Welcome to the Tuesday, September 28, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Major party committees have raised $531 million in 2021
- Map of the week: approved redistricting maps
- Arizona State Rep. Aaron Lieberman (D) resigns to run for governor
Quick personal note from me: This will be my last week writing the Brew as I move into a different role at Ballotpedia. Among other things, I’ll be helping to coordinate our redistricting coverage. The basics of the Brew will stay the same, but my excellent team members will be taking the reins from here. You can expect them in your inbox at the same time each morning, but your email will come from Ballotpedia instead of Dave Beaudoin.
Thank you for making the Brew a part of your routine. It’s been an honor to spend the mornings with you. Please reach out anytime at Dave@ballotpedia.org.
Now, on to the news,
-Dave
Major party committees have raised $531 million in 2021
Six major party political committees have raised a combined $531 million over the first eight months of the 2022 election cycle. In August, these six committees raised a combined $58 million, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.
These six committees represent the main national political branches of the two major parties. For Democrats, they include the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). For Republicans, they include the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
Collectively, the three Republican committees have raised 3.1% more than the Democratic committees and currently have $158 million on hand compared to Democrats’ $132 million. This is the first election cycle since at least 2018 where each of the three Republican committees had more cash on hand than their Democratic counterparts.
Looking ahead towards 2022, each of the three Republican committees has more cash on hand compared to their Democratic counterparts, with the RNC leading the field at $74.6 million. The DSCC has the least on hand of the six at $10.5 million.
Map of the week: approved redistricting maps
We are beginning to see states finalize and approve new maps as part of the 2020 census redistricting cycle. During redistricting, states use decennial census data to redraw the boundaries of their state legislative and congressional districts to account for any population changes.
As of Sept. 27, three states—Illinois, Ohio, and Oklahoma—have approved state legislative maps, but the process is not over. In Illinois and Ohio, challengers have filed lawsuits against the approved maps and in Oklahoma, legislators must re-review the approved maps.
At this point in 2011, 22 states had enacted new state legislative maps and 20 states had enacted new congressional maps during the 2010 census redistricting process.
Redistricting varies by state. In Illinois and Oklahoma, the legislature redraws its own districts, plus those of the state’s congressional delegation. The governor must sign off on the new maps and has the right to veto the proposals. This is the same process in Ohio regarding congressional district lines. The Ohio Redistricting Commission—a politician commission made up of five Republican elected officials and two Democrats—is responsible for redrawing the state legislative district lines.
Arizona state Rep. Aaron Lieberman (D) resigns to run for governor
Arizona state Rep. Aaron Lieberman (D) announced on Sept. 20 that he would resign his seat in the Arizona House of Representatives to focus on his 2022 campaign for governor. Lieberman was first elected to the House representing District 28 in 2018, defeating incumbent Rep. Maria Syms (R).
Arizona will elect a new governor next year. Incumbent Gov. Doug Ducey (R) is term-limited. As of Sept. 27, Ballotpedia has identified three Democratic candidates, five Republican candidates, and two third-party candidates who have declared their intent to run in the election. Republicans have won the three most recent gubernatorial elections in 2010, 2014, and 2018. Democrats won the two statewide elections—for U.S. President and U.S. Senate—in 2020.
While Arizona is one of five states that require officeholders to resign from their current office in order to run for another, the resignation requirement does not apply to officeholders who are in the final year of their term, which would have been the case with Lieberman in 2022. Two other incumbent officeholders—Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) and Treasurer Kimberly Yee (R)—have declared their intention to run for governor but will similarly be in the final year of their respective terms in 2022.
The other four states with some form of a resign-to-run law are Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and Texas.