incumbents in toss up battleground Senate races who must retain their seats. These races are, of course, all taking place in states which Trump won in 2016. Every one of these Democrats is a moderate at best, but they all voted against Kavanaugh and the GOP tax bill. As a reminder, 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up this November, including two special elections. Democrats are defending 26 seats, 10 of which are in states Trump won. They must retain all 10 of those Senate seats and pick up at least 2 more to take the Senate.

FLORIDA: We already covered Democratic incumbent Senator Bill Nelson’s toss up race in a previous segment on Florida’s battlegrounds. But just a quick update that Nelson is only ahead of Governor Rick Scott by one to two percent in most polls. It is going to be very, very close.

INDIANA: In Indiana, where Trump won by 19%, Democratic incumbent Senator Joe Donnelly is facing Republican State Rep Mike Braun. Braun is a businessman and NRA member who is vehemently anti-abortion and wants to replace Obamacare with…oh, right, he doesn’t have any idea. Donnelly has a slight lead on Braun in most polls, but Politico has listed this race as the GOP’s best opportunity to pick up a Senate seat.

MISSOURI: In Missouri, where Trump won by 19%, Democratic incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill is facing Republican State Attorney General Josh Hawley. Hawley is trying to paint himself as a legal champion of the people, but he is part of the multi-state GOP lead law suit that would completely invalidate the Affordable Care Act law if they win. Hawley has a slight lead in most of the polls and he is now using McCaskill’s vote against Kavanaugh to claim she only cares about her party. When McCaskill won her re-election in 2012, it was the last time a Democrat won a statewide election in Missouri.

MONTANA: In Montana, where Trump won by 20%, Democratic incumbent Senator Jon Tester is facing Republican State Auditor Matt Rosendale. Tester won re-election in 2012 by less than 4 points. Trump publicly battled with Tester after he released allegations that the White House physician Ronny Jackson, Trump’s nominee for the next US Secretary of Veterans Affairs, engaged in professional misconduct, including a DUI and mistreating an employee. Rosendale is a big Trump supporter and real estate developer from Maryland who calls himself a “rancher” every chance he gets even though he doesn’t own any cattle. His ads bend over backwards to call moderate Tester a “radical leftist career ruiner.” Tester currently has a slim lead in the majority of polls.

NORTH DAKOTA: And finally, in North Dakota, where Trump won by 36%, Democratic incumbent Senator Heidi Heitkamp is facing Republican Representative Kevin Cramer. Heitkamp won re-election in 2012 by only 1% and Trump’s margin of victory in Montana was the largest of any Republican presidential candidate in the last five elections. Though Heitkamp has tried to show her independence by saying she has voted with Trump 50% of the time, she voted against Kavanaugh. Cramer, an anti-abortion, anti-Obamacare candidate heartily endorsed by Trump, is pouncing on Heitkamp’s votes against Kavanaugh and last year’s tax bill as evidence that she is voting along party lines. And of course, he’s doing everything he can to make voters associate Heitkamp with Hillary Clinton, including - and I wish I was kidding - literally merging their faces in a TV ad and calling them “Heidary Clintkamp.” Yea…someone paid money for that creativity.

Finally, for anyone who is already registered to vote or thinks they are, please, please, please take a few seconds today to confirm your registration. Voter purging is happening across the country and the sooner you know there is an issue, the better your chance of getting it corrected before election day. Visit HeadCount.org to quickly be directed to your state’s specific website to confirm your voter registration. If there is a problem, contact 866-OUR-VOTE to report the problem and get guidance ASAP.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

TOSS UP BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRATIC SENATE SEATS 

FL-Sen: Bill Nelson (D) 

IN-Sen: Joe Donnelly (D)

MO-Sen: Claire McCaskill (D)

MT-Sen: Jon Tester (D)

ND-Sen: Heidi Heitkamp (D)

Posted October 16th, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1219: How the GOP became the most destructive force in the world ​

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

As of the release date of episode #1218, we are 25 days out from election day. That’s less than 4 weeks to help candidates campaign. That’s just 4 weekends of volunteering. It’s October and state voter registration deadlines are quickly passing, so if you are still not registered, or know someone who is putting it off, make that your first priority.

Because we’re running short on time, for the next few weeks we are only going to highlight on air the battleground races that are considered toss ups. However, we will still provide information for ALL of the battleground races in the show notes and at The Midterms Minute H.Q..

Today, we’re just going to focus on the flippable, toss up, battleground races for the Senate that we haven’t covered yet. As a quick overview, 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up this November, including two special elections. Democrats are defending 26 seats, 10 of which are in states Trump won. They must retain all 10 of those Senate seats and pick up at least 2 more to take the Senate and though do-able, it’s not going to be easy.

ARIZONA: We’ll start with Arizona, where Republican Jeff Flake’s Senate seat is open and entirely in play for Democrats. In fact, it might be Democrat’s best shot at picking up a seat. Since Flake decided to screw over the entire country for decades by voting for Kavanaugh before leaving congress, it’ll feel extra good to flip his vacated Senate seat. Arizona’s ninth district Democratic Representative Kyrsten Sinema is facing Arizona’s 2nd district Republican Representative Martha McSally. McSally is trying to paint Sinema as anti-military because she participated in anti-war protests after nine eleven. As of early September, Sinema has a slight lead in the majority of polls, but this race is still a toss up and a win requires Democratic latino voters to turn out in full force.

NEVADA: Next-door in Nevada, Republican incumbent Senator Dean Heller is facing a challenge from Democratic Representative Jacky Rosen. This seat is in play because Nevada has the one Senate seat Republicans are trying to defend in a state Clinton won. The polls currently show Heller and Rosen tied, with Rosen leading within the margin of error. Trump is backing Heller and even held a rally for him last month in Las Vegas, while Heller tries to frame himself as very bipartisan. Rosen has nicknamed Heller “Senator Spineless” and called him out for cracking under GOP party pressure and voting for the Obamacare repeal bill. Heller also voted for Kavanaugh, and Rosen - a woman - is not about to let any voter forget that. The race is rated a toss up.

TENNESSEE: After voting for Kavanaugh and pretty much everything else on Trump’s agenda, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker is finally going away. In this open seat race, former Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen is facing horror show Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn. The outside money flowing in has been gigantic, with Blackburn getting the majority. We don’t have time to highlight all the terrible things Blackburn has said and done while in the House, so I think all we have to say is that she is aligned with Trump on absolutely every thing and might like the idea of a border wall even more than he does. Bredesen is down in about half the polls and The Cook Political Report has rated this race a toss up.

TEXAS: Moving on now to Texas, where we finally have a real shot at not having to look at or listen to Ted Cruz anymore. Wouldn’t that be nice? Democratic Representative Beto O’Rourke is a strong challenger who has been able to raise significant money and grab the national spotlight. Despite that though, O’Rourke is down in the latest polls by 5 to 9 percentage points. Cruz has been grasping at straws to try to damage O’Rourke’s image. His latest attempt was twisting O’Rourke’s completely valid criticisms of our criminal justice system to call him “divisive and dangerous.” But this is still a toss up race.

Finally, for anyone who is already registered to vote or thinks they are, please, please, please take a few seconds today to confirm your registration. Voter purging is happening across the country and the sooner you know there is an issue, the better your chance of getting it corrected before election day. Visit HeadCount.org to quickly be directed to your state’s specific website to confirm your voter registration. If there is a problem, contact 866-OUR-VOTE to report the problem and get guidance ASAP.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE 

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

FLIPPABLE TOSS UP BATTLEGROUND SENATE SEATS

AZ-Sen: Kyrsten Sinema (D) 

NV-Sen: Jacky Rosen (D)

TN-Sen: Phil Bredesen (D)

TX-Sen: Beto O'Rourke (D)

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

We want to remind you that we’ve set up The Midterms Minute H.Q., where you can view every spotlight segment we produce, every battleground race in the country, all of the Justice Democrats, Brand New Congress and Our Revolution candidates running in November, volunteer resources, and more. We hope you’ll take a moment to visit best of the left dot com midterms and dive in.

Today, we’re going to talk about the battleground races in New York, which is one of five states that political wonks say will determine the majority in the House. Many of these districts are up state, an area that polling shows doesn’t seem to be responding to “blue wave” fever. Senator Gillibrand and Governor Andrew Cuomo are both all but locked in for her re-elections, so we’ll jump right into the House races.

HOUSE:

NY-11: In New York’s 11th district, which includes Staten Island, Democrat Max Rose is challenging Republican incumbent Daniel Donavan. Donovan actually voted against Trump’s healthcare and tax bills in 2017, but is a big Trump supporter and was endorsed by the president during the primary. Rose, a former nonprofit healthcare executive, is running on a ‘burn the house down’ campaign that calls out establishment Republicans and Democrats for failing the people, saying “they all gotta go.” This race is rated by the Cook Political Report as likely Republican. HELP FLIP NY-11!

NY-19: In New York’s 19th district, Democratic attorney Antonio Delgado is challenging Republican incumbent John Faso. Delgado’s campaign is focused on establishing a universal healthcare coverage through a public option, while Faso voted for the Trumpcare bill and didn’t bother to show up to the town halls his constituents demanded. Faso has also been called out for racial dog-whistling for using lyrics from Delgado’s old rap songs in attack ads to call him an outsider with different values. But Faso is now behind in the polls in a district where Trump surged and is being outraised by Delgado. This race is considered a toss up. HELP FLIP NY-19!

NY-22: In New York’s 22nd district, Democratic assemblyman Anthony Brindisi is challenging Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney, who has received at least $100,000 dollars from health insurance companies and falsely stated that “so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats.” Although Trump surged here with a 16 point win, Brindisi significantly outraised Tenney in the first quarter and had a 4 point lead in the polls at the end of August. The race is currently rated as a toss up. HELP FLIP NY-22!

NY-27: New York’s 27th district was almost an open seat race after Trump-allied Republican incumbent Chris Collins announced he was suspending his campaign. Then, days later, he was arrested and indicted by the FBI for insider trading. This put the seat in play, but Republicans were having trouble finding a new candidate. However, a few weeks ago, Collins resurfaced saying he’s back in the race because “the stakes are too high to allow the radical left to take control of this seat in congress.” Democrat Nate McMurry is challenging Collins, but it is still an uphill climb in one of the reddest districts in the state and the Democrats haven’t officially promised funding support. The National Republican Congressional Committee chairman has said he won’t spend a dime in this race because he’s confident, despite the FBI indictment, Collins will win. The race is currently rated as leaning Republican. HELP FLIP NY-27!

IMPORTANT DATES: To vote in the Midterm Elections in New York, you must be registered, have your application postmarked, or have made an in-person request by October 12th. Absentee ballot options and deadlines are complex, so we recommend taking a thorough look at elections dot NY dot gov website for that information.

It’s never too early to check registration cut off dates and absentee ballot request and submission dates in your own state. We highly suggest reviewing your state’s important dates and voter ID laws at rock the vote dot org as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to vote in the general election.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE 

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: RocktheVote.org/resources/am-i-registered-to-vote/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

NEW YORK BATTLEGROUNDS: 

New York Democratic Party

NY Important Dates: Register, have your application postmarked, or have made an in-person request by October 12th. Absentee ballot options and deadlines are complex, visit elections.ny.gov website for that information.

U.S. HOUSE

NY-11: Max Rose

Swing Left NY-11 | Red to Blue NY-11

NY-19: Antonio Delgado

Swing Left NY-19 | Red to Blue NY-19

NY-22: Anthony Brindisi

Swing Left NY-22 | Red to Blue NY-22

NY-27: Nate McMurry

Posted October 5th, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1216: Taking a closer look at Columbus Day

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th. (Quick links at bottom of the page)

Check out The Midterms Minute H.Q. at bestoftheleft.com/midterms to view every battleground spotlight segment we've produced, every battleground race in the country, all of the Justice Democrats, Brand New Congress and Our Revolution candidates running in November, volunteer resources, and more. 

Today, we’re going to talk about the battleground races in Illinois, where all of the competitive seats are currently held by Republicans. Illinois has been identified by the political wonks as one of the five states that will help determine the House majority. Clinton won the state in 2016 with 55.8 percent of the vote to Trump’s 38.8.

IL-06: In Illinois’ 6th district, which includes Chicago suburbs, Democratic energy executive Sean Casten is challenging Republican incumbent Peter Roskam. Though Casten comes from the energy sector, he says he wants to use that experience to create clean energy jobs for the economy and the environment. And he has some cred to back that up, as the co-founder of Recycled Energy Development, a company aiming to profitably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This district is competitive this year because of Trump’s unpopularity in the Chicago suburbs and the fact that Trump lost here by 7 points. The race is currently rated by The Cook Political Report as a toss up. HELP FLIP IL-06!

IL-12: In Illinois’ 12th district, Democrat and St. Clair County state's attorney Brendan Kelly is challenging Republican incumbent Mike Bost. Kelly’s campaign message is focused on reducing the role of money in politics to restore faith in democracy in southern Illinois. Until Bost’s win in 2015, this district had voted for a Democrat consistently since 1993. Trump surged here, but the race is competitive because of its Democratic history and because Democrats have put up a strong candidate this year. The latest polling has Kelly tied with Bost and the race is currently considered a toss up. HELP FLIP IL-12!

IL-13: In Illinois’ 13th district, Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is challenging Republican incumbent Rodney Davis, who was first elected in 2012. Rodney is apparently still proud that he voted for the inhumane Trumpcare bill of 2017 and seems to think his wife - who had cancer - would still have been able to get coverage. Sure, maybe the Davis family could afford the astronomical Trumpcare premiums with their Congressional subsidy, but millions of other cancer patients would’ve been shit out of luck. Trump only squeaked by with a win in this district and the surge of engaged college students in the area could flip this seat for Democrats. However, right now, the race is leaning republican. HELP FLIP IL-13!

IL-14: In Illinois’ 14th district, Democrat Lauren Underwood is challenging Republican incumbent Randy Hultgren, one of the more than 100 Republicans who voted against the Violence Against Women Act. Underwood is a registered nurse who served as a senior policy advisor to HHS under Obama. She is the first woman to have the Democratic nomination for her district and, at 32, she is the youngest black woman running for congress this year. If Democrats look like they are going to win this race on election night, that could be a sign that they are going to have a good night elsewhere. Trump won this district, but it’s a district with an urban-rural divide. Underwood is only down by 4 percent in the polls, but the race is currently rated as leaning republican. HELP FLIP IL-14!

GOVERNOR: Illinois’ race for governor is on track to break a spending record set by the 2010 California gubernatorial race. Democratic philanthropist J.B. Pritzker is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner. Both candidates have self-funded campaigns. Rauner is using the upcoming 2020 redistricting process to try to inspire Republican voters, promising a state-wide Democratic takeover if they don’t show up for him. The race is currently leaning Democratic. HELP ELECT GOV. PRITZKER!

IMPORTANT DATES: To vote in the Midterm Elections in Illinois you must be registered by October 9th, or have registered online by October 21st. There are also registration grace periods in Illinois, but if you don’t have to wait, don’t.

It’s never too early to check registration cut off dates and absentee ballot request and submission dates in your own state. We highly suggest reviewing your state’s important dates and voter ID laws at rockthevote.org as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to vote in the general election.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE (Quick Links)

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: RocktheVote.org/resources/am-i-registered-to-vote/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

ILLINOIS BATTLEGROUNDS:

Illinois Democratic Party

IL Important Dates: Registered by October 9th, or have registered online by October 21st. There are also registration grace periods, but if you don’t have to wait, don’t. *More IL voting details* 

U.S. HOUSE

IL-06: Sean Casten

Swing Left IL-06 | Red to Blue IL-06

IL-12: Brendan Kelly

Swing Left IL-12 | Red to Blue IL-12

IL-13: Betsy Dirksen Londrigan

Red to Blue IL-13

IL-14: Lauren Underwood

Swing Left IL-14 | Red to Blue IL-14

GOV & LT GOV

J.B. Pritzker & Juliana Stratton

Posted October 2nd, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1215: Demonizing welfare to divide and conquer 

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races in battleground districts that you need to know about, shout about and support to make the biggest impact possible in the election on November 6th.

We’ve also set up The Midterms Minute H.Q., where you can view every spotlight segment we produce, every battleground race in the country, all of the Justice Democrats, Brand New Congress and Our Revolution candidates running in November, volunteer resources, and more. We hope you’ll take a moment to visit best of the left dot com midterms and dive in.

Today, we’re going to talk about the battleground races in New Jersey, where Clinton won by 14 points.

U.S. SENATE: In the Senate race, incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Menendez is up for re-election. As you may know, New Jersey is a Big Pharma state and so it’s no surprise that Menendez is facing a former biopharmaceutical executive and Republican, Bob Hugin. Hugin is attempting to distance himself from Trump, even though he was a Trump delegate who donated the maximum to Trump’s campaign and gave over $200,000 dollars to the Republican National Committee in 2016. Hugin has also been accused of paying lobbyists to keep competing drugs off the market while profiting off overpriced cancer medication. The race is tightening and is currently rated as likely Democratic. As a reminder, the Democrats must retain all ten battleground Senate seats and pick up two additional seats from Republicans to take the Senate. 

Now, we move on to the House.

NJ-02: New Jersey’s second district is an open race seat, after the long term Republican incumbent decided not to run for re-election. Now, Democrat and state senator Jeff Van Drew faces Republican and attorney Seth Grossman in the general, along with one Libertarian and three Independents. Grossman, the Republican, lost the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee and was asked to step aside this summer when Media Matters reported that Grossman shared an opinion piece from a white nationalist linked website disparaging black people as “a threat to all who cross their paths.” Trump won this district by 4.4%, but Obama won here twice. The race is currently rated as likely going to the Democrat. HELP FLIP NJ-02!

NJ-03: In New Jersey’s third district, former Obama national security adviser and Democrat Andy Kim is running to unseat Republican incumbent Tom MacArthur. Trump just squeaked by with a win in this district, but polls now show Kim with a small lead over MacArthur. MacArthur was one of the all male group of congressional architects behind the horrifying Trumpcare bill which was thankfully defeated in 2017. Kim has said the Trumpcare bill is what motivated him to run for office and he has vowed not to accept corporate money. This race has recently moved from leaning Republican to a toss up. HELP FLIP NJ-03!

NJ-07: In New Jersey’s seventh district, Obama state Department Official and Democrat, Tom Malinowski, is facing Republican incumbent and self-proclaimed moderate, Leonard Lance, along with a Green Party Candidate and an Independent. Lance and the GOP machine are trying to paint Malinowski as an out of touch, DC-insider and are warping his human rights and anti-torture work by saying he “fought for terrorists’ rights.” Clinton won this district by just 1 percentage point and this race is currently rated a toss up. HELP FLIP NJ-07!

NJ-11: New Jersey’s eleventh district is another open seat race. Democrat and former federal prosecutor Mikie Sherrill faces Republican and Assemblyman Jay Webber in November. Trump barely won this district by less than a percentage point, though McCain and Romney each won here by five. In his ads, Webber is actually attempting to both defend Medicare as a great program while simultaneously calling Medicare for All a “dangerous socialized medicine scheme” that would destroy Medicare. Meanwhile, Republicans are actively trying to gut the program to pay for their corporate tax cuts. Don’t try these political acrobatics at home, folks. This race is currently rated as leaning Democratic. HELP FLIP NJ-11!

IMPORTANT DATES: If you want to vote in the New Jersey Midterm Elections you must be registered by October 16th. Absentee ballot requests must be made IN-PERSON by Monday, November 5th at 3pm and completed ballots must be received by Tuesday, November 6th at 8pm. Please note that early voting is NOT available in New Jersey.

It’s never too early to check registration cut off dates and absentee ballot request and submission dates in your own state. We highly suggest reviewing your state’s important dates and voter ID laws at rockthevote.org as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to vote in the general election.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE 

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: RocktheVote.org/resources/am-i-registered-to-vote/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved/Resources: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q.

NEW JERSEY BATTLEGROUNDS:

New Jersey Democratic State Committee

NJ Important Dates: Registered by October 16th. Absentee ballot requests: IN-PERSON by Mon, Nov. 5th at 3pm. Ballots received by Tues., Nov. 6th at 8pm. Early voting NOT available in New Jersey. *More NJ voting details*

U.S. SENATE 

Must Retain Seat: Bob Menendez (D - incumbent)

U.S. HOUSE

NJ-02: Jeff Van Drew

Swing Left NJ-02 | Red to Blue NJ-02

NJ-03: Andy Kim

Swing Left NJ-03 | Red to Blue NJ-03

NJ-07: Tom Malinowski

Swing Left NJ-07 | Red to Blue NJ-07

NJ-11: Mikie Sherrill 

Swing Left NJ-11 | Red to Blue NJ-11

Posted September 28, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1214: The long history of racial voter disenfranchisement

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races that you need to know about, shout about and support to make sure we have a blue tsunami on November 6th. (Quick links at bottom of the page)

The primaries are over, the candidates are set and now it’s time to focus on the big picture fight. Everything we do between now and election day should be done while keeping the most vulnerable and disenfranchised among us in mind.

We’ve included links to volunteer resources in the show notes, as well as those for Swing Left and the Democratic Party’s Red to Blue program for the races we’ll be mentioning today so you know how to help. You can also view all of our spotlight segments and every battleground race at THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q..

Today, we’re talking about the battleground races in Minnesota. Although Clinton won Minnesota, it was only by 1.5 percent. With the highest voter turnout in the country, it was the closest Presidential election in the state since 1984 and the first time the state had ever voted more Republican than the national average. There are only eight districts in Minnesota, but five of them are battlegrounds this year, making it one of the five states that will decide the majority in the House.

U.S. SENATE: But Minnesota also has a hotly contested Senate race this year to fill Al Franken’s seat. Lieutenant Governor and Democrat Tina Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy when Franken stepped down after misconduct allegations. Smith will now face Republican Karen Housley in a special election this November. The Cook Political Report has rated this race as leaning Democratic.

U.S. HOUSE

MN-01: In Minnesota’s first district, Democrat Tim Walz is not seeking re-election because he is running for Governor. Now, former Obama administration official and Democrat Dan Feehan will be facing Republican Jim Hagedorn, who is working hard to scare voters by calling Feehan a “radical leftist” for “socialized medicine.” Obama won here by 2 points in 2012, but Trump surged to win by 15 points in 2016. The Republicans are targeting this district and the race is considered a toss up. HELP KEEP MN-01!

MN-02: In Minnesota’s second district, Democrat Angie Craig faces freshman Republican incumbent Jason Lewis for the second time. The two faced each other in the 2016 election in which Lewis won by just 2 percentage points. Lewis has been called out for sexist and racist statements made on his radio show in 2012, but excused them by saying it was his job to be provocative. The district is extremely competitive, since Obama just barely won here in 2012 and Trump just barely won here in 2016. So it’s no surprise this race is rated as a toss up. HELP FLIP MN-02!

MN-03: In Minnesota’s third district, Businessman and Democrat Dean Phillips is facing Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen. Phillips has been endorsed by End Citizens United, while Paulsen has the support of Paul Ryan. Misleading GOP-funded attack ads are trying to paint Phillips as a hypocrite on healthcare despite reality. Clinton won this district by 10 points and it is currently rated as a toss up. HELP FLIP MN-03!

MN-08: In Minnesota’s eighth district, Democratic incumbent Rick Nolan is not seeking re-election. Democrat and former state Rep. Joe Radinovich faces St. Louis County Commissioner Pete Stauber. In a recent New York Times poll, the race was neck-in-neck with Radinovich up by one percent. The GOP is also throwing big money at this race since Trump won the district. The race is currently rated a toss up. HELP KEEP MN-08!

GOV: And finally, the race for Governor of Minnesota is also neck-in-neck for a seat last held by a Democrat. Democrat and former 1st district Rep. Tim Walz is facing Republican Jeff Johnson, who has been endorsed by Trump. In the previous ten gubernatorial elections in Minnesota, six have resulted in the seat changing party hands. This race is currently rated as leaning Democratic. HELP ELECT GOVERNOR WALZ!

IMPORTANT DATES: If you want to vote in the Minnesota Midterm Elections your online and paper registration must be received by Tuesday, October 16th. Minnesota does offer election day registration and voting, but if you don’t have to wait…don’t. Absentee ballot requests should be made by Monday, November 5th and completed ballots must be received by election day, November 6th.

It’s never too early to check registration cut off dates and absentee ballot request and submission dates in your own state. We highly suggest reviewing your state’s important dates and voter ID laws at rockthevote.org as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to vote in the general election.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE (Quick Links)

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: RocktheVote.org/resources/am-i-registered-to-vote/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved:

Swing Left (Help flip districts from anywhere) 

Red to Blue (DCCC program to flip seats) 

When We All Vote (Michelle Obama’s initiative) 

Voter Circle (friend-to-friend outreach tool) 

Vote Forward (mail letters to unlikely voters)

Volunteer for Democrats 

Abroad? Phone bank for Democrats  

Let America Vote (voting rights focus) 

Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”

Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer 

National Democratic Redistricting Committee 

Easily donate to candidates with DownTicket.com on your mobile browser. 

“15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election” (Political Charge) 

MINNESOTA BATTLEGROUNDS:

Minnesota DFL

Important Dates: If you want to vote in the Minnesota Midterm Elections your online and paper registration must be received by October 16th. Minnesota does offer election day registration and voting, but if you don’t have to wait…don’t. Absentee ballot requests should be made by Monday, November 5th and completed ballots must be received by election day, November 6th. *More MN voting details*

U.S. SENATE 

Must Retain Seat: Tina Smith (D - incumbent)

U.S. HOUSE

MN-01: Dan Feehan 

Swing Left MN-01 | Red to Blue MN-01

MN-02: Angie Craig 

Swing Left MN-02 | Red to Blue MN-02

MN-03: Dean Phillips 

Swing Left MN-03 | Red to Blue MN-03

MN-08: Joe Radinovich 

Swing Left MN-08 | Red to Blue MN-08

GOVERNOR:

GOV: Tim Walz (D) 

Posted September 21, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1212: Feudalism with Dinner (Our Culture of Tipping)

The Midterms Minute is a look at the candidates and races that you need to know about, shout about and support to make sure we have a blue tsunami on November 6th. (Quick links at bottom of page)

The primaries are over, the candidates are set and now it’s time to focus on the big picture fight. Everything we do between now and election day should be done while keeping the most vulnerable and disenfranchised among us in mind.

We’ve included volunteer links and resources in the show notes, including the specific Swing Left and the Democratic Party’s Red to Blue pages for the races we’ll be mentioning today so that you know how to help. You can also view all of our spotlight segments and every battleground race at THE MIDTERMS MINUTE H.Q..

Today, we’re talking about the battleground races in Florida, where the lead up to the midterms is already proving to be brutal. Trump only won Florida by 1.2% and the state includes four “pivot counties” - counties that voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012, but went for Trump in 2016. Democrats are counting on some "Trump Regret" votes this November.

U.S. SENATE: In the Senate, Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson is facing Republican and Florida Governor Rick Scott. Although Nelson won his second term by 13 points in 2012, this race is considered a battleground and currently rated a toss up. As a reminder, the Democrats must retain all ten battleground Senate seats and pick up two additional seats from Republicans to take the Senate.

Moving on now to the House races.

FL-15:  Florida’s 15th district is an open seat race, after Republican incumbent Dennis Ross did not seek re-election. Democrat and attorney Kristen Carlson is facing Republican and state Rep. Ross Spano. The latest poll shows the two candidates in a tight race, with Carlson narrowly leading. Trump won this district and it is currently rated as leaning Republican. HELP FLIP FL-15!

FL-16: In Florida’s 16th district, Democrat David Shapiro will face Republican incumbent Vern Buchanan. Trump won here by a slim margin. Before the primaries were over, Buchanan was already running attack ads against Shapiro about his questionable investments. And while they do raise questions that Shapiro should answer, Buchanan’s horrifying voting record and large campaign contributions from the gun lobby, oil industry, and pharmaceutical industry are more concerning. This race is currently rated as leaning Republican. HELP FLIP FL-16!

FL-18: In Florida’s 18th district, Democrat Lauren Baer, a former U.S. State Department advisor under Obama, is facing Republican incumbent Brian Mast, an Army veteran who lost both of his legs in Afghanistan. The race is drawing national attention. Trump won this district by a slim margin and it is currently rated as leaning Republican. HELP FLIP FL-18!

FL-26: In Florida’s 26th district, which includes Miami, Democrat and Ecuadorian immigrant Debbie Mucarsel-Powell won her primary. She will now face Republican incumbent Carlos Curbelo, who is currently running ads portraying himself as a champion of Dreamers, while simultaneously making excuses for Trump’s family separation at the border. Even though Curbelo won re-election in 2014 by 12 points, this district went blue in both of the last two presidential elections, with Clinton winning by 16 points. The two candidates are currently neck-in-neck in the polls, but the latest Cook Political Report rating has moved this race from a toss up to leaning Republican. HELP FLIP FL-26!

FL-27: Florida’s 27th is an open seat race after Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinenn, who was first elected in 1988, announced she was not seeking re-election. Former Health and Human Services Secretary, Democrat Donna Shalala, is now facing a three-way race between Republican and broadcast journalist Maria Elvira Salazar and Independent Mayra Joli. Clinton won this district and the New York Times has called this race Democrats best pickup opportunity in the country. The race currently rated as leaning Democratic. HELP FLIP FL-27!

GOV: And finally, in a thrilling upset, Bernie Sanders-endorsed, and Tallahassee Mayor, Andrew Gillum, won the Democratic primary for Governor in Florida. If he wins in November, Gillum will be the first black Governor of Florida, a state with one of the largest African American populations in the country. Now, he faces Republican and former Rep. Ron DeSantis, who the day after the primary began lobbing very audible, racist dog whistles. After calling Gillum “articulate,” DeSantis went on to say, “The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases and bankrupting the state.” The race is rated as a toss up. HELP ELECT GOV. GILLUM!

IMPORTANT DATES: To vote in the Florida Midterm Elections, you need to be registered to vote by Tuesday, October 9th. For most counties in Florida, absentee ballot requests must be made in person six days before election day. Some counties allow you to order the ballot online. All absentee ballots must be received by 7pm on election day. Early voting begins October 27th and ends November 3rd.

It’s never too early to check registration cut off dates and absentee ballot request and submission dates in your own state. We highly suggest reviewing your state’s important dates and voter ID laws at rockthevote.org as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to vote in the general election.

So, if making the Blue Wave a reality in November is important to you, be sure to hit the share buttons to spread the word about supporting Democrats in battleground races across the country via social media so that others in your network can spread the word too.

THE MIDTERMS MINUTE:

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: RocktheVote.org/resources/am-i-registered-to-vote/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

Get Involved:

Swing Left (Help flip districts from anywhere) 

Red to Blue (DCCC program to flip seats) 

When We All Vote (Michelle Obama’s initiative) 

Voter Circle (friend-to-friend outreach tool) 

Vote Forward (mail letters to unlikely voters)

Volunteer for Democrats 

Abroad? Phone bank for Democrats  

Let America Vote (voting rights focus) 

Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”

Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer 

National Democratic Redistricting Committee 

Easily donate to candidates with DownTicket.com on your mobile browser. 

“15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election” (Political Charge) 

FLORIDA'S BATTLEGROUNDS:

Florida Democratic Party

Important Dates: Must be registered by Tuesday, Oct. 9th. Most absentee ballot requests must be made in person 6 days before election day (some counties online). Absentee ballots must be received by 7pm on election day. Early voting begins Oct. 27th-Nov. 3rd. *More details on voting in Florida*

U.S. SENATE 

Must Retain Seat: Bill Nelson (D - incumbent)

U.S. HOUSE

FL-15: Kristen Carlson 

Swing Left FL-15 

FL-16: David Shapiro 

Red to Blue FL-16

FL-18: Lauren Baer 

Swing Left FL-18 | Red to Blue FL-18

FL-26: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell 

Swing Left FL-26 | Red to Blue FL-26

FL-27: Donna Shalala 

(No Swing Left or Red to Blue page available for FL-27)

GOVERNOR:

GOV: Andrew Gillum 

Sources: Ballotpedia; NBC News; Swing Left

Posted September 18, 2018; Researched & Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1211: Corporate Monopoly and Political Power 

The primaries are over, the candidates are set and now it’s time to focus on the big picture. Democrats across the country, spanning the left side of the political spectrum, need to win and they need to win big in many cases to overcome gerrymandering. Everything we do between now and election day should be done while keeping the most vulnerable and disenfranchised among us in mind.

From September 11th right up until election day on November 6th, we are going to be highlighting the battleground races in the U.S. House and Senate across the country. It's going to take time to feature them all on the show, and we're trying to highlight the most impactful races first, so we've put together this page for anyone who wants to get the entire lay of the land ASAP. We've also included the list of Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress candidates running in November & links to finding ballot measures by state. 

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

*FINAL WEEK: GET INVOLVED!*

NEW: 4 Things You Can Do Before Election Day!

Swing Left (Help flip districts from anywhere) 

Red to Blue (DCCC program to flip seats) 

When We All Vote (Michelle Obama’s initiative) 

OutVote (friend-to-friend text outreach app)

Voter Circle (friend-to-friend outreach tool) 

Vote Forward (mail letters to unlikely voters)

Volunteer for Democrats 

Abroad? Phone bank for Democrats  

Let America Vote (voting rights focus) 

National Democratic Redistricting Committee 

Easily donate to candidates with DownTicket.com on your mobile browser. 

Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”

Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer 

“15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election” (Political Charge) 

"THE MIDTERMS MINUTE" BATTLEGROUND SPOTLIGHTS THUS FAR: 

CALIFORNIA

PENNSYLVANIA

FLORIDA

MINNESOTA

NEW JERSEY

ILLINOIS 

NEW YORK

SENATE TOSS UPS:

AZ, NV, TN & TX: FLIPABLE SENATE SEATS

FL, IN, MO, MT & ND: DEM INCUMBENT SENATE SEATS

HOUSE TOSS UPS:

IA, KS, KY, ME, MI & NM: FLIPABLE HOUSE SEATS (Part 1)

NC, TX, & VA: FLIPABLE HOUSE SEATS (Part 2)

OH, UT, WA: FLIPABLE HOUSE SEATS (Part 3)

GUBERNATORIAL TOSS UPS: 

THE 10 TOSS UP GUBERNATORIAL RACES

FINAL PUSH!

6 "RED ALERT" HOUSE RACES

BATTLEGROUND RACES

(*NOTE: Battleground lists vary by source and may change as election day draws closer*)

BALLOTPEDIA U.S. SENATE BATTLEGROUNDS

COOK POLITICAL REPORT RATINGS FOR U.S. SENATE BATTLEGROUND RACES

BALLOTPEDIA U.S. HOUSE BATTLEGROUNDS 

DCCC's RED TO BLUE: U.S. HOUSE LIST 

SWING LEFT: U.S. HOUSE LIST

COOK POLITICAL REPORT RATINGS FOR U.S. HOUSE BATTLEGROUND RACES

BALLOTPEDIA GUBERNATORIAL BATTLEGROUNDS

COOK POLITICAL REPORT RATINGS FOR GUBERNATORIAL BATTLEGROUNDS

JUSTICE DEMOCRATS, BRAND NEW CONGRESS & OUR REVOLUTION CANDIDATES RUNNING IN NOVEMBER

PHONE BANK: Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”

PHONE BANK: Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer 

Our Revolution Candidates 

BALLOT INITIATIVES

Ballotpedia Ballot Initiatives Guide

Our Revolution Ballot Initiatives Guide

American Voters Are Turning to Direct Democracy (The Atlantic)

The Most Important Ballot Measures People Will Vote on for the 2018 Midterms (VICE)

SOURCE: Ballotpedia.org

THE MIDTERMS ARE COMING: PREPARE/GET INVOLVED! 

REGISTER TO VOTE: RocktheVote.org/register-to-vote/

CONFIRM VOTER REGISTRATION: HeadCount.org/verify-voter-registration/

CHECK VOTING DATES & POLICIES: RocktheVote.org/voting-information/

VOTER ID INFO/HELP: VoteRiders & 866ourvote.org

GET INVOLVED:

Swing Left (Help flip districts from anywhere) 

Red to Blue (DCCC program to flip seats) 

When We All Vote (Michelle Obama’s initiative) 

OutVote (friend-to-friend text outreach app)

Voter Circle (friend-to-friend outreach tool) 

Vote Forward (mail letters to unlikely voters)

Volunteer for Democrats 

Abroad? Phone bank for Democrats  

Let America Vote (voting rights focus) 

Justice Democrats “Justice Dialer”

Brand New Congress GOTV Dialer 

National Democratic Redistricting Committee 

Easily donate to candidates with DownTicket.com on your mobile browser. 

“15 Ways to Help a Campaign Win Their Election” (Political Charge)