Down-ticket races matter a lot in shaping policy—that’s why conservatives are smart enough to invest in them.
Abby Rapoport
Abby Rapoport is a freelance journalist and former staff writer at The American Prospect. She was previously a political reporter for the Texas Observer. Follow @ rarapoport
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Why Partisans and Election Law Shouldn’t Mix: See Ohio
Last June, Ohio’s Republican state legislators sought to pass an extremely strict voter ID law, with deeply disturbing implications for minority voters. It would have been among the strictest in the nation, requiring voters to show a government-issued ID with virtually no recourse for those lacking the necessary documents. But the opposition came from an […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Julian Castro’s Great Expectations
The San Antonio mayor’s speech wasn’t the main event Tuesday night. But he delivered exactly what the moment demanded.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Pennsylvania Has a New Voter ID Option—But Serious Burdens Remain
The new “card of last resort” means everyone in the state can get an ID—but that hardly solves all the problem’s with the state’s strict requirement.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Did Hubris Kill Texas’s Photo ID Law?
A panel of judges rejects a discriminatory law—and Texas Republicans have only themselves to blame.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Ann Romney’s Fail
The speech by the wife of the former Massachusetts governor amounted to a few simple statements: You like me. I love Mitt Romney. Therefore you should like him too.Â
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Seriously, There’s Good News For Ohio Voters
For voting rights activists, the news coming out of Ohio hasn’t been promising-the secretary of state has limited early voting hours and a state law stopped all voting the three days before Election Day. Both decisions have a disproportionate impact on poor and nonwhite voters, who vote in particularly heavy numbers during the early period. […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Voter-ID Fight Gets Down to the Wire in Wisconsin
Even if the controversial law is fast-tracked to the state Supreme Court, election officials will not be ready to implement it fairly before Election Day.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Texas Says “No Thanks” to Women’s Health Care
A federal court of appeals rules that the state can cut Planned Parenthood out of the Women’s Health Program.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Creating Hurdles, Pennsylvania Drops Efforts to Boost Voting
The state announces it will drop plans for online voter registration and online applications for absentee ballots because it’s too busy implementing a new voter-ID law.
