Cheney is a neocon warmonger just like her dear old dad. The only reason she agreed to be on the Jan 6 witch hunt panel is because she knew she was going to lose her primary just like the other 7 out of 10 Repubs that voted for Trump's impeachment. She committed political suicide and thought she might as well go out swinging. She basically thought that if she couldn't help her own party than she might as well try and help the uniparty. Nice try Liz! Enjoy your millions of dollars of wealth in retirement that you acquired in just 6 years as a public servant.
Yeah, these are called 'principles'. You should check into them some time. Voting for impeachment was political suicide for her. That should make you respect her more. Instead, you think of it as something negative. So very odd.
So to be clear, you were with the Democrats, Dixie Chicks and the Peaceniks back in 2003 and against the war, correct?
So voting for a fake witch hunt means you have principles huh? Boy did I learn something today. Thank you! Your comments justify what I've concluded about the left since Trump took office. "The end justifies the means" No matter how we do it (legally or illegally) we must do it. No thanks!
Fake witch hunt? I'm sorry, are you saying the Capital wasn't stormed and breached? ARe you saying it wasn't MAGA people that did it? Should I believe you or my lying eyes?
Did you support the Iraq war or not in 2003?
There is evidence that the Capital was a false flag event. Sure there were some idiots in the crowd such as antifia and other mentally handicapped people that did crazy things but there were also undercover FBI agents as well as operatives such as Wray EPPs to promote the event and let people in to the capital. Not to mention Pelosi not allowing the National Guard to be present. They also won't release 14,000 hours of security video footage for whatever reason???
Whatever your opinions are at the end of the day trump was on record as saying " Go to the Capital to Peacefully protest". It doesn't matter if he was saying under his breathe that we should go to the Capital and kill them all. He never alluded to that.
As far as the Irag war went I supported going over there and rooting out the Al Quida training camps but not occupying the place for 20 years.
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK.
Careful Hugh. Your starting to sound like Biden.
careful TJ. "Your" starting to spell like a republican.
Cheney is a neocon warmonger just like her dear old dad. The only reason she agreed to be on the Jan 6 witch hunt panel is because she knew she was going to lose her primary just like the other 7 out of 10 Repubs that voted for Trump's impeachment. She committed political suicide and thought she might as well go out swinging. She basically thought that if she couldn't help her own party than she might as well try and help the uniparty. Nice try Liz! Enjoy your millions of dollars of wealth in retirement that you acquired in just 6 years as a public servant.
Yeah, these are called 'principles'. You should check into them some time. Voting for impeachment was political suicide for her. That should make you respect her more. Instead, you think of it as something negative. So very odd.
So to be clear, you were with the Democrats, Dixie Chicks and the Peaceniks back in 2003 and against the war, correct?
So voting for a fake witch hunt means you have principles huh? Boy did I learn something today. Thank you! Your comments justify what I've concluded about the left since Trump took office. "The end justifies the means" No matter how we do it (legally or illegally) we must do it. No thanks!
Fake witch hunt? I'm sorry, are you saying the Capital wasn't stormed and breached? ARe you saying it wasn't MAGA people that did it? Should I believe you or my lying eyes?
Did you support the Iraq war or not in 2003?
There is evidence that the Capital was a false flag event. Sure there were some idiots in the crowd such as antifia and other mentally handicapped people that did crazy things but there were also undercover FBI agents as well as operatives such as Wray EPPs to promote the event and let people in to the capital. Not to mention Pelosi not allowing the National Guard to be present. They also won't release 14,000 hours of security video footage for whatever reason???
Whatever your opinions are at the end of the day trump was on record as saying " Go to the Capital to Peacefully protest". It doesn't matter if he was saying under his breathe that we should go to the Capital and kill them all. He never alluded to that.
As far as the Irag war went I supported going over there and rooting out the Al Quida training camps but not occupying the place for 20 years.
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK.
Careful Hugh. Your starting to sound like Biden.
careful TJ. "Your" starting to spell like a republican.
Ha!
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,477
edited August 2022
January 6th was a "false flag"... and Michael Jackson is alive... and JFK resurrected from the dead 4 days after dying and is now currently president... and JFK Jr is also alive and is currently vice president. MAGA!
January 6th was a "false flag"... and Michael Jackson is alive... and JFK resurrected from the dead 4 days after dying and is now currently president... and JFK Jr is also alive and is currently vice president. MAGA!
Cheney is a neocon warmonger just like her dear old dad. The only reason she agreed to be on the Jan 6 witch hunt panel is because she knew she was going to lose her primary just like the other 7 out of 10 Repubs that voted for Trump's impeachment. She committed political suicide and thought she might as well go out swinging. She basically thought that if she couldn't help her own party than she might as well try and help the uniparty. Nice try Liz! Enjoy your millions of dollars of wealth in retirement that you acquired in just 6 years as a public servant.
Yeah, these are called 'principles'. You should check into them some time. Voting for impeachment was political suicide for her. That should make you respect her more. Instead, you think of it as something negative. So very odd.
So to be clear, you were with the Democrats, Dixie Chicks and the Peaceniks back in 2003 and against the war, correct?
So voting for a fake witch hunt means you have principles huh? Boy did I learn something today. Thank you! Your comments justify what I've concluded about the left since Trump took office. "The end justifies the means" No matter how we do it (legally or illegally) we must do it. No thanks!
listen to yourself. if any democrat had done anything anywhere near what Trump did to provoke either impeachment, you'd be calling for the gallows.
I mean, most of you want Biden to be booted from office because his son has drug problems and he lost a laptop. ffs
I think if that was Don Jr's laptop from hell Pearl Jam.com would need to buy another server to host the amount of rage you guys would be spewing over it. You would be scorched earth mad. It is well documented that by covering up the laptop story by the media and big tech right before the election that it kept a lot of independents from turning on Biden and voting for Trump. Now that what I call election interference.
Now that the useful idiot Biden has shown that he can no longer put 2 coherent sentences together and chew gum at the same time the media have decided to talk about Hunter.
man you must be big mad with all of this positive biden news lately. the guy who can't string to sentences together is getting some stuff done.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway
For those repubs or repub leaning indies, how do you feel about Deathsantis’s requirement that the press share their footage of his rally for the PA senate candidate shared with a POOTWH youth group (can we call them Brown Shirts or are you not ready for that just yet?) and explain how the footage will be used as a requirement of covering the event?
Seems Deathsantis has taken a page from the Shrub/Darth Cheney playbook but slightly adjusted. So how do you feel about that? What do you think it means for the constitution and democracy in ‘Murica? You okay with it?
I’m genuinely interested in your thoughts but don’t expect an honest response, if any.
And for those of you who think POOTWH can’t rise again or that the worst outcome is a civil war, you really should pay better attention and not be so dismissive.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 36,360
Vance's anti-drug charity enlisted doctor echoing Big Pharma
By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Today
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — When JD Vance founded “Our Ohio Renewal” a day after the 2016 presidential election, he promoted the charity as a vehicle for helping solve the scourge of opioid addiction that he had lamented in “Hillbilly Elegy,” his bestselling memoir.
But Vance shuttered the nonprofit last year and its foundation in May, shortly after clinching the state's Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, according to state records reviewed by The Associated Press. An AP review found that the charity's most notable accomplishment — sending an addiction specialist to Ohio’s Appalachian region for a yearlong residency — was tainted by ties among the doctor, the institute that employed her and Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin.
The mothballing of Our Ohio Renewal and its dearth of tangible success raise questions about Vance’s management of the organization. His decision to bring on Dr. Sally Satel is drawing particular scrutiny. She's an American Enterprise Institute resident scholar whose writings questioning the role of prescription painkillers in the national opioid crisis were published in The New York Times and elsewhere before she began the residency in the fall of 2018.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
It's not just Liz Cheney...she's high-profile but MAGA is turning on anyone that doesn't show 100% fealty in ways that seem even amazing for them. They're down on Dan Crenshaw and Moscow Mitch McConnell (the person most responsible for everything they're so happy about right now and for the possible Trump Dynasty). It's not just the Kinzinger types anymore. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it just seems different...like they've already owned the libs and it's time to go all-in on loyalty tests. On one hand, it feels like a key step toward their goal of authoritarianism. On the other hand, there's no question that America First hates the majority of Americans and they're either 1) confident that they have full control of elections in enough states or 2) they're really playing with fire on having a critical mass to get that full control of the country.
1995 Milwaukee 1998 Alpine, Alpine 2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston 2004 Boston, Boston 2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty) 2011 Alpine, Alpine 2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 36,360
I'll put this here, given their penchant for tax breaks...
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Speaking of dumpster fires, WaPo’s top 10. Or is it bottom 10? But hey, that’s a talented roster.
10. Donald Trump Jr.: As we’ve said before, this applies only to a scenario in which his father doesn’t run. But that’s a scenario in which some polls show him running as high as second (with the caveat that we don’t have a lot of good polling). He’d clearly have a base to work with, but capitalizing on that is another matter. And it’s not just about lobbing bombs from the sideline, which is his true talent. (Previous ranking: 7)
9. Mike Pompeo: The former secretary of state returns to this list, showing all the signs of a guy who will run. Those include running digital ads in Iowa and South Carolina. Also worth watching: He recently became one of the highest-profile Trump officials to testify to the Jan. 6 committee. And afterward, he seemed to temper his denial about having discussed removing Trump from office using the 25th Amendment, saying merely that it hadn’t been discussed “seriously.” It’ll sure be interesting to see how Trump backers respond to whatever testimony Pompeo provided. (Previous ranking: N/A)
8. Rick Scott: The senator from Florida is often dismissed because of his awkward personal style. But he’s been positioning himself for the national stage by launching his own platform (which Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has distanced himself from). And if Republicans can win back the Senate, perhaps Scott gets some credit as head of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm? That’s a double-edged sword though, given it’s quite possible Republicans blow a good opportunity. (Previous ranking: N/A)
7. Nikki Haley: The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor is a real contender on paper. She’s also leaning hard into the idea that she’ll run, having repeatedly cited the idea of electing a woman as president. (You’ll notice she’s the only woman on this list.) But races aren’t won on paper. Haley often disappears from the national discourse, and it’s still not clear what her campaign would be about. (Previous ranking: 4)
6. Ted Cruz: The senator from Texas has been out front in criticizing the FBI’s search of Trump, including an early push for the search warrant. He has also floated impeaching Attorney General Merrick Garland and the FBI agents had been turned into “stormtroopers.” (Previous ranking: 6)
5. Glenn Youngkin: It still seems like a bit of a stretch for someone to launch a presidential campaign just a year into his one term as governor. (Virginia doesn’t allow governors to seek reelection). But he’s clearly putting himself in the mix, and 2022 could play into his hands. Imagine a world in which flawed candidates cost the GOP winnable races — and possibly the Senate — in states like Arizona, Georgia, Ohio or Pennsylvania. At that point, the guy whose 2021 win was supposed to be a road map for the party — a road map disregarded in these Senate primaries — might look pretty attractive. (Previous ranking: 8)
4. Tim Scott: The senator from South Carolina has faced some criticism from the right for his endorsement of moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). But if anyone can get past that kind of thing, it might be the broadly liked South Carolina senator. He’s also raising massive sums — $9.6 million last quarter — for what should be an easy reelection bid, and he can use that money to run for president. Scott’s recently published book included a blurb that said he was preparing a presidential run, but the publisher later said it was an error and that Scott hadn’t approved the line. (Previous ranking: 5)
3. Mike Pence: Pence offered some interesting comments this week, opening the door to testifying to the Jan. 6 committee and saying, “The American people have a right to know what happened.” He has walked a fine line on criticizing Trump for that day, despite the insurrectionists endangering his life. We shouldn’t expect him to thoroughly denounce the man who picked him as vice president, but he’s certainly got a vested interest in the party moving in a different direction. The hard part is facilitating that without completely alienating the Trump backers he’d need in 2024. (Previous ranking: 3)
It’s a rip-off’: GOP spending under fire as Senate hopefuls seek rescue By Isaac Arnsdorf August 20, 2022 at 0:07 ET Republican Senate hopefuls are getting crushed on airwaves across the country while their national campaign fund is pulling ads and running low on cash — leading some campaign advisers to ask where all the money went and to demand an audit of the committee’s finances, according to Republican strategists involved in the discussions. In a highly unusual move, the National Republican Senatorial Committee this week canceled bookings worth about $10 million, including in the critical states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona. A spokesman said the NRSC is not abandoning those races but prioritizing ad spots that are shared with campaigns and benefit from discounted rates. Still, the cancellations forfeit cheaper prices that came from booking early, and better budgeting could have covered both. “The fact that they canceled these reservations was a huge problem — you can’t get them back,” said one Senate Republican strategist, who like others spokes on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. “You can’t win elections if you don’t have money to run ads.”
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,947
Board: SD Gov. Kristi Noem may have 'engaged in misconduct’
By STEPHEN GROVES
2 hours ago
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota ethics board on Monday said it found sufficient information that Gov. Kristi Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license, and it referred a separate complaint over her state airplane use to the state's attorney general for investigation.
The three retired judges on the Government Accountability Board determined that “appropriate action” could be taken against Noem for her role in her daughter's appraiser licensure, though it didn't specify the action.
The board’s moves potentially escalate the ramifications of investigations into Noem. The Republican governor faces reelection this year and has also positioned herself as an aspirant to the White House in 2024. She is under scrutiny from the board after Jason Ravnsborg, the state’s former Republican attorney general, filed complaints that stemmed from media reports on Noem’s actions in office. She has denied any wrongdoing.
After meeting in a closed-door session for one hour Monday, the board voted unanimously to invoke procedures that allow for a contested case hearing to give Noem a chance to publicly defend herself against allegations of “misconduct” related to “conflicts of interest” and “malfeasance.” The board also dismissed Ravnsborg's allegations that Noem misused state funds in the episode.
However, the retired judges left it unclear how they will proceed. Lori Wilbur, the board chair, said the complaint was “partially dismissed and partially closed,” but added that the complaint could be reopened. She declined to discuss what would cause the board to reopen the complaint.
The board can issue a public or private reprimand or direct an official to do community service. It can also make recommendations to the governor — though that option seems unlikely since the complaints are leveled against Noem.
The AP first reported that the governor took a hands-on role in a state agency soon after it had moved to deny her daughter’s application for an appraiser license in 2020. Noem had called a meeting with her daughter, the labor secretary and the then-director of the appraiser certification program where a plan was discussed to give the governor’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, another chance to show she could meet federal standards in her appraiser work.
The complaints are proving to be the first major test of the board, which was launched in 2017 in response to several scandals in state government. It has never taken public action against a state official.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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The Juggler
Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,477
edited August 2022
Guess this post could go either here or in the Dem thread. Either way--the abortion issue is a gift the republicans handed dems and will likely be the reason they hold onto the senate.
Women are registering to vote in Pa. in numbers far exceeding men since the Supreme Court abortion decision
Of the women who have registered since the decision, there are four Democrats for every Republican
Abortion-rights advocates protest outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on June 24, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned "Roe v. Wade."Heather Khalifa / staff photographer
by Julia Terruso and Jonathan LaiUpdated Aug 22, 2022
The voter registration envelope had been sitting in Kiera Coyle’s bedroom for months when her cell phone started blowing up that Friday in June.
Had she seen the news about the Supreme Court?
Coyle, an 18-year-old from Willow Grove, had been interested in voting but just hadn’t gotten around to it, busy preparing to leave for college, babysitting for a local family, and making trips to the Jersey Shore.
After hearing abortion could become illegal in some states, she dug the form out, registered as a Democrat, and sent it in.
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“Not just me, but all my friends, we immediately registered to vote,” Coyle said. “If we have the voice to vote, we wanted it. … We were really enraged. We were like, ‘How are we going backward?’ ”
Thousands of women across Pennsylvania and the country have registered to vote since the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion in the United States.
Pennsylvania has had one of the nation’s biggest gender gaps in new registrations, according to Democratic voter data firm Target Smart, which said women have outpaced men by about 12 percentage points in new registrations since June 24. That gap is three times larger than their estimate of a 4-point difference in total registrations. (Gender is an optional field when registering to vote in Pennsylvania, so the state’s voter rolls don’t provide a complete picture of the gender split in registrations.)
In Pennsylvania, 62% of women registering since Dobbs registered as Democrats, 15% as Republicans; 54% were younger than 25.
Dana Brown, executive director at the Center for Women in Politics, said there’s been a clear shift in motivation among Democrats since the ruling, and women are a main driver.
“Many people have been mobilizing since the decision to register voters, particularly in the younger demographic, because that’s where you have the opportunity for growth,” Brown said.
Registration and enthusiasm
The surge in female voter registrations comes amid a flurry of registration activity as voters prepare for a major midterm election.
Voter registration patterns generally match broader voter enthusiasm in elections, with registrations spiking in major elections and staying very low in low-turnout election cycles. This year, state data show more than 63,200 new registrations have been processed online, the primary registration method, as of mid-August. By this time in 2020, there had been nearly 250,000 new online registrations — and last year, only 25,000.
As registrations continue to pick up heading into the November midterms, the tens of thousands of new voters will make up a small percentage of the state’s nearly 8.8 million registered voters. And registration numbers alone can be misleading, with Democrats in Pennsylvania historically holding a significant margin over Republicans in voter registrations — but when it comes time to vote, the state is much more evenly split.
But an increase in new registrations can signal broader enthusiasm for voting among the already registered electorate.
Of course, registering to vote is one thing, actually going out to do it is another, Brown noted. But as the recent data show, registrations grew at particularly high rates in some states where abortion rights are most at risk. That could signal people are being motivated by an issue they want to weigh in on through voting.
In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal but several bills that would severely restrict it have passed the state legislature only to be vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, whose term ends in January.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Shapiro, has vowed to continue to veto abortion bans. His Republican opponent, State. Sen. Doug Mastriano, has said he believes all abortions should be illegal, with no exceptions. Who becomes governor in November could very well determine whether abortion is legal in Pennsylvania.
And the state legislature, long controlled by Republicans, could also be up for grabs.
“A lot of people, they heard abortion was punted to the state and then people run and go look at their state and they’re like, ‘Oh ... I’m in one of the bad ones,’ ” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of the Democratic group Turn PA Blue.
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race could also be key. The winner could determine which party controls the chamber and whether abortion is codified — or restricted — at the federal level.
Turn PA Blue has seen an influx in women interested in registering to vote and they’ve upped their registration efforts and voter outreach. They also hold Women to Women Wednesdays in which volunteers have phone and online conversations with women around the state.
“This is motivating women. This is finally the straw where people don’t want to believe horrible things are happening, but you can’t deny it anymore,” Perrapato said. “We can lose abortion as of the ballot in November.”
‘Time to get involved’
For Elya Shaffer, part of the motivation to register in Pennsylvania was having a son.
“That just made it so much more real, on kind of like an emotional level, not just a theoretical or political level,” said Shaffer, who moved to Conshohocken from Naples, Fla., last year.
Shaffer, who is 35 and describes herself as more moderate, tends to vote based on issues and for her, abortion is an important one.
“I’m married, very much in a position to start a family. It was a choice. But it was a really rough pregnancy and just going through all the physical, emotional stuff you go through, not just during the pregnancy but postpartum, it’s so incredibly difficult, and forcing people to do that who aren’t ready or don’t choose to be, it was really all of that.”
Part of Shaffer’s delay in registering in her new state was being a busy new mom, but it was also just bad information: Shaffer didn’t realize that she could register to vote without a Pennsylvania driver’s license.
After the Supreme Court decision, not being registered in the state really started bothering her, and she went online and looked more closely at what was required to register.
“After the ruling, I thought about it constantly, to be honest,” she said. “It kept me up at night.”
Kristy Messina, in gray, poses with her daughters, from left to right, Ashley Elborne, Emily Messina, and Lily Messina, along with her husband, Michael Messina. Kristy Messina registered to vote for the first time following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She said her daughters were a main reason.Read moreHandout / Courtesy of the Messina family
Kristy Messina, a 43-year-old mother of three teenage girls, said her daughters inspired her to register for the first time.
Messina, who lives in Pittsburgh, registered this month.
“I am worried about my children, and worried that I may not always be able to help them as they navigate life,” she said.
“I’m angry that people think that they can still control us and want my children to get angry about it as well and fight for their rights.”
Messina said she avoided politics her entire life.
“Now I need to worry about their future,” she said. “It’s time to get involved.”
Guess this post could go either here or in the Dem thread. Either way--the abortion issue is a gift the republicans handed dems and will likely be the reason they hold onto the senate.
Women are registering to vote in Pa. in numbers far exceeding men since the Supreme Court abortion decision
Of the women who have registered since the decision, there are four Democrats for every Republican
Abortion-rights advocates protest outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on June 24, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned "Roe v. Wade."Heather Khalifa / staff photographer
by Julia Terruso and Jonathan LaiUpdated Aug 22, 2022
The voter registration envelope had been sitting in Kiera Coyle’s bedroom for months when her cell phone started blowing up that Friday in June.
Had she seen the news about the Supreme Court?
Coyle, an 18-year-old from Willow Grove, had been interested in voting but just hadn’t gotten around to it, busy preparing to leave for college, babysitting for a local family, and making trips to the Jersey Shore.
After hearing abortion could become illegal in some states, she dug the form out, registered as a Democrat, and sent it in.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Not just me, but all my friends, we immediately registered to vote,” Coyle said. “If we have the voice to vote, we wanted it. … We were really enraged. We were like, ‘How are we going backward?’ ”
Thousands of women across Pennsylvania and the country have registered to vote since the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion in the United States.
Pennsylvania has had one of the nation’s biggest gender gaps in new registrations, according to Democratic voter data firm Target Smart, which said women have outpaced men by about 12 percentage points in new registrations since June 24. That gap is three times larger than their estimate of a 4-point difference in total registrations. (Gender is an optional field when registering to vote in Pennsylvania, so the state’s voter rolls don’t provide a complete picture of the gender split in registrations.)
In Pennsylvania, 62% of women registering since Dobbs registered as Democrats, 15% as Republicans; 54% were younger than 25.
Dana Brown, executive director at the Center for Women in Politics, said there’s been a clear shift in motivation among Democrats since the ruling, and women are a main driver.
“Many people have been mobilizing since the decision to register voters, particularly in the younger demographic, because that’s where you have the opportunity for growth,” Brown said.
Registration and enthusiasm
The surge in female voter registrations comes amid a flurry of registration activity as voters prepare for a major midterm election.
Voter registration patterns generally match broader voter enthusiasm in elections, with registrations spiking in major elections and staying very low in low-turnout election cycles. This year, state data show more than 63,200 new registrations have been processed online, the primary registration method, as of mid-August. By this time in 2020, there had been nearly 250,000 new online registrations — and last year, only 25,000.
As registrations continue to pick up heading into the November midterms, the tens of thousands of new voters will make up a small percentage of the state’s nearly 8.8 million registered voters. And registration numbers alone can be misleading, with Democrats in Pennsylvania historically holding a significant margin over Republicans in voter registrations — but when it comes time to vote, the state is much more evenly split.
But an increase in new registrations can signal broader enthusiasm for voting among the already registered electorate.
Of course, registering to vote is one thing, actually going out to do it is another, Brown noted. But as the recent data show, registrations grew at particularly high rates in some states where abortion rights are most at risk. That could signal people are being motivated by an issue they want to weigh in on through voting.
In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal but several bills that would severely restrict it have passed the state legislature only to be vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, whose term ends in January.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Shapiro, has vowed to continue to veto abortion bans. His Republican opponent, State. Sen. Doug Mastriano, has said he believes all abortions should be illegal, with no exceptions. Who becomes governor in November could very well determine whether abortion is legal in Pennsylvania.
And the state legislature, long controlled by Republicans, could also be up for grabs.
“A lot of people, they heard abortion was punted to the state and then people run and go look at their state and they’re like, ‘Oh ... I’m in one of the bad ones,’ ” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of the Democratic group Turn PA Blue.
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race could also be key. The winner could determine which party controls the chamber and whether abortion is codified — or restricted — at the federal level.
Turn PA Blue has seen an influx in women interested in registering to vote and they’ve upped their registration efforts and voter outreach. They also hold Women to Women Wednesdays in which volunteers have phone and online conversations with women around the state.
“This is motivating women. This is finally the straw where people don’t want to believe horrible things are happening, but you can’t deny it anymore,” Perrapato said. “We can lose abortion as of the ballot in November.”
‘Time to get involved’
For Elya Shaffer, part of the motivation to register in Pennsylvania was having a son.
“That just made it so much more real, on kind of like an emotional level, not just a theoretical or political level,” said Shaffer, who moved to Conshohocken from Naples, Fla., last year.
Shaffer, who is 35 and describes herself as more moderate, tends to vote based on issues and for her, abortion is an important one.
“I’m married, very much in a position to start a family. It was a choice. But it was a really rough pregnancy and just going through all the physical, emotional stuff you go through, not just during the pregnancy but postpartum, it’s so incredibly difficult, and forcing people to do that who aren’t ready or don’t choose to be, it was really all of that.”
Part of Shaffer’s delay in registering in her new state was being a busy new mom, but it was also just bad information: Shaffer didn’t realize that she could register to vote without a Pennsylvania driver’s license.
After the Supreme Court decision, not being registered in the state really started bothering her, and she went online and looked more closely at what was required to register.
“After the ruling, I thought about it constantly, to be honest,” she said. “It kept me up at night.”
Kristy Messina, in gray, poses with her daughters, from left to right, Ashley Elborne, Emily Messina, and Lily Messina, along with her husband, Michael Messina. Kristy Messina registered to vote for the first time following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She said her daughters were a main reason.Read moreHandout / Courtesy of the Messina family
Kristy Messina, a 43-year-old mother of three teenage girls, said her daughters inspired her to register for the first time.
Messina, who lives in Pittsburgh, registered this month.
“I am worried about my children, and worried that I may not always be able to help them as they navigate life,” she said.
“I’m angry that people think that they can still control us and want my children to get angry about it as well and fight for their rights.”
Messina said she avoided politics her entire life.
“Now I need to worry about their future,” she said. “It’s time to get involved.”
So they’re going to try and steal the election, eh? Everyone knows those women are illegals and shouldn’t be allowed to vote. Probably using multiple fake IDs and registering in many districts. Everyone is saying it. They stand out in front of the supermarket, take your picture and three, at least three, probably six, eight, nine or more likely fifteen IDs come out for voting in 15 different districts. Isn’t that something? Such a crime, such a crime. What happened to our country?
Guess this post could go either here or in the Dem thread. Either way--the abortion issue is a gift the republicans handed dems and will likely be the reason they hold onto the senate.
Women are registering to vote in Pa. in numbers far exceeding men since the Supreme Court abortion decision
Of the women who have registered since the decision, there are four Democrats for every Republican
Abortion-rights advocates protest outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on June 24, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned "Roe v. Wade."Heather Khalifa / staff photographer
by Julia Terruso and Jonathan LaiUpdated Aug 22, 2022
The voter registration envelope had been sitting in Kiera Coyle’s bedroom for months when her cell phone started blowing up that Friday in June.
Had she seen the news about the Supreme Court?
Coyle, an 18-year-old from Willow Grove, had been interested in voting but just hadn’t gotten around to it, busy preparing to leave for college, babysitting for a local family, and making trips to the Jersey Shore.
After hearing abortion could become illegal in some states, she dug the form out, registered as a Democrat, and sent it in.
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“Not just me, but all my friends, we immediately registered to vote,” Coyle said. “If we have the voice to vote, we wanted it. … We were really enraged. We were like, ‘How are we going backward?’ ”
Thousands of women across Pennsylvania and the country have registered to vote since the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion in the United States.
Pennsylvania has had one of the nation’s biggest gender gaps in new registrations, according to Democratic voter data firm Target Smart, which said women have outpaced men by about 12 percentage points in new registrations since June 24. That gap is three times larger than their estimate of a 4-point difference in total registrations. (Gender is an optional field when registering to vote in Pennsylvania, so the state’s voter rolls don’t provide a complete picture of the gender split in registrations.)
In Pennsylvania, 62% of women registering since Dobbs registered as Democrats, 15% as Republicans; 54% were younger than 25.
Dana Brown, executive director at the Center for Women in Politics, said there’s been a clear shift in motivation among Democrats since the ruling, and women are a main driver.
“Many people have been mobilizing since the decision to register voters, particularly in the younger demographic, because that’s where you have the opportunity for growth,” Brown said.
Registration and enthusiasm
The surge in female voter registrations comes amid a flurry of registration activity as voters prepare for a major midterm election.
Voter registration patterns generally match broader voter enthusiasm in elections, with registrations spiking in major elections and staying very low in low-turnout election cycles. This year, state data show more than 63,200 new registrations have been processed online, the primary registration method, as of mid-August. By this time in 2020, there had been nearly 250,000 new online registrations — and last year, only 25,000.
As registrations continue to pick up heading into the November midterms, the tens of thousands of new voters will make up a small percentage of the state’s nearly 8.8 million registered voters. And registration numbers alone can be misleading, with Democrats in Pennsylvania historically holding a significant margin over Republicans in voter registrations — but when it comes time to vote, the state is much more evenly split.
But an increase in new registrations can signal broader enthusiasm for voting among the already registered electorate.
Of course, registering to vote is one thing, actually going out to do it is another, Brown noted. But as the recent data show, registrations grew at particularly high rates in some states where abortion rights are most at risk. That could signal people are being motivated by an issue they want to weigh in on through voting.
In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal but several bills that would severely restrict it have passed the state legislature only to be vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, whose term ends in January.
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The Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Shapiro, has vowed to continue to veto abortion bans. His Republican opponent, State. Sen. Doug Mastriano, has said he believes all abortions should be illegal, with no exceptions. Who becomes governor in November could very well determine whether abortion is legal in Pennsylvania.
And the state legislature, long controlled by Republicans, could also be up for grabs.
“A lot of people, they heard abortion was punted to the state and then people run and go look at their state and they’re like, ‘Oh ... I’m in one of the bad ones,’ ” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of the Democratic group Turn PA Blue.
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race could also be key. The winner could determine which party controls the chamber and whether abortion is codified — or restricted — at the federal level.
Turn PA Blue has seen an influx in women interested in registering to vote and they’ve upped their registration efforts and voter outreach. They also hold Women to Women Wednesdays in which volunteers have phone and online conversations with women around the state.
“This is motivating women. This is finally the straw where people don’t want to believe horrible things are happening, but you can’t deny it anymore,” Perrapato said. “We can lose abortion as of the ballot in November.”
‘Time to get involved’
For Elya Shaffer, part of the motivation to register in Pennsylvania was having a son.
“That just made it so much more real, on kind of like an emotional level, not just a theoretical or political level,” said Shaffer, who moved to Conshohocken from Naples, Fla., last year.
Shaffer, who is 35 and describes herself as more moderate, tends to vote based on issues and for her, abortion is an important one.
“I’m married, very much in a position to start a family. It was a choice. But it was a really rough pregnancy and just going through all the physical, emotional stuff you go through, not just during the pregnancy but postpartum, it’s so incredibly difficult, and forcing people to do that who aren’t ready or don’t choose to be, it was really all of that.”
Part of Shaffer’s delay in registering in her new state was being a busy new mom, but it was also just bad information: Shaffer didn’t realize that she could register to vote without a Pennsylvania driver’s license.
After the Supreme Court decision, not being registered in the state really started bothering her, and she went online and looked more closely at what was required to register.
“After the ruling, I thought about it constantly, to be honest,” she said. “It kept me up at night.”
Kristy Messina, in gray, poses with her daughters, from left to right, Ashley Elborne, Emily Messina, and Lily Messina, along with her husband, Michael Messina. Kristy Messina registered to vote for the first time following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She said her daughters were a main reason.Read moreHandout / Courtesy of the Messina family
Kristy Messina, a 43-year-old mother of three teenage girls, said her daughters inspired her to register for the first time.
Messina, who lives in Pittsburgh, registered this month.
“I am worried about my children, and worried that I may not always be able to help them as they navigate life,” she said.
“I’m angry that people think that they can still control us and want my children to get angry about it as well and fight for their rights.”
Messina said she avoided politics her entire life.
“Now I need to worry about their future,” she said. “It’s time to get involved.”
On one side I’m like “where the fuck have you been”...because no one gets involved until it effects them, then I’m thinking….”awesome that these women are doing this (was proud of Kansas too!)”. I’m not insulting men but let’s face it, beyond physical strength we’re basically equal, you guys get physical strength we get to birth miracles. And pissed off women really don’t quit once they start until the issue is resolved. November should be interesting but it’s really the last chance to fix all this bullshit. I definitely see Shapiro winning, still not sure about Fetterman. They’re painting him as a Sanders type. I think he needs the black vote.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
67K+ Floridians voted for Matt Getts Off in his repub primary. There is no hope.
districts are 750k?
540K registered voters, approximately, 53% of which are repubs. There is no hope.
His district isn't representative of me or my district. It's our country, not his. They are the minority
That 64K+ voted for that child molesting scumbag is an indication of the rot that is alive and well in the repub party and when they retake Congress, Matt Getts Off and his ilk will be committee chairs because the POOTWH wing is the party and like it or not, they’ll be representing you and your district and nation. Minority rule, dontcha know? Being cemented as I type.
Has Youngkin publicly acknowledged that Brandon is the legitimately elected POTUS and that POOTWH lost fair and square?
67K+ Floridians voted for Matt Getts Off in his repub primary. There is no hope.
districts are 750k?
540K registered voters, approximately, 53% of which are repubs. There is no hope.
His district isn't representative of me or my district. It's our country, not his. They are the minority
That 64K+ voted for that child molesting scumbag is an indication of the rot that is alive and well in the repub party and when they retake Congress, Matt Getts Off and his ilk will be committee chairs because the POOTWH wing is the party and like it or not, they’ll be representing you and your district and nation. Minority rule, dontcha know? Being cemented as I type.
Has Youngkin publicly acknowledged that Brandon is the legitimately elected POTUS and that POOTWH lost fair and square?
There's a big difference between "the rot is still alive" and "there's no hope" . If there is no hope, why are you in this country at all? If I truly believed that, I'd be leaving the country. I don't say that lightly. I would do it.
As far as Youngkin, he played both sides like the weasel he is. During the primary, he wouldn't really say. His opponent Amanda Chase did... all day every day. One the election moved to general he said, "“Glenn Youngkin has repeatedly said that Joe Biden was legitimately elected and that there was no significant fraud in Virginia’s 2020 election, leading to the only logical conclusion that he would have certified the election,” the statement said.
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www.headstonesband.com
and Michael Jackson is alive...
and JFK resurrected from the dead 4 days after dying and is now currently president...
and JFK Jr is also alive and is currently vice president.
MAGA!
"
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"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Seems Deathsantis has taken a page from the Shrub/Darth Cheney playbook but slightly adjusted. So how do you feel about that? What do you think it means for the constitution and democracy in ‘Murica? You okay with it?
I’m genuinely interested in your thoughts but don’t expect an honest response, if any.
And for those of you who think POOTWH can’t rise again or that the worst outcome is a civil war, you really should pay better attention and not be so dismissive.
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Can anyone, any one at all, anyone, articulate the repub vision for ‘Murica? Anyone?
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You know, Unsung was “right” when he asked the question .
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you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — When JD Vance founded “Our Ohio Renewal” a day after the 2016 presidential election, he promoted the charity as a vehicle for helping solve the scourge of opioid addiction that he had lamented in “Hillbilly Elegy,” his bestselling memoir.
But Vance shuttered the nonprofit last year and its foundation in May, shortly after clinching the state's Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, according to state records reviewed by The Associated Press. An AP review found that the charity's most notable accomplishment — sending an addiction specialist to Ohio’s Appalachian region for a yearlong residency — was tainted by ties among the doctor, the institute that employed her and Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin.
The mothballing of Our Ohio Renewal and its dearth of tangible success raise questions about Vance’s management of the organization. His decision to bring on Dr. Sally Satel is drawing particular scrutiny. She's an American Enterprise Institute resident scholar whose writings questioning the role of prescription painkillers in the national opioid crisis were published in The New York Times and elsewhere before she began the residency in the fall of 2018.
continues.....
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Old bald and or obese wealthy white guys who claim to be "christian"
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
10. Donald Trump Jr.: As we’ve said before, this applies only to a scenario in which his father doesn’t run. But that’s a scenario in which some polls show him running as high as second (with the caveat that we don’t have a lot of good polling). He’d clearly have a base to work with, but capitalizing on that is another matter. And it’s not just about lobbing bombs from the sideline, which is his true talent. (Previous ranking: 7)
9. Mike Pompeo: The former secretary of state returns to this list, showing all the signs of a guy who will run. Those include running digital ads in Iowa and South Carolina. Also worth watching: He recently became one of the highest-profile Trump officials to testify to the Jan. 6 committee. And afterward, he seemed to temper his denial about having discussed removing Trump from office using the 25th Amendment, saying merely that it hadn’t been discussed “seriously.” It’ll sure be interesting to see how Trump backers respond to whatever testimony Pompeo provided. (Previous ranking: N/A)
8. Rick Scott: The senator from Florida is often dismissed because of his awkward personal style. But he’s been positioning himself for the national stage by launching his own platform (which Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has distanced himself from). And if Republicans can win back the Senate, perhaps Scott gets some credit as head of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm? That’s a double-edged sword though, given it’s quite possible Republicans blow a good opportunity. (Previous ranking: N/A)
7. Nikki Haley: The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor is a real contender on paper. She’s also leaning hard into the idea that she’ll run, having repeatedly cited the idea of electing a woman as president. (You’ll notice she’s the only woman on this list.) But races aren’t won on paper. Haley often disappears from the national discourse, and it’s still not clear what her campaign would be about. (Previous ranking: 4)
6. Ted Cruz: The senator from Texas has been out front in criticizing the FBI’s search of Trump, including an early push for the search warrant. He has also floated impeaching Attorney General Merrick Garland and the FBI agents had been turned into “stormtroopers.” (Previous ranking: 6)
5. Glenn Youngkin: It still seems like a bit of a stretch for someone to launch a presidential campaign just a year into his one term as governor. (Virginia doesn’t allow governors to seek reelection). But he’s clearly putting himself in the mix, and 2022 could play into his hands. Imagine a world in which flawed candidates cost the GOP winnable races — and possibly the Senate — in states like Arizona, Georgia, Ohio or Pennsylvania. At that point, the guy whose 2021 win was supposed to be a road map for the party — a road map disregarded in these Senate primaries — might look pretty attractive. (Previous ranking: 8)
4. Tim Scott: The senator from South Carolina has faced some criticism from the right for his endorsement of moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). But if anyone can get past that kind of thing, it might be the broadly liked South Carolina senator. He’s also raising massive sums — $9.6 million last quarter — for what should be an easy reelection bid, and he can use that money to run for president. Scott’s recently published book included a blurb that said he was preparing a presidential run, but the publisher later said it was an error and that Scott hadn’t approved the line. (Previous ranking: 5)
3. Mike Pence: Pence offered some interesting comments this week, opening the door to testifying to the Jan. 6 committee and saying, “The American people have a right to know what happened.” He has walked a fine line on criticizing Trump for that day, despite the insurrectionists endangering his life. We shouldn’t expect him to thoroughly denounce the man who picked him as vice president, but he’s certainly got a vested interest in the party moving in a different direction. The hard part is facilitating that without completely alienating the Trump backers he’d need in 2024. (Previous ranking: 3)
2. Donald Trump: See above. (Previous ranking: 1)
1. Ron DeSantis: See above. (Previous ranking: 2)
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By Isaac Arnsdorf
August 20, 2022 at 0:07 ET
Republican Senate hopefuls are getting crushed on airwaves across the country while their national campaign fund is pulling ads and running low on cash — leading some campaign advisers to ask where all the money went and to demand an audit of the committee’s finances, according to Republican strategists involved in the discussions.
In a highly unusual move, the National Republican Senatorial Committee this week canceled bookings worth about $10 million, including in the critical states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona. A spokesman said the NRSC is not abandoning those races but prioritizing ad spots that are shared with campaigns and benefit from discounted rates. Still, the cancellations forfeit cheaper prices that came from booking early, and better budgeting could have covered both.
“The fact that they canceled these reservations was a huge problem — you can’t get them back,” said one Senate Republican strategist, who like others spokes on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. “You can’t win elections if you don’t have money to run ads.”
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/22/politics/dark-money-donation-conservative-group-invs/index.html
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota ethics board on Monday said it found sufficient information that Gov. Kristi Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license, and it referred a separate complaint over her state airplane use to the state's attorney general for investigation.
The three retired judges on the Government Accountability Board determined that “appropriate action” could be taken against Noem for her role in her daughter's appraiser licensure, though it didn't specify the action.
The board’s moves potentially escalate the ramifications of investigations into Noem. The Republican governor faces reelection this year and has also positioned herself as an aspirant to the White House in 2024. She is under scrutiny from the board after Jason Ravnsborg, the state’s former Republican attorney general, filed complaints that stemmed from media reports on Noem’s actions in office. She has denied any wrongdoing.
After meeting in a closed-door session for one hour Monday, the board voted unanimously to invoke procedures that allow for a contested case hearing to give Noem a chance to publicly defend herself against allegations of “misconduct” related to “conflicts of interest” and “malfeasance.” The board also dismissed Ravnsborg's allegations that Noem misused state funds in the episode.
However, the retired judges left it unclear how they will proceed. Lori Wilbur, the board chair, said the complaint was “partially dismissed and partially closed,” but added that the complaint could be reopened. She declined to discuss what would cause the board to reopen the complaint.
The board can issue a public or private reprimand or direct an official to do community service. It can also make recommendations to the governor — though that option seems unlikely since the complaints are leveled against Noem.
The AP first reported that the governor took a hands-on role in a state agency soon after it had moved to deny her daughter’s application for an appraiser license in 2020. Noem had called a meeting with her daughter, the labor secretary and the then-director of the appraiser certification program where a plan was discussed to give the governor’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, another chance to show she could meet federal standards in her appraiser work.
The complaints are proving to be the first major test of the board, which was launched in 2017 in response to several scandals in state government. It has never taken public action against a state official.
continues......
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/pennsylvania-women-voter-registration-dobbs-20220822.html?utm_source=email&utm_term=%%=redirectto(@item_url)=%%&utm_content=232123&utm_id=7042fbdd-e59a-46d2-a216-218122d03c9d&sfmc_id=228154786&sfmc_activityid=0c72040d-7ef5-4b5d-969e-a51557eae229&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=e-edition&sfmc_id=0031U00001WQquDQAT&sub_source=E_Edition&list_name=All Subscribers&int_promo=email&et_rid=228154786
Women are registering to vote in Pa. in numbers far exceeding men since the Supreme Court abortion decision
Of the women who have registered since the decision, there are four Democrats for every Republican
by Julia Terruso and Jonathan LaiUpdated Aug 22, 2022
The voter registration envelope had been sitting in Kiera Coyle’s bedroom for months when her cell phone started blowing up that Friday in June.
Had she seen the news about the Supreme Court?
Coyle, an 18-year-old from Willow Grove, had been interested in voting but just hadn’t gotten around to it, busy preparing to leave for college, babysitting for a local family, and making trips to the Jersey Shore.
After hearing abortion could become illegal in some states, she dug the form out, registered as a Democrat, and sent it in.
“Not just me, but all my friends, we immediately registered to vote,” Coyle said. “If we have the voice to vote, we wanted it. … We were really enraged. We were like, ‘How are we going backward?’ ”
Thousands of women across Pennsylvania and the country have registered to vote since the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion in the United States.
Pennsylvania has had one of the nation’s biggest gender gaps in new registrations, according to Democratic voter data firm Target Smart, which said women have outpaced men by about 12 percentage points in new registrations since June 24. That gap is three times larger than their estimate of a 4-point difference in total registrations. (Gender is an optional field when registering to vote in Pennsylvania, so the state’s voter rolls don’t provide a complete picture of the gender split in registrations.)
Newly registered voters say they were motivated by the decision, and Democratic activists said they’re working to capitalize on that anger with voter registration drives and more women-focused organizing events. Similar voter enthusiasm and political organizing has followed other major events, including the racial justice protests in 2020 and the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland High School in Florida.
In Pennsylvania, 62% of women registering since Dobbs registered as Democrats, 15% as Republicans; 54% were younger than 25.
Dana Brown, executive director at the Center for Women in Politics, said there’s been a clear shift in motivation among Democrats since the ruling, and women are a main driver.
“Many people have been mobilizing since the decision to register voters, particularly in the younger demographic, because that’s where you have the opportunity for growth,” Brown said.
Registration and enthusiasm
The surge in female voter registrations comes amid a flurry of registration activity as voters prepare for a major midterm election.
Voter registration patterns generally match broader voter enthusiasm in elections, with registrations spiking in major elections and staying very low in low-turnout election cycles. This year, state data show more than 63,200 new registrations have been processed online, the primary registration method, as of mid-August. By this time in 2020, there had been nearly 250,000 new online registrations — and last year, only 25,000.
As registrations continue to pick up heading into the November midterms, the tens of thousands of new voters will make up a small percentage of the state’s nearly 8.8 million registered voters. And registration numbers alone can be misleading, with Democrats in Pennsylvania historically holding a significant margin over Republicans in voter registrations — but when it comes time to vote, the state is much more evenly split.
But an increase in new registrations can signal broader enthusiasm for voting among the already registered electorate.
Of course, registering to vote is one thing, actually going out to do it is another, Brown noted. But as the recent data show, registrations grew at particularly high rates in some states where abortion rights are most at risk. That could signal people are being motivated by an issue they want to weigh in on through voting.
In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal but several bills that would severely restrict it have passed the state legislature only to be vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, whose term ends in January.
The Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Shapiro, has vowed to continue to veto abortion bans. His Republican opponent, State. Sen. Doug Mastriano, has said he believes all abortions should be illegal, with no exceptions. Who becomes governor in November could very well determine whether abortion is legal in Pennsylvania.
And the state legislature, long controlled by Republicans, could also be up for grabs.
“A lot of people, they heard abortion was punted to the state and then people run and go look at their state and they’re like, ‘Oh ... I’m in one of the bad ones,’ ” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of the Democratic group Turn PA Blue.
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race could also be key. The winner could determine which party controls the chamber and whether abortion is codified — or restricted — at the federal level.
Turn PA Blue has seen an influx in women interested in registering to vote and they’ve upped their registration efforts and voter outreach. They also hold Women to Women Wednesdays in which volunteers have phone and online conversations with women around the state.
“This is motivating women. This is finally the straw where people don’t want to believe horrible things are happening, but you can’t deny it anymore,” Perrapato said. “We can lose abortion as of the ballot in November.”
‘Time to get involved’
For Elya Shaffer, part of the motivation to register in Pennsylvania was having a son.
“That just made it so much more real, on kind of like an emotional level, not just a theoretical or political level,” said Shaffer, who moved to Conshohocken from Naples, Fla., last year.
Shaffer, who is 35 and describes herself as more moderate, tends to vote based on issues and for her, abortion is an important one.
“I’m married, very much in a position to start a family. It was a choice. But it was a really rough pregnancy and just going through all the physical, emotional stuff you go through, not just during the pregnancy but postpartum, it’s so incredibly difficult, and forcing people to do that who aren’t ready or don’t choose to be, it was really all of that.”
Part of Shaffer’s delay in registering in her new state was being a busy new mom, but it was also just bad information: Shaffer didn’t realize that she could register to vote without a Pennsylvania driver’s license.
After the Supreme Court decision, not being registered in the state really started bothering her, and she went online and looked more closely at what was required to register.
“After the ruling, I thought about it constantly, to be honest,” she said. “It kept me up at night.”
Kristy Messina, a 43-year-old mother of three teenage girls, said her daughters inspired her to register for the first time.
Messina, who lives in Pittsburgh, registered this month.
“I am worried about my children, and worried that I may not always be able to help them as they navigate life,” she said.
“I’m angry that people think that they can still control us and want my children to get angry about it as well and fight for their rights.”
Messina said she avoided politics her entire life.
“Now I need to worry about their future,” she said. “It’s time to get involved.”
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another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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Has Youngkin publicly acknowledged that Brandon is the legitimately elected POTUS and that POOTWH lost fair and square?
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As far as Youngkin, he played both sides like the weasel he is. During the primary, he wouldn't really say. His opponent Amanda Chase did... all day every day. One the election moved to general he said, "“Glenn Youngkin has repeatedly said that Joe Biden was legitimately elected and that there was no significant fraud in Virginia’s 2020 election, leading to the only logical conclusion that he would have certified the election,” the statement said.