December 2023 Insider: Get Pumped 💪 for 2024

This is it—our final Insider of 2023, with the most important happenings this month, but first we want to say congratulations for all of your hard work this year. Thanks to you, the EWA network:

💜 Raised $2.5 million for 20 women running for governor and Senate

💜 Raised an additional $5 million for the Biden-Harris campaign

We’re so proud of all we accomplished together this year, and look forward to a big 2024. See you in January to kick off our semi-monthly election year coverage! 💪💪💪

US Senate: Blue State Blues

Some frustrating, but unsurprising, news to end the year: Women Senate candidates are continuing to struggle in blue states.

In Maryland, there is some evidence that an avalanche of new ads and massive spending advantage from Rep. David Trone is starting to negatively affect Angela Alsobrooks’ stable polling lead. High-level endorsements, including from popular Gov. Wes Moore, continue to boost Angela, but she will need to make up some of the funding gap between now and the primary in May.

In California, new polling shows Republican baseball legend Steve Garvey moving up in the polls, which threatens a second-place finish for the two women in the primary – Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. With Rep. Adam Schiff holding onto his lead, all eyes will be on the second highest vote-getter in this jungle primary coming up quickly on March 5.

And somehow the Republican US Senate field in Michigan is still expanding—and we can only hope this means a slugfest on the opposing side will leave Rep. Elissa Slotkin with a battered (and easier to beat) general election opponent. The primary in Michigan is not until next August.

US House: The Feedback Sandwich

For this month’s House race news we have a sort of ‘feedback sandwich’—two pieces of good news with some bad news sandwiched in between.

First, New York’s Supreme Court has given the Democrat-controlled legislature the go-ahead to redistrict the state’s Congressional maps, potentially setting up all or almost all of the safe- and lean-Democratic seats we would need to take control of the House.

However, in Ohio, Republicans—at the eleventh hour—have recruited a general election challenger for Rep. Marcy Kaptur, one of the most at-risk Democratic incumbents. The new face, Ohio state Rep. Derek Merrin, will still need to battle the old frontrunner, Craig Riedel, and MAGA extremist JR Majewski for the nomination.

Finally, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is getting into the federal spending game. Her Fight Like Hell PAC has endorsed eight at-risk House incumbents, including six women: Reps. Hillary Scholten, Lauren Underwood, Susan Wild, Jahana Hayes, Emilia Sykes and Angie Craig.

Raising & Spending

Whitmer PAC announces first round of 2024 endorsements [The Hill]

Polling & Analysis

Americans agree that the future of democracy is on the line in the 2024 election but disagree about who poses the biggest threat [PBS]

A flood of retirements is shaking up the 2024 battle for the House [NBC News]

Key Race Developments

In a win for Democrats, N.Y.’s top court clears way for a new congressional map [NBC News]

House Republicans land last-minute Ohio recruit to challenge Kaptur in Ohio [Politico]

Race in open California district held by Porter could be pivotal to House control [Roll Call]

Pugh leaves U.S. Senate race to run for congressional seat left open by Kildee [MI Advance]

Manning decides not to run again in North Carolina [The Hill]

Other News

Opinion: Rep. Yadira Caraveo: Responsive Leadership is the Way to Win [Courier Newsroom]

Sarah McBride believes voters are ready for the first trans member of Congress [the 19th News]

Congressional race could be competitive for Sheila Jackson Lee [Houston Public Media]

A Democratic campaign deploys the first synthetic AI caller [Politico]

State & Local: Courts Dominate the News

In the interim between 2023’s legislative victories and when filing deadlines start in earnest for 2024, we’re watching the courts, which are hearing some of their final cases before ballots are finalized for 2024 in key states.

While New York is the only recent ruling impacting federal elections, courts in Michigan and Wisconsin have demanded state legislative districts be redrawn, while courts in Ohio upheld maps that were challenged by Democrats. And Arizona and Texas will consider their states’ abortion laws.

Raising & Spending

In bid to flip the legislature blue, national Dems announce spending on AZ [AZ Mirror]

Fundraising for elections over the right to an abortion topped $100 million [Cleveland.com]

Polling & Analysis

The Battle for Governorships in the 2024 Election Cycle [DDHQ]

State Policy Trends 2023: In the First Full Year Since Roe Fell, a Tumultuous Year for Abortion and Other Reproductive Health Care [Guttmacher]

Key Race Developments

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules legislative maps unconstitutional [Milwaukee Journal]

Bombshell ruling requires 13 Michigan districts to be redrawn before 2024 election [MI Advance]

Florida abortion rights activists win over Republicans in ballot measure push [NBC News]

Ohio’s abortion protections take effect, but the fight over access continues [the 19th News]

Ohio Supreme Court upholds new state legislative redistricting plan [Cleveland.com]

Other News

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s latest move on abortion highlights Democrats’ 2024 push [NBC News]

Michigan Matters: Going one-on-one with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer [CBS Detroit]

Pregnant women take a leading role in new legal battles over abortion [Washington Post]

Her Online Sex Life Was Exposed. She Lost Her Election. Now She’s Speaking Out. [Politico]

National & Women: Watching Kamala in 2024

Coming to a city near you: In January, Vice President Kamala Harris will kick off a national tour focusing on abortion rights. The VP has been the face of the administration’s response to the Dobbs decision, and it’s about to kick into high gear.