Washington, DC — Sunday marked 100 days out from the 2023 elections on November 7th, and Democratic AG candidates and campaigns are building momentum for upsets in three states this year. The New Republic’s Grace Segers first reported, “Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana may not seem to be obvious opportunities for Democrats to win major statewide races. But a new memo from the Democratic Attorneys General Association, first obtained by The New Republic, argues that the upcoming elections in these three states are not only competitive but winnable for Democrats.”

TNR continues saying, “Kentucky, which currently has a popular Democratic governor, and Mississippi both have ‘a long history of electing Democratic Attorneys General,’ the memo notes; the attorneys general in both states are the first Republicans elected to that office in decades.”

“The memo attempts to flip the conventional wisdom that Republicans are stronger on issues of public safety than Democrats, contending that GOP candidates and incumbents are ‘more focused on advancing Washington Republicans’ extremist agenda than keeping their constituents safe.’ The memo also highlights abortion as a key issue, after the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade helped motivate voters in the 2022 midterm elections.”

Kentucky

• “The Democratic candidate for attorney general in Kentucky is Pam Stevenson, a state representative and retired Air Force colonel. Her experience in the military and as an ordained minister provide ‘a key element to communicate with independent and right-leaning voters,’ the memo argues.
• “It contrasts her with Republican candidate Russell Coleman…The memo slams Coleman as a ‘consummate political insider’ who is ‘pushing the extremist, national Republican agenda,’ highlighting his support for the state’s near-total abortion ban and an amendment rejected by voters last year that would have explicitly denied the state a constitutional right to an abortion.”

 Mississippi

• “The Democratic candidate for attorney general in Mississippi is Greta Kemp Martin, the litigation director for Disability Rights Mississippi. Given the potency of abortion in modern electoral politics, the memo describes incumbent Republican Attorney General Lynn Fitch as ‘the woman behind the Dobbs decision.’”

Louisiana

• “The greatest challenge may be in Louisiana, where Democrats have not yet fielded a candidate for attorney general, but the memo says that ‘DAGA is working closely to have a competitive Democratic challenger enter the race.’ The memo also argues that the state’s jungle primary ‘provides a unique opportunity for Democrats.’”

TNR concludes, “But the memo expresses confidence in their 2023 prospects, highlighting the strategy for winning difficult states: Emphasize their candidates’ own backgrounds, hammer Republicans on their connection to national GOP politics, and be vocal about abortion rights. As Democratic attorney general candidates did better than expected in 2022, flipping seats in Arizona and Wisconsin and defending all incumbents who won in 2018, the DAGA is bullish about their candidates’ prospects this year.”

Read the full memo from DAGA here and The New Republic’s exclusive here.

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