While most of the attention on the mid-terms has been focused on House and Senate races, and to a lesser extent Governor races, there are key down-ballot positions that could help to rein in lawless neo-fascist demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump at a state level.
State attorney generals wield the power to bring cases against not only the Federal government, but against government officials who have violated State laws, including tax laws. The New York State Attorney General is looking into the Trump Organization's state tax filings, which are reportedly rife with fraud, and may bring charges in State court. Similarly, the attorney generals of Maryland and the District of Columbia have a suit pending in U.S. District Court involving Rump's violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from enriching themselves through their public positions.
Five Thirty Eight has an analysis of eight of those contests for state attorney general, from Arizona to Wisconsin, that are rated as tossups:
"Flipping any of these offices could result in even more litigation against the Trump administration. Newly minted attorneys general may find themselves adding their names to more lawsuits than filing new ones, though, given how aggressive the Democrats have already been. But this year’s elections will undoubtedly serve as a test of whether the Democrats’ strategy of attacking Trump through the courts can also help them win elections."Dems are said to focus on national races at the expense of down-ballot ones, while Rethuglicans are heavily focused on state and local races which can determine things like the shape of Congressional districts (gerrymandering) and who sits on State courts. That has to change now and going forward.
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