Here's what's up: the VP debate, a chance to flip the Senate, and your chance to become an influencer.
An email from NIAC


 1. This Week in Elections  
 (Only 27 days to go!) 
 

🎤 Tonight at 9pm ET / 6pm PT Kamala Harris will go up against Mike Pence in the first and only Vice Presidential debate. While historically VP debates are met with little fanfare, tonight's event comes at a critical time, as the number of COVID-19 deaths crosses 200,000, the President is treated for the virus, and the fight over a Supreme Court nomination comes to a head. 
 

🚩 Lindsey Graham is in trouble. His race to defend his Senate seat against Democrat Jaime Harrison has been moved from "Lean Republican" to "Toss Up." Jaime Harrison, who is an associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is this country's best bet at ousting Trump's number one Senate ally. Click here to learn more about this race and how you can help defeat one of the most anti-Iranian American and pro-war hawks in the Senate. 
 

🗳️ Over 3 million general election ballots have been cast with less than a month before Election Day. Although this is just a fraction of the expected number of ballots, several states are reporting that they've received a record number of ballot requests and ballot returns. Officials across the country have continued to advise Americans voting by mail to cast their ballots early and to return it at a local dropbox if it's possible. 
 

📌 Want more? Make sure to stay updated on everything you need to know ahead of Election Day by visting BeshkanTheVote.com
 

 

 2. Election Analysis 
 

Defeating Trump Also Means Flipping the Senate
By Jamal Abdi, Executive Director - NIAC Action

Why it Matters
  • If Joe Biden wins the White House but Republicans keep control of the Senate, there will be limited chances to pass meaningful legislation and reverse Trump’s legacy.
  • Republicans currently control the Senate with a 53-47 majority, meaning they get to decide which bills come up for votes and set the agenda for hearings and investigations.
  • Democrats must win 4 additional seats in November to gain a 51-49 Senate majority.
  • The map favors Democrats, with 10 Republican-held seats considered competitive, compared to just 2 competitive seats Democrats must defend.
  • Nothing can be taken for granted – the map also favored Democrats in 2016 yet Republicans kept their majority.

With the unprecedented spectacle that Donald Trump brings to the presidential contest, all eyes are understandably focused on the very top of the ticket. But the contest over which party controls the Senate will decide whether a Biden administration will have a serious chance to undo the damage of the Trump years or is mired in battles with a Mitch McConnell-led Senate.

Trump began his term with a majority in both chambers and, even though he lost the popular vote and lacked a real mandate, was able to sign unthinkable Executive Orders and exit landmark international accords with few institutional barriers. With Republicans in control of both the House and Senate, votes to challenge Trump’s actions like the Muslim Ban were blocked. 

Even when Democrats took control of the House in 2019 and passed legislation out of the lower chamber to roll back Trump’s agenda or advance an alternative vision — those bills died at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s doorstep. And while in 2020 the split Congress did manage to gain enough bipartisan support to send legislation to Trump’s desk restricting his authority to go to war with Iran, Trump was easily able to veto the bill thanks to actions by Mitch McConnell — who ensured the anti-war measure was sent to the President as a “stand alone” rather than included in must-sign legislation. 

If Biden wins the White House, but is forced to battle a Republican-controlled Senate in order to pass legislation, undoing the Trump years will be exceedingly difficult. While a President Biden could return to the Iran nuclear deal and repeal the Muslim Ban by Executive Order, Mitch McConnell will hold the institutional tools to make those decisions as politically painful as possible for the new Administration. We can expect the Republican Senate to hold the White House hostage the same way they did under Obama. And, given what we know about the Biden team’s aversion to bold politics, there is far greater risk the new Administration caves or limits its ambitions on critical fights on civil rights, immigration, and diplomacy. 

📰 Read the full article here >
 


 3. Get Involved to #BeshkanTheVote! 
 

 
As we draw closer to this historic election, we want to make sure that every eligible voter in our community is prepared to cast their ballot--whether by mail, dropbox, or in person. And the first step to making that happen is to create your voting plan! That's why on Saturday, October 10th from 2pm-4pm ET, we're hosting a virtual Get Out the Vote party to walk through how you can become a force multiplier by helping your khalehs, amoos, and other friends and family to create their voting plan! 

Afterall, being an influencer doesn't just mean promoting brands -- it also means influencing those closest to us to take action, and in this case, to vote! So join us this weekend to get involved and socialize with our amazing volunteers while learning how you can become a vote force multiplier! 

✊ Sign-up for the event here >
     

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