Founded in 2002 by California AG Bill Lockyer, Iowa AG Tom Miller, and New Mexico AG Patsy Madrid, DAGA began as a part-time political committee based in Denver, Colorado. To better support our Democratic AGs and candidates in executing our mission, the committee moved its operations from Denver, CO to Washington, DC in 2016 and expanded to a full-time professional staff that covers campaigns, recruiting, data analysis, communications, policy, politics, and fundraising. Today, DAGA is a record-breaking, professional committee that supports and elects Democratic AGs—and Democratic AGs are FRONT AND CENTER when it comes to the current political and policy landscape.

In recent years, DAGA has:

• Built a platform to highlight Democratic AG successes and to extend the reach of Democratic AGs as they serve as the People’s Lawyers together, often working as a close team.
• DAGA has won 16 out of 29 competitive races against RAGA dating back to 2016.
• Elected the most diverse coalition of Democratic AGs in history, including nine women AGs, six Black AGs, two Asian-American AGs, two Latino AGs, two LGBTQ+ AGs, and one Muslim AG.
• Launched the DAGA’s Women Initiative, a program focused on electing more women AGs with a goal to see women elected to half of the seats held by Democratic AGs. DAGA is the only party committee to state an express commitment to equal representation.
• Announced a pro-abortion access litmus test. DAGA only supports Attorneys General and Attorneys General candidates who are pro-abortion access and reproductive rights.

WHY DEMOCRATIC AGs MATTER

After years of the Trump administration undermining good government, a Congress that continues to face gridlock, and statehouses that are increasingly capitulating to far-right extremism, the role that Democratic AGs play in protecting democracy and the rule of law is more important than ever.

The Washington Post: “AGs have also become the muscle of the resistance”

Under the Trump Administration, Democratic AGs were routinely successful in taking on the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the rule of law and rollback key protections. Together, Democratic Attorneys Generals:

• Blocked Trump’s discriminatory Muslim ban not once, but twice
• Protected reproductive rights
• Pushed for meaningful access to quality and affordable healthcare
• Defended Dreamers and the DACA program
• Challenged dangerous family separation policies and border walls
• Stopped a discriminatory citizenship question from appearing on the 2020 Census
• Called out corruption at the highest levels of government
• Safeguarded key environmental protections like clean air and clean water and opposed offshore drilling
• Fought for a fair and open internet
• Spearheaded efforts to reduce gun violence
• Protected consumers and our elderly from harmful practices and scams
• Championed the defense of students, teachers, organized labor, workers, the LGBTQ community, women, immigrants and people with disabilities

Axios: Democratic AGs are “some of the most powerful forces fighting the Trump White House”

Democratic AGs also play a leading rule in our states and localities. They are:

• Seeking justice for sexual and violent abuse victims and survivors
• Working with state partners to develop and implement technology to make our schools safer
• Holding opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their role in the opioid crisis
• Fighting to protect our elections and access to the ballot box
• Driving creative solutions to combat hate crimes
• Supporting growth and innovation in the cannabis industry
• Reforming criminal justice systems that disproportionately impact communities of color and under-resourced communities

This is just a snapshot of how Democratic AGs fight for families and communities. Democratic AGs across the country have consistently played a pivotal role in protecting rights for all—not just a privileged few.

HOW AGs GET ELECTED:

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states and Washington, D.C. The attorney general is selected by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and appointed by the governor in Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming.