MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Good morning fellow Democrats,
This will be the last newsletter you get from me for a few weeks, as I’m off for a much-needed vacation with filing week and the special session behind us. But before I take off this morning, and before all of you enjoy a sunny holiday weekend, I want to recap all we’ve accomplished together in the four months I’ve been Chair.
We closed out filing with thousands of amazing candidates standing up to run for office and make a difference in their communities! We’ll be highlighting some of the closest and most consequential local races throughout the rest of the year, but as a topline takeaway I couldn’t be more excited to have our dedicated staff working to support so many first-time and diverse community leaders vying for the opportunity to serve their neighbors.
All of that work takes substantial resources, and I want to say thank you to each and every one of you who have helped make our support of all these local candidates possible. As of the end of April, we’re leading our Republican counterparts by several hundred thousand dollars in fundraising – a testament to the strength of this team and the movement we’re building together. If you want to become one of our most reliable supporters by making a recurring monthly contribution, you can find links to do so at the bottom of this email.
WORKING FOR WASHINGTON
While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.
A MOMENT OF HOPE
While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.
DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS
Cantwell, Murray Reintroduce Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act
Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray reintroduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to combat what the FBI has called the “primary threat” of violence against civilians in America: white supremacy. We’ve seen nine incidents of domestic terrorism in Washington state since 2010, and this new legislation would form a taskforce to counter white supremacists’ attempts to infiltrate our law enforcement and armed services, and would bring more federal resources and coordination to our local efforts to prevent hate-fueled violence.
House progressives warn they won’t support “bad deal” on debt ceiling
Rep. Jayapal is leading the Congressional Progressive Caucus in urging the Biden administration to refuse a “compromise” with Republicans that would undermine essential social support programs like food stamps and Medicare. Check out the article for the latest on the GOP’s brinksmanship over the debt ceiling.
With growing abortion restrictions, Democrats push for over-the-counter birth control
This week, Senator Patty Murray introduced new legislation that would guarantee access to over-the-counter birth control. Senator Murray has been a champion for reproductive rights since her first day in Congress, and continues to find new and innovative ways to ensure that everyone – not just people with health insurance – can exercise the fundamental freedom of autonomy over their own body.
Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!
With gratitude,
Chair Shasti Conrad Washington State Democratic Party
The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now.
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