Democratic Governors Association

Contribute

The Weekender (8/13/21)

Weekender

Share

Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender.

Let’s get started.

Virginia: In an increasingly blue Virginia, things are looking bright for Terry McAuliffe. This week, McAuliffe showed his support for small businesses during a visit to Winchester, where he outlined his plans to raise the minimum wage to $15, make child care more affordable, and provide paid sick, family, and medical leave for every worker. McAuliffe’s five-point lead is no surprise as he’s proven time and time again he has every Virginian’s back. Meanwhile, GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin spent his weekend at a conspiracy-ridden ‘election integrity’ rally, once again failing to read the room and cementing his role as a polarizing figure on the extreme right. Youngkin’s far-right lies and unpopular policies are out of touch with Virginians, and he continually proves himself unworthy of the governorship.

New Jersey: Jack Ciattarelli has gone “hard right” since Donald Trump’s presidency, and his running mate Diane Allen is right by his side. Together, the two are singing a tune that turns New Jersey voters away. Ciattarelli’s extreme positions include restricting reproductive freedom, cutting taxes for the wealthy, opposing New Jersey’s LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum in schools, and expanding vaccine exemptions for schoolchildren for diseases like mumps and measles. Now Allen is proving to be just as extreme as Ciattarelli. In an interview on the New Jersey Globe Power Hour radio show this week, Allen spewed nonsense about migrants bringing COVID into the country and even embraced the dangerous “good guy with a gun” argument. The Ciattarelli-Allen platform is based on dangerous falsehoods and conspiracy theories when it should be about doing what’s best for New Jerseyans.

On Request for Ventilators, Ron DeSantis Is Either Lying Or Too Busy Playing Politics to Pay Attention to Florida’s COVID Crisis

In a recent press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he “did not know” that Florida requested hundreds of ventilators from the federal government as the state’s COVID cases reach “an all-time high,” meaning he’s either lying to cover how his policies have failed Floridians or admitting that he’s too focused on his own politics to know what’s happening in his state. DeSantis saying that he didn’t know about his state’s request for these ventilators comes just a week after he bragged that “our hospitals are open for business,” a shamelessly disgusting comment as Florida’s seven-day average climbed to 19,250 new infections and more than 13,000 COVID-related hospitalizations were reported Sunday.It’s no surprise front-line health care workers are overwhelmed and fed up with DeSantis. Instead of taking action on COVID, DeSantis has been busy fighting with school teachers, the cruise industry, President Joe Biden, and the CDC. Earlier this year, he was criticized by officials from both parties for directing limited vaccines to his political allies. DeSantis’s refusal to take meaningful action on COVID proves he cares more about his political future than the lives of Floridians.

Gov. Tony Evers Vetoes Six Anti-Democratic Election Bills, Shuts Down GOP Conspiracy Circus
This week, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed six Republican-backed bills that would have imposed new restrictions on absentee ballots in the critical battleground state of Wisconsin and made it more difficult to vote. As Republicans assault their state’s democratic institutions, Gov. Evers is proving once again that Democratic governors are the last line of defense for voting rights.The anti-democracy GOP wants to limit ballot drop boxes, restrict who can return absentee ballots for others, and tighten rules for when elderly and disabled voters can automatically receive absentee ballots. “Politicians don’t get to decide elections — that power remains with the people,” said Gov. Evers. “That’s why, as governor, I’ll keep working hard to protect the right of every eligible person to vote and make sure it’s easy and accessible for them to do so.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom featured on CNN with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett speaking about climate change at the site impacted by the massive Dixie Fire.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on CNN with Phil Mattingly stressing the importance of passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill to improve Kentucky’s roads and bridges and create thousands of jobs.Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on CNN with Don Lemon discussing his veto of six restrictive voting rights bills passed by the Republican-controlled legislature.


“I ran on fixing the damn roads — and I’ve filled a pothole or two along the way. The bipartisan federal infrastructure investment will be a game-changer for Michigan’s infrastructure across the board and for our economic jumpstart.”

  • Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the Senate’s passing of the over $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

“Why don’t you do your job?”Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net, and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!If you guessed Nebraska’s Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts for last week’s quote, you really know your governors! Gov. Ricketts claimed that updating CDC safety guidelines only furthers distrust because he would rather spew partisan nonsense than look out for the health and happiness of his constituents.