Though her legacy was complicated in recent years by her decision to seek re-election in 2018 despite her ongoing health struggles, there’s no doubt she was one of the most influential politicians of her generation and leaves a powerful legacy of firsts: the first female mayor of San Francisco, the first woman to run on a major party ticket for California governor, the first woman to serve California in the US Senate, and the first female Democrat to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee.
We can’t recount her every legislative achievement here—there’s simply not enough space—but especially worth noting was her authorship of the 1994 assault weapons ban, her support for which was informed by the assassinations of her colleagues, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. And as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 2009-2015, she led the investigation into reports of CIA torture and authored legislation with Sen. John McCain to ban the practice.
Read up on the entirety of her exceptional life in the Washington Post.
Obviously, this injects new uncertainty into the US Senate race in California, and we’ll be watching and waiting to see what Gov. Gavin Newsom will do. He has pledged to appoint a Black woman to the seat. And it’s an open question as to whether Republicans will allow any appointee to be seated to replace her on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would significantly slow the judicial approval process.
US Senate: A Triple Threat in Michigan
In other US Senate news, Rep. Elissa Slotkin is now facing a serious Republican challenger—former Rep. Mike Rogers—for Michigan’s open US Senate seat, with another potential competitive Republican—former Rep. Peter Meijer—waiting in the wings. Rogers is the former House Intelligence Committee chairman, and both he and Meijer are Trump critics and considered to be ‘moderate.’
So far the Cook Political Report hasn’t changed its race rating, keeping it in the Lean Democrat column. However, it seems too optimistic to think having a moderate Republican in the general election wouldn’t make it more difficult for Democrats to retain control. The only real question is whether Rogers or Meijer would make it into the general election, as both left Congress after being attacked politically by the pro-Trump base. With Trump securing 55 percent of the vote in GOP presidential primary polls, his popularity could be the deciding factor. James Craig, the Trump-supporting former Chief of the Detroit Police Department who ran for governor last year, is expected to announce in early October.
Polling & Analysis
2024 Senate Race Ratings [Cook Political Report]
Schiff and Porter increasingly dominate race for Senate, poll shows [LA Times]
Key Race Developments
Former Rep. Mike Rogers jumps into competitive Michigan Senate race [NBC News]
Peter Meijer, Republican Who Backed Impeachment, Eyes Michigan Senate Race [NY Times]
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell on Democrats’ uphill battle in Florida [Politico]
4 Florida members of Congress endorse Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for Senate [Florida Politics]
Barbara Lee rips Gavin Newsom over Feinstein appointment comments [The Hill]
Katie Porter and the politics of real life [The Washington Post]
Other News
Rep. Gloria Johnson channels TN Three activism into Senate bid [Knoxville News Sentinel]
US House: Retirements & Special Elections
Some sad news for women in the House: Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) announced last week that she will not seek re-election next year because of health issues. Her departure is another blow to Virginia women elected during the 2018 Democratic wave, after former Rep. Elaine Luria (VA-2) lost her seat in 2022. And it’s a blow to the political pipeline: Virginia has still never elected a woman as governor or US Senator.
Women also had a disappointing election night in the RI-1 special election: The two viable women candidates, state Sen. Sandra Cano and Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, came up short with 14 percent and 8 percent of the vote respectively.
A woman, Kathleen Riebe, did win the nomination for the special election in UT-2. That seat, however, is heavily Republican, though Democrats are putting up a serious fight: Kathleen is currently a Utah state senator in district 15. The general election for that race is Nov. 21.
Polling & Analysis
2024 CPR House Race Ratings [Cook Political Report]
2024 Nevada House Analysis: Democrats Cash In on Redistricting [Cook Political Report]
House Rating Change: VA-10 Open Seat Moves to Likely Democrat [Cook Political Report]
Key Race Developments
Who will control the House after 2024? [USA Today]
Dems inch toward House majority with recent court wins [Politico]
Democratic group targets OH and PA with provocative abortion rights ad [NBC News]
Ohio congressional maps, though declared unconstitutional, stand for 2024 [LA Times]
Las Vegas districts in spotlight as GOP seeks to unseat Dem incumbents [NV Independent]
Rep. Wexton helped turn Virginia blue. Now Democrats need to hold onto her seat. [Politico]
Missy Cotter Smasal launches campaign for House seat held by Jen Kiggans [ABC News]
Other News
Katherine Clark names the Democrats’ price to save Kevin McCarthy [Politico]
The ‘moderate’ Democrat who wants to turn the 2nd District blue [Deseret News]
Sabina Matos cites signature scandal in Democratic primary loss [NBC News]
Rep. Nancy Pelosi to run for re-election to House seat [NBC News]
Rep. Mary Peltola’s husband dies in plane crash in Alaska [NBC News]
State & Local: All Eyes on Virginia & Ohio
It’s crunch time in Virginia, and the biggest news in September is unfortunately the most salacious—though it feels necessary to mention, because it involves a woman running in one of the closest races.
On Sept. 11, the Washington Post published a story—shopped to them by GOP operatives—that Democratic candidate Susanna Gibson (HD-57) had engaged in consensual, online sexual activity with her husband. (Obviously there was nothing more important to report on Sept. 11.) Though she broke no laws or policies, the revelation has imperiled her bid for the House’s third most competitive district, control of which will determine whether Virginia enacts a 15-week abortion ban.
And in another setback for Democrats on abortion politics, Ohio’s pro-abortion rights referendum will feature inflammatory official ballot language developed by Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State. That could drive down support for the measure, which would enshrine the right to choose in Ohio’s constitution.
Polling & Analysis
2024 Governor Race Ratings [Cook Political Report]
The Battle for the Virginia State Legislature, Part One [Sabato’s Crystal Ball]
The Race for Virginia’s Legislature, Part Two [Sabato’s Crystal Ball]
Key Race Developments
The five races to watch in bellwether Virginia [Politico]
New GOP ad campaign for control of Virginia centers on abortion limits [NBC News]
Democrats retake razor-thin majority in Pennsylvania state House [NBC News]
How abortion is set to shape the Kentucky governor’s race [The 19th News]
Ohio ballot measure opponents’ messaging is on parental rights [Associated Press]
Ohio Supreme Court rules ‘unborn child’ can remain in abortion ballot language [NBC News]
Other News
Republicans in NC and WI are injecting ugly politics into their state’s courts [The Atlantic]
More Democrats lining up to be Washington’s next public lands commissioner [WA Standard]
How Zooey Zephyr, Montana’s first trans legislator, became a national celebrity [NBC News]
A 25-year-old from a small town leads North Carolina’s Democratic Party toward 2024 [NPR]
Olivia Hill is first openly transgender person elected to Nashville council [The Tennessean]
Former Rep. Jackie Speier to run for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors [CBS]
National & Women: That Scary Presidential Poll
ICYMI: A new Washington Post-ABC poll has Trump leading Biden in the general election by double digits. The Post itself noted that the findings were an outlier, but it’s still another piece of evidence that we are looking at an incredibly close 2024 presidential election. September’s state polls also show a mixed picture, with Biden leading in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, but trailing in Georgia and North Carolina.
It’s unclear how the impending government shutdown will impact these numbers, but it probably won’t be good for anyone. While the most recent Morning Consult poll says a plurality of voters would blame Congressional Republicans, around a quarter would blame President Biden and a fifth would blame Congressional Democrats.
All of this is happening while grassroots fundraising continues to be a trouble spot for the Biden-Harris campaign, so we’ll ask again: Will you join Electing Women’s donors as raisers campaign? Please reach out to Annalise for more information.
Polling & Analysis
2024 Electoral College Ratings [Cook Political Report]
Latest Polls, Presidential General Election [FiveThirtyEight]
How Americans feel about Kamala Harris becoming president [The Washington Post]
Post-ABC poll: Biden faces criticism on economy, immigration and age [The Washington Post]
1 in 3 Voters Would Blame Congressional Republicans for a Shutdown [Morning Consult]
Key Developments
Biden campaign to focus more on Trump to boost lackluster fundraising [NBC News]
Seasoned Democratic strategist tapped to boost Biden’s 2024 polling effort [Politico]
Kamala Harris launches college tour to mobilize young voters ahead of 2024 [The 19th News]
The Surprising Places Where Abortion Rights Are on the Ballot, and Winning [NY Times]
Eyes on 2024: Both parties grapple with abortion [NBC News]
Other News
Hillary Clinton is stepping over the White House threshold in yet another role [Associated Press]
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Has Made History—And Waves [Vogue]
Electric cars have a road trip problem, even for the secretary of energy [NPR]