State Fair

As Trump pushes voting restrictions, states have a rarely used option to push back • Stateline President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are trying to impose a proof-of-citizenship voter registration requirement through a proposal called the SAVE America Act. Blue states would have a m...

Stateline's @jonshorman.bsky.social explains how states could respond to the SAVE America Act and Trump's idea about "nationalizing" elections...

@stateline.org
stateline.org/2026/02/20/a...

Trump Still Losing on Mid-Decade Redistricting Here are three things to remember as mid-cycle redistricting continues in 2026

Politicians are trying to rewrite the rules mid-game.

Mid-decade redistricting is back— and it’s already proving to be a failed gamble for President Trump.

Here’s where this fight stands ahead of the 2026 elections: www.commoncause.org/articles/tru...

State GOP lawmakers diverge from Trump on data centers GOP legislators across the country want to pause new data center construction, a break with President Donald Trump and most congressional Republicans.

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Costs, local backlashes cause GOP state legislators to cool on national data center push:
flip.it/XyCdAI

We have an exciting event coming on March 9 where The States Project’s Melissa Walker will discuss the states, the stakes and the landscape for 2026!
If you aren’t a member and wish to attend, join our giving circle on Grapevine 💙
www.grapevine.org/giving-circl...

Criminal justice is a top issue in state legislatures this year • Stateline Criminal justice has emerged as one of the most wide-ranging and politically charged areas in this year’s state legislative sessions.

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Criminal justice is a top issue in state legislatures this year
flip.it/aFnTnm

Breaking: Democrats resoundingly defend red district in Louisiana, denying GOP its first pickup Republicans have yet to flip a single legislative seat since Trump's return

The GOP just had its best chance to finally flip a legislative seat in Trump 2.0. Democrats had other ideas.

Chasity Martinez just won a rural Trump+13 in the Louisiana House in a 24-point landslide—an overperformance of 37 points.

Our complete writeup on this remarkable outcome -->

Turn up the heat and donate to State Fair, whilst the Winter Match is active! Your dollars will be doubled💲💲

If you are donating for the first time you will automatically become a member of our giving circle 🤝

It starts in the states! 🇺🇸 💙

www.grapevine.org/donate/circl...

GOP fast tracks monster voter suppression bill that could disenfranchise millions by requiring proof of citizenship at polls In the past few weeks, passing the legislation has been a unifying rally cry for Republicans, a welcome distraction from the party’s cratering public opinion polls.

🚨NEW: Republicans are moving quickly to pass a massive voter suppression bill requiring voters to present a passport or original birth certificate both to register and vote at the polls.

Experts warn it could keep millions of already-registered Americans from casting ballots in the 2026 midterms.

Trump wants to ‘nationalize the voting,’ seeking to grab states’ power Trump, who continues to falsely claim that he won the 2020 election, has baselessly alleged widespread fraud. The Senate’s Republican leader says he does not favor federalizing elections.

State lawmakers have the constitutional authority to keep elections competitive & secure.

That’s why we’re doubling down on our mission to win and defend governing power in state legislatures everywhere it is on the line. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Democrats have a constitutional power they aren’t using to fight back: state resolutions | Sidney Blumenthal State resolutions are underutilized right now and could be a significant mobilizing factor for the Democratic party

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Democrats have a constitutional power they aren’t using to fight back: state resolutions:
flip.it/-EKc7z

Virginia House Democrats Pass Common-Sense Gun Safety Bills to Protect Communities and Save Lives From the VA House Democratic Caucus: Virginia House Democrats Pass Common-Sense Gun Safety Bills to Protect Communities and Save Lives RICHMOND, VA — Today, the Virginia House of Delegates passed a sl...

Virginia House Democrats Pass Common-Sense Gun Safety Bills to Protect Communities and Save Lives; "Ghost guns," "assault firearms," "civil accountability." for the firearms industry, etc. bluevirginia.us/2026/02/virg...

"House of Delegates Passes Helmer’s Assault Weapons Ban Bill has Twice Passed the House of Delegates and Senate & Vetoed by Gov. Youngkin FAIRFAX – Today, the Virginia House of Delegates passed an assault weapons ban bill introduced by Delegate Dan Helmer. Helmer, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, has successfully passed similar bills in past sessions out of both the House and the Senate, only for Gov. Glenn Youngkin to veto the legislation. Helmer released the following statement: “Weapons similar to those that I carried fighting for our country overseas have no place in our schools, in our churches, and on our streets. Virginians have been on the precipice of finally banning these dangerous weapons before – but this time, we have a Governor who has actually served in law enforcement and understands what it means to protect our neighborhoods. “Last November, Virginians elected a majority focused on delivering a safer, more affordable Virginia. We are delivering on that promise.” You can read the full text of Helmer’s bill here. Helmer’s bill will prohibit future sales, purchases, and transfers of assault weapons and bans high capacity magazines. Ten states currently prohibit assault weapons, including Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. This bill would ban trafficking in the kinds of weapons responsible for 9 of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in American history."

"House of Delegates Passes Helmer’s Assault Weapons Ban; Bill has Twice Passed the House of Delegates and Senate & Vetoed by Gov. Youngkin" - @DelDanHelmer bluevirginia.us/2026/02/virg...

Nationwide redistricting efforts could impact control of Congress (The Center Square) - As the 2026 midterm elections approach, state legislatures have grappled with fierce mid-decade redistricting efforts in an attempt to give an advantage to their political party.

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Nationwide redistricting efforts could impact control of Congress:
flip.it/Mdaj3V

Breaking: Texas Democrats score landslide upset in race Trump badly wanted to win Taylor Rehmet just flipped a deep-red seat—and gave his party a shot in the arm

BREAKING: Texas Democrat Taylor Rehmet just won a *massive* landslide to flip a deep-red Senate district. He's up by 14 points in a Trump+17 seat—an overperformance of more than 30 points.

How did he do it? Here's our full writeup:

Bills cracking down on abortion pills advance in states that already ban most abortions Even though many legislative sessions only just convened across the country this month, efforts to restrict access to abortion pills are in full swing, particularly in states that already ban abortion...

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Bills cracking down on abortion pills advance in states that already ban most abortions:
flip.it/Q-fUzv

State lawmakers stand ready to help ICE — or impede it • Stateline As lawmakers convene for this year’s state legislative sessions, immigration has surged to the top of the agenda.

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State lawmakers stand ready to help ICE — or impede it:
flip.it/6Nfgrf

Democrats win 2 Minnesota special elections, bringing state House back to a tie Democrats are projected to win special elections for two Minnesota House seats, bringing partisan control in the lower chamber back to a tie, according to Decision Desk HQ. Democrats Shelley Buck a…

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Democrats win 2 Minnesota special elections, bringing state House back to a tie:
flip.it/_VQiSV

UPDATE: Virginia Democrats said they will appeal the decision.

State Fights: What to Watch in 2026 State legislatures are poised to carry out attacks through a new phase of policymaking — including continued efforts to restrict medication abortion, criminalize providers and patients, extend civil a...

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State Fights: What to Watch in 2026
flip.it/nUzWxm

What's the status of ICE funding?

The House passed a standalone DHS funding bill last week. But then they COMBINED the DHS bill with 5 other less controversial funding bills to trap the Senate. Now the Senate has til Jan 30 to vote on a 6-bill package that funds ICE *and* most other gov programs...

Judge rules Virginia unlawfully denied voting rights to hundreds of thousands The landmark decision could restore voting rights to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, especially Black residents.

WIN: A federal court rules Virginia’s voting ban on people with certain felony convictions violates a postwar law that was designed to protect the political power of newly freed Black Americans. As a result, the state cannot bar people from voting for most modern felony convictions.

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youtu.be/iuiuio6_9C4?...

5 Calls: Contact Your Congress App - App Store Download 5 Calls: Contact Your Congress by 5 Calls Civic Action on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more games like 5 Calls:…

Folks, now is the time to flood the phones. Congress has an upcoming vote about funding ICE. Its important to call NOW whether your Rep/Sens are GOP or not. Very urgent.
This app makes it incredibly easy; takes 1 minute.

apps.apple.com/us/app/5-cal...

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Democrats propose state laws to limit ICE after the shooting of a woman in Minneapolis
flip.it/oAxHsh

Meet Eileen Blair, or Mrs. Orwell: a heroine for our times. Pre-order Andrea’s new graphic novel Mrs. Orwell: https://loom.ly/VX6VL1Q

#oligarchy #dictatorship #dictatortrump

And then some! 🗳️

www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

Trump is trying to change how the midterm elections are conducted Many of these endeavors go far beyond typical political persuasion, challenging long-established democratic norms.

Trump is pulling on every lever at his disposal to rig elections in his favor, but state lawmakers can block rightwing power grabs and protect the voice of voters. THIS is why building governing power in state legislatures matters now more than ever. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Our 2025 Impact - The States Project OUR 2025 IMPACT: BY THE NUMBERS In 2025, we invested a historic $7M in Virginia to flip an astounding thirteen seats in the House of Delegates. As the top national donor in the state, our investment h...

TSP’s $7 million investment helped expand the balance of power in the Virginia House from a one-seat margin to a fourteen-seat majority—the largest majority since 1987.

Learn more about our impact in 2025:
statesproject.org/2025-impact/

More women than ever will serve in Virginia's 2026 General Assembly It's almost entirely due to Democratic women flipping House seats previously held by men.

Our investment didn’t just expand the VA House majority in November — it changed who is at the decision table, with more women serving in the legislature than ever before. State lawmakers who are more representative of the diversity of their state? That’s real change. 💪 www.axios.com/local/richmo...

MAGA Criminalizes Dissent: And the History of Resistance We Aren't Taught. Get your survival guide in this week's Gaslit Nation: https://loom.ly/IbGeXio

#oligarchy #dictatorship #dictatortrump