Dear MoveOn member,

In jaw-dropping and historic testimony before the congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, we have learned exactly what stopped Donald Trump's attempted coup.

It was a handful of courageous state and local officials in battleground states who refused to help overturn Trump's election loss—even in the face of unrelenting and menacing pressure, intimidation, and threats of violence to themselves and their families.

Imagine what will happen if those upstanding state officials are replaced by Trump lackeys.

That's precisely what is playing out right now in races for governor and secretary of state that will be decided this November.

To stop Trump's coup in its tracks, we're doing something unlike any other campaign in MoveOn's 23-year history: Today, we're launching a set of endorsements for this year's midterm elections that we're calling MoveOn's "Democracy Slate," a historic slate of state-level candidates in just eight battleground states who, with our collective help, can defeat MAGA candidates and stop Trump's slow-motion coup.

But we need your help. Will you chip in $5 a month to help elect these democracy-saving candidates and stop Trump's next white supremacist coup?

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

John, we want to introduce you to the candidates who make up our Democracy Slate.

These candidates for governor and secretary of state—all endorsed by MoveOn members in their states—will have the power to veto voter suppression legislation, oversee voter registration, count ballots, and certify elections. They will uphold their oaths of office and the rule of law, count every vote, and ensure that the will of the people prevails.

Ready to meet the candidates, starting with our Democracy Slate from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, and Michigan? Drum roll, please!

In Arizona, MoveOn members have endorsed Katie Hobbs for governor and Reginald Bolding for secretary of state. Hobbs is the current Arizona secretary of state who stood firm against Trump's lies and conspiracy theories to ensure that the votes of the people of Arizona were counted in 2020—even while receiving death threats from MAGA extremists.¹ Bolding is currently the Democratic leader in the Arizona House of Representatives, and while the GOP primary isn't until August, the leading candidate challenging him is Trump-endorsed Mark Finchem, a member of the white supremacist group the Oath Keepers, who tried to decertify Joe Biden's win in the state and attended the January 6 insurrection.²

In Colorado, MoveOn members have endorsed Jena Griswold for secretary of state. The Republican primary has not yet been decided, but the GOP candidate who has raised the most money is Tina Peters, who was arrested and charged earlier this year for election fraud after tampering with voting machines to try to help Trump in 2020.³

In Georgia, MoveOn members have endorsed progressive champion Stacey Abrams for governor and Bee Nguyen for secretary of state. Abrams is facing a rematch with far-right governor Brian Kemp, who used his power as then-secretary of state in 2018 to purge 50,000 voters from the rolls and close polling places in predominantly Black neighborhoods to steal the election from Abrams.⁴ Nguyen has spent her time in the Georgia Assembly fighting for voting rights for Georgians, including successfully overturning the racist "exact match" voter suppression law that disproportionately impacted voters of color.⁵

In Michigan, MoveOn members have endorsed incumbents Gretchen Whitmer for governor and Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state, both of whom faced death threats in 2020 from Trump supporters after certifying Biden's victory in the state.⁶ Trump went so far as to suggest in a White House meeting that Benson be arrested for treason and executed for certifying the election.⁷ She will face Kristina Karamo, a die-hard Big Lie supporter who has suggested that Democrats are following a "satanic agenda."⁸

Each of these candidates, if they win in November, will play critical roles in halting the attempts by MAGA Republicans to turn our nation into a neo-fascist authoritarian state, and it's up to us to help them win.

MoveOn is investing $30 million, the most we have ever spent in a midterm election, to help run television and digital ads, donate money directly to the candidates, host phone and text banks, mobilize thousands of MoveOn members to volunteer, and do whatever else is needed to win.

But MoveOn's resources come from you, our members. So we can do it only with your support. Please, start a $5 monthly donation now to help power MoveOn's Democracy Slate to victory and stop Trump's slow-motion coup.

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

And now for the rest of our Democracy Slate! Meet our candidates from Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In Nevada, MoveOn members have endorsed Cisco Aguilar for secretary of state. Last week, the state's primary confirmed that he will face Jim Marchant, another Big Lie supporter who was a member of the illegal alternate slate of pro-Trump electors, has said he would have refused to certify that year's election had he been in office, and has promised to institute racist voter suppression policies in Nevada to fight bogus election fraud.⁹

In Pennsylvania, a state where the governor appoints the secretary of state, MoveOn members have endorsed Josh Shapiro for governor. Shapiro currently serves as the state's attorney general, and he will face Doug Mastriano in November. Trump-endorsed Mastriano, who was subpoenaed by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, has promised to appoint a crony as secretary of state to ensure that Pennsylvania's electoral votes go to his preferred candidates, no matter the actual outcome.^10,11 Mastriano chartered buses to the insurrection, helped organize an alternative slate of electors for Trump, and was in close communication with Trump about his plans to stop the certification of the vote.

In Texas, another state where the governor appoints the secretary of state, MoveOn members have endorsed Beto O'Rourke for governor in his fight to defeat one of the most radically conservative governors in the nation, Greg Abbott. Abbott has not only passed racist voter suppression laws but has also banned abortion and allowed semi-automatic weapons to flood the streets of Texas.¹² Beto is ready to protect our rights and lead Texas forward.

And in Wisconsin, MoveOn members have endorsed incumbent Tony Evers for governor. As governor, Evers has been a shield against the radical Republican agenda, vetoing voter suppression bills, bills to ban abortion, and more.¹³

The threat to our democracy is grave. But MoveOn's Democracy Slate—candidates for governor and secretary of state in just eight battleground states—will stop the Trump and MAGA slow-motion coup and fortify our democracy. But only if they win.

And that's going to take each of us, doing our part to fight for democracy and a more just country where everyone can thrive. John, please join us. Will you chip $5 a month to help elect MoveOn's Democracy Slate and stop a white supremacist coup that ends American democracy?

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

We can do it, together. Thanks for all you do.

–Chris, Nita, Oscar, Melissa, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Women secretaries of state face threats and harassment for battling election lies," The 19th, June 13, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163590?t=8&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

2. "‘This should terrify the nation’: the Trump ally seeking to run Arizona’s elections," The Guardian, February 21, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/161799?t=10&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

3. "Colorado clerk is indicted for election tampering and misconduct," NPR, March 9, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/161300?t=12&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

4. "After the Purge: How a massive voter purge in Georgia affected the 2018 election," AMP Reports, October 29, 2019
https://act.moveon.org/go/123216?t=14&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

5. "How Georgia's 1st Vietnamese American state rep is continuing Stacey Abrams' fight," NBC News, December 30, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163591?t=16&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

6. "Armed Trump supporters surround Michigan secretary of state’s home, threaten her family: officials," Salon, December 7, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/163592?t=18&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

7. "Donald Trump Called for My Execution, Michigan Election Official Alleges," Newsweek, May 20, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163593?t=20&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

8. "Trump-backed Michigan secretary of state candidate spread false election claims and January 6 conspiracy theories," CNN, November 16, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/162167?t=22&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

9. "Jim Marchant, a Trump loyalist, is G.O.P. voters’ choice to be Nevada’s top election official." The New York Times, June 15, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163506?t=24&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

10. "Doug Mastriano’s Pa. victory could give 2020 denier oversight of 2024," The Washington Post, May 18, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163046?t=26&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

11. "Pa. GOP gubernatorial nominee shares documents with Jan. 6 panel, agrees to interview," Politico, June 2, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163594?t=28&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

12. "Abbott Signs Texas Election Law, Ending a Fierce Voting Rights Battle," The New York Times, November 3, 2021
https://act.moveon.org/go/163595?t=30&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

13. "Gov. Tony Evers vetoes GOP election, gun bills," WPR, April 8, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/163596?t=32&akid=326358%2E40999114%2EnwSRwa

Not authorized by any candidate, candidate's agent, or committee. Pol. Adv. paid for with regulated funds by MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, PO Box 96142, Washington, DC, 20090, Tom Mattzie, Treasurer.

Want to support MoveOn's work? Donald Trump's preparations for being able to steal the presidency in 2024 are well underway and include working to replace top election officials in battleground states with his own loyalists. Which is why MoveOn is doing something we've never done in our 23-year history: We're launching a powerful, multimillion-dollar effort to defeat Trump-backed secretaries of state across the country and elect individuals who will count every vote and ensure fair elections.

Will you chip in monthly to power our campaign to defeat Trump and protect our elections in 2022?

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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