State Democrat group teams up with federal lawmakers to elect down-ballot candidates

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced on Wednesday it was forming a “federal advisory council” with eight Democratic federal lawmakers in an effort to elect the party’s candidates up and down the ballot. 

The congressional Democrats on the ballot include Reps. Norma Torres (California), Katie Porter (California), Cindy Axne (Iowa), Steven Horsford (Nev.), Grace Meng (N.Y.), Brendan Boyle (Pa.), Dwight Evans (Pa.), and Derek Kilmer (Wash.). 

“At a time when Republicans are using their majorities to pass restrictive voter suppression laws, dangerous abortion bans, and spending taxpayer dollars relitigating a long-settled election, the importance of state legislatures has been put into the forefront,” the council members said in a collective statement. 

The news comes after Democrats running in Virginia’s House of Delegates races suffered a number of defeats in the state’s off-year elections earlier this month. 

Republicans lead with control over 52 districts, while Democrats have 48 and two races are headed to recounts. The recounts will likely determine whether the control of the chamber split or if Republicans will have the majority. 

The Republican State Leadership Committee touted its partnership with America Rising, a national GOP organization, in part for their victories in Virginia. The two groups specifically worked together for the first time to track a number of Democratic state delegate candidates across the commonwealth. 

Going into 2022, Democrats say they are facing headwinds in state legislature races. The GOP controls 54 percent of state legislative seats in the U.S., while Democrats control 45 percent of seats.