RandySF
RandySF's JournalHouse Democrats upend GOP's early 2024 fundraising dominance
House Democrats and Democratic candidates have begun to dominate Republicans in fundraising as the 2024 election draws near, an Axios analysis has found.
Why it matters: It's a stark reversal of the consistent fundraising advantage vulnerable Republicans enjoyed over their Democratic counterparts last year.
By the numbers: Democratic incumbents, nominees and frontrunners in highly competitive House districts raised an average of $890,000 in the first three months of this year.
Republican incumbents and candidates in that those districts raised on average just over $550,000 during the same time period.
https://www.axios.com/2024/04/23/house-democrats-republicans-2024-fundraising-q1
After backlash to March primary, Missouri lawmakers debate reversing 2022 election change
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) — After this year’s presidential preference primary in Missouri, many voters called for state lawmakers to return the process to state control.
The 2024 election cycle was the first presidential primary to be administered by a party-run primary system after Gov. Mike Parson signed a 2022 law to shift the burden from state and local election officials.
“My sense is that the clerks obviously didn’t like having two elections within 30 days of each other because of some logistical concerns and evidentiary concerns if there are problems or audits,” Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said. “There was also the concern about the cost.”
According to Ashcroft, running the presidential preference primary cost state and local governments roughly $10 million. The new system also allowed the individual parties to restrict participation to only registered members.
https://www.ky3.com/2024/04/24/after-backlash-march-primary-missouri-lawmakers-debate-reversing-2022-election-change/
CA: DA Price recall supporters push for quick, special election
After securing enough signatures to let voters decide if Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price should stay in office, the group behind the recall is now calling on the board of supervisors to set a special election date for July or August.
“The recall of Pamela Price is real, it's coming. This is it, and what we are waiting for now is to set up the date,” Carl Chan of SAFE said.
“We don’t need to wait until November. There is not a timeline on life,” Brenda Grisham of SAFE said. “And waiting till November is not an option. We need her to go right now.”
Recall supporters believe the board of supervisors should have already set a date during last week's meeting.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/east-bay/pamela-price-recall-election/3518696/
Pa. voters had 'improved voting experience' in primary election, top voting official says
With primary voting over and ballots being tallied, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said at a news conference Tuesday night, “Pennsylvania’s voters overwhelmingly encountered an improved voting experience this year.”
So far, Schmidt’s office said, the issues election officials have been made aware of were “minimal” and “isolated,” such as a couple of polling places opening late. Schmidt said he is unaware of any significant unforeseen closures of polling places or instances of eligible Pennsylvanians being prevented from voting.
What appears to be a relatively issue-free primary election comes after a number of more tumultuous elections so far this decade.
The 2020 election was conducted amid health concerns due to COVID-19 and during the height of pandemic-era restrictions on gathering. Its results were then challenged by former President Donald Trump and his supporters, without evidence. The 2022 election saw the rejection of a large number of mail-in votes over technical issues, which resulted in a lawsuit that was only ruled on months ago.Touting the success of Tuesday’s election, Schmidt noted the department’s election complaint hotline received significantly fewer calls than during the previous two primaries, which Schmidt said he hopes is indicative of fewer issues.
https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/pa-voters-had-improved-voting-experience-in-primary-election-top-voting-official-says/
SD: Debate begins on abortion-rights ballot measure as Mitchell event brings out both sides
MITCHELL — A proposed measure to reinstate abortion rights hasn’t made the ballot yet, but the debate is underway.
About 100 people converged Tuesday evening on Dakota Wesleyan University for a discussion sponsored by the university’s McGovern Center as part of its Courageous Conversation series.
The room was filled with attendees from both sides of the issue eager to dissect the measure, which seeks to secure abortion rights in South Dakota, reversing the effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. When that happened, a trigger law that the South Dakota Legislature had adopted in 2005 immediately banned abortions in the state except when necessary to save the life of the mother.
The ballot measure would amend the state constitution to legalize all abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy. It would allow regulations on abortion during the second trimester, but only in ways that are “reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman.” In the third trimester, it would allow regulations up to a ban on abortions, with exceptions for the life or health of the pregnant woman.
https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2024/04/24/debate-begins-on-abortion-rights-ballot-measure-as-mitchell-event-brings-out-both-sides/
Arrests made during pro-Palestinian protest near Sen. Schumer's Brooklyn home
Numerous arrests were made as pro-Palestinian Jewish groups protested near Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Brooklyn home Tuesday.
Demonstrators gathered in Grand Army Plaza around 5:30 p.m. on “Schumer’s doorstep” to demand the U.S. stop arming the Israeli military, according to progressive activist group Jewish Voice for Peace, which regularly protests outside the senator’s home.
Police were called to the plaza, where “multiple” arrests were made, according to an NYPD spokesperson.
Up to thousands of protestors from various Jewish groups were in attendance for the “emergency Seder” during the second night of Passover, according to posts on X.com.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/04/23/arrests-made-during-pro-palestinian-protest-near-sen-schumers-brooklyn-home/?utm_term=local%20news,palestine%20gaza%20israel%20protest%20brooklyn%20nyc%20chuck%20schumer%20nypd,palestine,gaza,israel&utm_medium=browser_notifications&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=4590630
The man who's blocking a repeal of Arizona's abortion ban
Republican Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma is determined to do all he can to continue blocking legislation to repeal the state's pre-Roe abortion ban recently reinstated by the state Supreme Court.
Why it matters: There's a widespread sense at the state Capitol that while enough Republicans support repealing the ban in the House, not enough are willing to overrule Toma to do so.
The speaker decides what goes up for a House vote, but a majority of the 60-person chamber can override him.
The latest: Repeal proponents are expected to make a third attempt to force a vote Wednesday when the House convenes at 10am.
https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2024/04/23/abortion-ban-repeal-block-ben-toma-speaker
Arizona Democrats poised to continue effort to repeal 1864 abortion ban
When asked Tuesday how she feels about the Democratic effort in the Arizona State Legislature to repeal an 1864 abortion ban before it goes into effect, Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton laughed.
"I was told that we could get a clean repeal tomorrow, but you know, who knows, right?" Stahl Hamilton said. "Who knows who loses their nerve, you know, the night before the day? Or minutes before, you know? All I know is we got to keep trying. And people in Arizona need us to continue to do everything we can to repeal this ban."
Earlier this month, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the highly-restrictive 160-year-old law that bans nearly all abortions can be enforced — blocking the procedure in all cases except to save the life of the mother. If allowed to take effect on June 8, it would supersede current law, which allows abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Two previous attempts by Democrats to repeal the 1864 law by circumventing Republican House Speaker Ben Toma have failed to garner enough support for a vote on a rules change.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arizona-democrats-effort-to-repeal-1864-abortion-ban/
Bill criminalizing people who help pregnant minors find abortion care outside Tennessee heads to governor's desk
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill that criminalizes people who help pregnant minors find abortion care outside of Tennessee passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday. It previously passed the Senate and is expected to land on Governor Bill Lee's desk soon.
The bill, HB 1895, makes it a Class-A misdemeanor if people commit "abortion trafficking." It's described as the act of helping take minors outside of Tennessee for abortion care. Adults could also face prosecution or civil lawsuits for helping minors get abortion care drugs, or hide abortion care from a child's parents or guardians.
The misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of around a year in prison. It also would not matter if minors want abortion care, and the bill would not apply to parents or legal guardians of unemancipated minors.
Amendments were introduced in the House and Senate that would have expanded the immunity to other members of children's families, such as grandparents, siblings, uncles and aunts. However, those amendments were voted down by the Republican supermajority.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/state/abortion-trafficking-bill-passes-house-and-senate/51-7c348aa1-d194-4ed3-adb5-db73768aeb92
Lara Trump Boasts RNC Will Have 'People Who Can Physically Handle Ballots' on Election Day
Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump said the organization will have poll watchers who “physically handle ballots” at polling stations on election day.
Her father-in-law, former President Donald Trump, is the presumptive GOP nominee. The Trumps have falsely claimed the 2020 election was rigged against the ex-president, who previously alleged mail-in voting was rife with fraud, though he is now encouraging Republicans to do so.
Lara Trump has also urged Republicans to expand how they vote, including mail-in voting and early voting. She reiterated her call during a Tuesday appearance on Newsmax, where she boasted of the RNC’s operation.
“Obviously, we’ve been working really hard,” she told host Eric Bolling. “I think the most recent thing to report is that we are working hard on election integrity, and we just announced last week that we have 100,000 committed people who are going to be trained as poll workers. So, Eric, leading up to this election I think we can all see the most important thing aside from getting out the vote is protecting that vote.”
She then said the RNC will have operatives at precincts handling ballots.
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/lara-trump-boasts-rnc-will-have-people-who-can-physically-handle-ballots-on-election-day/
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