CALIFORNIA POLITICS

California Voters

Young voters are a key voting demographic for next week’s election, and there is both optimism and skepticism on if they will turn out (75-80% of 18-29 year old voters regularly sit out midterm elections). Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight analyzes the data and sees the possibility that they will turn out at an unusually high rate. The LA Times profiles Tom Steyer’s/NextGen America’s work to turn out young voters in California and provides a great chart on youth voter turnout by key congressional districts between the 2014 and 2018 primaries. “In the four Orange County congressional districts deemed some of the most competitive in the country, the figure tripled.” AAPIs also hold a lot of sway in Orange County.

 

UNIONS, POST-JANUS

Early data shows that California public sector unions have slightly gained membership since the Janus vs. AFSCME ruling, likely due to several factors. A note that the article hints at more legal battles to come as unions look for strategies to retain membership and fees and conservative organizations continue to fight to dismantle unions altogether.

 

RESEARCH

A study by Muslim Advocates (a civil rights group based in Oakland) found that anti-Muslim ads are not effective: “Our research has already found 11 elected officials actively stoking bigotry ahead of 2019 and 2020 elections, and, while many of them have already faced significant backlash and pressure to resign, we do not know how they plan to move forward.” This is particularly relevant in congressional district 50, where Republican incumbent Duncan Hunter has been running Islamophobic ads against Ammar Campa-Najjar (who is Christian).

 

The California Budget and Policy Center published a chartbook looking at the impact and potential for criminal justice reform on our state’s corrections system (including racial and ethnic disparities), as well as a blog on how last year’s federal tax cuts will widen the racial wealth gap and what state lawmakers can do about it.

 

EVENT

Join Voices for Progress for Post-Election Meetings in Washington, D.C.

The week following the election is a key opportunity to have early conversations with senators on the inevitable legislative fights that will arise between the election and the new Congress, as well as strategize for the exciting legislative opportunities a new Congress brings. Join Voices for Progress members and staff on Tuesday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 14 for meetings with senators in Washington, D.C. Contact Sandra Fluke at Voices for Progress at SandraFluke@voicesforprogress.org to RSVP and receive more information!

 

Have a good weekend!

 

Sincerely,

 

Irene Kao

 

CDTF

 

Dear California Donor Table/Fund members,

 

Four days until the election…. And $5 billion invested in midterm races across the country, and counting…

 

In today’s newsletter:

  • California politics: Get out the youth and AAPI vote!
  • Unions, post-Janus: Memberships up, gloves up, too
  • Research: Anti-Muslim ads don’t work + criminal justice and racial wealth gap research
  • Event: V4P post-election DC meetings

 

CALIFORNIA POLITICS

California Voters

Young voters are a key voting demographic for next week’s election, and there is both optimism and skepticism on if they will turn out (75-80% of 18-29 year old voters regularly sit out midterm elections). Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight analyzes the data and sees the possibility that they will turn out at an unusually high rate. The LA Times profiles Tom Steyer’s/NextGen America’s work to turn out young voters in California and provides a great chart on youth voter turnout by key congressional districts between the 2014 and 2018 primaries. “In the four Orange County congressional districts deemed some of the most competitive in the country, the figure tripled.” AAPIs also hold a lot of sway in Orange County.

 

UNIONS, POST-JANUS

Early data shows that California public sector unions have slightly gained membership since the Janus vs. AFSCME ruling, likely due to several factors. A note that the article hints at more legal battles to come as unions look for strategies to retain membership and fees and conservative organizations continue to fight to dismantle unions altogether.

 

RESEARCH

A study by Muslim Advocates (a civil rights group based in Oakland) found that anti-Muslim ads are not effective: “Our research has already found 11 elected officials actively stoking bigotry ahead of 2019 and 2020 elections, and, while many of them have already faced significant backlash and pressure to resign, we do not know how they plan to move forward.” This is particularly relevant in congressional district 50, where Republican incumbent Duncan Hunter has been running Islamophobic ads against Ammar Campa-Najjar (who is Christian).

 

The California Budget and Policy Center published a chartbook looking at the impact and potential for criminal justice reform on our state’s corrections system (including racial and ethnic disparities), as well as a blog on how last year’s federal tax cuts will widen the racial wealth gap and what state lawmakers can do about it.

 

EVENT

Join Voices for Progress for Post-Election Meetings in Washington, D.C.

The week following the election is a key opportunity to have early conversations with senators on the inevitable legislative fights that will arise between the election and the new Congress, as well as strategize for the exciting legislative opportunities a new Congress brings. Join Voices for Progress members and staff on Tuesday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 14 for meetings with senators in Washington, D.C. Contact Sandra Fluke at Voices for Progress at SandraFluke@voicesforprogress.org to RSVP and receive more information!