THE SOAPBOX seeks to keep you connected to what’s happening at The Union and share news about our ongoing work to oppose anti-democratic forces in American elections.
No time to rest: We must continue to oppose Trump’s insidious cult from winning elections and destroying our democracy with the chaos they crave.
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State of The Union: We are monitoring voter reaction as more people realize that Donald Trump may be in serious legal jeopardy following the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. The search warrant mentions possible violations of the Espionage Act and other crimes. With fewer than 80 days until Election Day we continue to press the alarm that Trump and his ultra-MAGA candidates are a clear and present danger to American democracy.
Oh, the irony: In January 2018 Trump signed legislation quintupling criminal penalties for mishandling classified information.
Trump: No one will be above the law
A Richard Nixon moment: Is this inevitable for Trump, another delusional former president?
The Playbook: Here are key messages to use over the next couple of weeks to support our fight to save democracy. We’re making steady progress but far too many threats remain. We’ll have an update in the next edition of The Soapbox.
- New polling shows ‘threats to democracy’ as the top voter concern, overtaking economic issues
- The FBI search of Mar-a-Lago gathered evidence of potential Espionage Act violations by Trump
- Ultra-MAGA fueled threats against election workers are dangerous and must be stopped
- Election deniers have won many 2022 primaries in battleground states and are poised to take pivotal roles running elections in 2024 if they win this November
Has Mike Pence had enough of the Trump cult? During a swing through early presidential primary states last week the former vice president said he’d consider an invitation to meet with the congressional committee investigating Trump’s attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol. This is a big change from his prior statements.
Pence opens the door to meeting with the January 6th committee
The Pulse, I: ‘Threats to democracy’ is the top concern among voters. An NBC News poll of voters released Sunday revealed that ‘threats to democracy’ overtook a range of economic issues as the top concern facing the country. The poll also reported that 57% say investigations into Trump should continue. We are in uncharted territory going into the midterms. Predictions about control of Congress based on past voting behavior may be unreliable.
Threats to democracy is the top concern among voters
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The Pulse, II: Pro-democracy candidates are picking up support. The Kansas abortion ballot initiative victory following the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe is a big win. It is one of several events proving to be strong motivators for voters as pro-democracy candidates close in against the ultra-MAGA extremists.
Voter preferences are shifting against ultra-MAGA
Is there a growing backlash against ultra-MAGA? Republican campaign committees are cutting spending in battleground states. Ad trackers report that the Republican Senate Campaign Committee has slashed spending in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada by more than $13 million since August 1st. They may be saving money for races many considered safe but are now competitive because of voter backlash against ultra-MAGA.
Senate Republican committee cuts ad spending
Ultra-MAGA candidates remain an imminent threat to democracy: In key battleground states ultra-MAGA candidates who refuse to accept the legitimacy of Biden’s 2020 victory have already won nearly two-thirds of the Republican 2022 primaries for state and federal offices with authority over elections. It’s terrifying to think that 2024 could be worse than 2020 but it will be if these election deniers are in charge.
Election deniers poised to control voting in key states in 2024
Election workers targeted: The U.S. House Oversight Committee has reported on election misinformation and how that is hindering the work of election officials, causing a dramatic escalation of threats against them.
Threats to election workers increase dramatically
FIGHT BACK: Become a poll worker to protect democracy
“You can’t outrun the long arm of law:” One day, the sooner the better, these Kenny Rogers’ lyrics will be playing loudly in Donald Trump’s head as legal pressure against him and his enablers increases.
Only the mob takes the Fifth: During a 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump had a typical tirade about invoking the Fifth Amendment saying, “Only the mob takes the Fifth, if you’re innocent why are you taking the Fifth?”
2016 - Trump says taking the Fifth is for the mob, for the guilty
2022 - Trump takes the Fifth nearly 450 times
Is there a mole in Trump World? The FBI search at Mar-a-Lago increased long-running speculation that authorities may have a cooperating witness, a.k.a., a mole, inside Trump world.
Hey Donald – A Lincoln Project ad
Celebrate success: Congratulations to Michael for his canvassing success in New Jersey. He found voters interested in the short, to-the-point conversations that are essential to effective grassroots organizing. Michael told us, “I had been looking for effective ways to volunteer in politics, and I’m confident that this is the best use of time for anyone who wants to invest a little free time and make an immediate impact.”
Liz Cheney - a voice of reason looks forward: Targeted for defeat by the Trump cult, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) lost her August 16 primary. But in her speech that night she took the national stage to look forward as a leading conservative voice of reason and pledged to ensure that Trump is never again near the Oval Office saying, "I'm a conservative Republican . . . But I love my country more. So, I ask you tonight to join me: As we leave here, let us resolve that we will stand together, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, against those who would destroy our republic."
Watch Cheney’s speech following primary loss
Protect your vote: Please check your voter registration to be sure it is still active. In a cautionary example of what can happen, a protracted Wisconsin lawsuit was recently resolved with nearly 31,000 voter registrations being reinstated.
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Invite a friend: Remember to invite a friend to Join the Union today.
Thank you for helping to defend democracy.
The Union
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