FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 13, 2018

CONTACT:

Mara Sloan

DLCC Communications Director

mara@dlcc.org

202.449.6740

State Democrats Announce the 17 seats Needed to Flip 8 Chambers This Fall

WASHINGTON -- Today the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced the 17 seats state Democrats need to win in order to flip eight state legislative chambers this fall. The organization plans to spend $6 million over the rest of the summer toward their efforts to win more legislative majorities.

This announcement comes on the heels of the DLCC’s annual convening of nearly 300 legislators and partners, where they set the strategy for winning this fall and set the groundwork for flipping additional seats and gaining more legislative chambers in 2020 – ahead of critical redistricting.

“Smart and early investments from the DLCC have helped our states recruit strong candidates, hire critical staff, run strategic field operations, and execute the paid communications needed to win elections,” said Jessica Post, the executive director of the DLCC. “Our success flipping 44 seats from red to blue since Trump was elected demonstrates that all state legislative districts are in play going into the midterms and no Republican is safe. With Democrats only 17 seats away from flipping eight chambers this November, the DLCC is confident that we can win Democratic majorities from coast to coast and enact policies that will help all Americans.”

The 17 seats needed to flip 8 chambers:

Colorado Senate (1 seat)

Minnesota Senate (1 seat)

Florida Senate (5 seats)

Arizona Senate (3 seats)

Maine Senate (1 seat)

New York Senate (1 seat)

New Hampshire Senate (3 seats)

Wisconsin Senate (2 seats)

Former Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. who heads up the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, gave the keynote address at the annual meeting in Miami Beach, telling the audience, “The National Democratic Redistricting Committee is proud to work with the DLCC this cycle. Together, we are shining a spotlight on the states and making sure people don’t lose sight of the importance of the state legislative races across the country. It is after all in the state legislatures that laws are passed that have the most direct day to day impact on the lives of our fellow citizens...We need even more people to stand up for our values and our rights, and to use consistently the most powerful tool that we all have as citizens – the vote.”

mara@dlcc.org . For more information or to schedule an interview with the DLCC, please contact Mara Sloan at