Vote Mama Monthly Newsletter
June 2023 Edition

This month flew by. We have a lot on our plate as we finalize preparations and lay the groundwork for what’s to come in 2023-2024. We celebrated huge victories in Virginia, hired a new staff member, and continued our work to build the political power of moms. Here’s a recap of some of the work we got up to this month!

ELECTION VICTORIES:

Protecting reproductive rights is more critical than ever, especially as it has now been more than one year since the devastating SCOTUS decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. These two Virginia victories are a clear indicator of what’s to come in the 2024 elections, and make no mistake: abortion is on the line and on the ballot. That’s why having pro-choice Democratic moms like Jennifer Carroll Foy and Lashrecse Aird (who defeated the only anti-choice Democrat in the Virginia State Senate) is absolutely imperative to defending abortion access across the country.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

Did you know that less than 1% of elected officials are openly LGBTQIA+, and there is currently only ONE LGBTQIA+ parent with minor kids serving in Congress? Vote Mama is committed to changing that. We’re not only dedicated to electing more trailblazing LGBTQIA+ mamas, but we also ensure that all of our endorsed candidates are allies who are committed to advancing LGBTQIA+ equality. In honor of Pride Month, we’re spotlighting the work our Vota Mama alumni are doing to defend LGBTQIA+ rights and fight back against attacks from the far-right.

• Vote Mama alumna Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh led a historic filibuster on the Senate floor in protest of a harmful Republican bill that bans gender-affirming, life-saving care to trans youth. And while the GOP unfortunately succeeded in passing the bill, Machaela has not let up on the fight. She recently formed the Don’t Legislate Hate PAC alongside her colleagues to support pro-equality candidates running for state legislatures across the nation.


• Vote Mama alumna, Minnesota State Senator Erin Maye Quade, made history when she became one of the two first Black and first LGBTQ+ women ever elected to the Minnesota State Senate. She’s a member of the Minnesota Senate Queer Caucus and was a proud supporter of the state’s newly-passed Trans Refuge Bill, which protects access to gender-affirming healthcare in Minnesota.


• ALL Vote Mama alumni serving in the U.S. House of Representatives are members of the Congressional Equality Caucus and all support the passage of the Equality Act, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people in employment, housing, federally funded programs, and education.

(Pictured: Vote Mama alumna, Christy Holstege, the first openly bisexual mayor ever elected in the United States, at a Palm Springs Pride celebration)

VOTE MAMA IN THE NEWS:

Vote Mama was featured in an op-ed written by Melinda French Gates! In the TIME article entitled, Melinda French Gates: Why I’m Focusing on Getting More Women In Public Office, she discusses the barriers that women and moms face in politics and states:

"By getting rid of outdated rules left over from an era when women lawmakers were the exception, we can help make women lawmakers a new norm....There are a number of practical changes that could open the door to more women lawmakers, including such commonsense reforms advanced by our partner Vote Mama, like allowing representatives to attend hearings and vote virtually."

We couldn't agree more, and we're so proud to be working together to build the political power of moms!

TEAM VOTE MAMA UPDATES:

• We received over 100 endorsement applications from Democratic mamas who are running for School Board all the way up to Congress, including many first time candidates! We’ve been busy vetting candidates and conducting interviews to ensure we endorse mamas who align with our pro-choice, Democratic values. And we can’t wait to share the news and introduce you to our new slate of candidates next month!
• We’re so thrilled to share that Vote Mama has hired a new Executive Assistant! Welcome, Sierra to the Vote Mama Team!
• We launched some exciting new merch items so that you can shop for the mamas in your life, treat yourself, or even buy some Vote Mama gear for all the dads who support electing more moms! Check out our Vote Mama store here! >> 

CLOSING OUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2023:

There are only a couple of days left of the first half of 2023... We’ve already started off the year strong so far, and we can’t slow down — because once endorsements start rolling out, our next round of candidates are going to be depending on us to help power their campaigns all the way to the finish line. It’s time to ramp up and double down, so we’re counting on you now more than ever to stick with us as we fight to elect more pro-choice Democratic mamas! Let’s end this critical quarter on a high note: Rush $20.23 right now to ensure we hit our important fundraising goal by Friday's urgent deadline! >>

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Vote Mama is the first PAC in the country dedicated to increasing the political power of Democratic moms. We believe that our country needs more moms representing our neighborhoods, our communities, and our families because we know that they are dedicated to investing in equitable solutions for future generations to come. Vote Mama helps moms break barriers to running for office by disrupting the systems that hold women back through providing direct financial support, mentorship, and endorsements.

Pitch in today to help us elect more moms to be the voice of our communities and keep our families safe >>