Start Taking Back the Supreme Court of Georgia (5/7/26)
Plus phonebanking is underway for Mary Peltola, Big Oil gets a windfall, Citizens Bank takes a hit and more
☎️ Fight corporate giveaways and voter suppression - phonebank tonight at 7PM ET to drive calls to Congress against immunity for Big Oil or textbank North Carolinians to make sure they have the info and ID they need to vote ☎️
TOO LONG, DIDN’T READ
Phonebank, postcard, canvass, signal boost, donate to help flip two seats on the Georgia Supreme Court May 19th
Phonebank to flip the U.S. Senate for Mary Peltola tonight, James Talarico Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
Overseas voters, make sure you don’t get disenfranchised! Request your ballot and get support from votefromabroad.org, find answers to your questions from the Federal Voting Assistance Program
REI union calls for a boycott of the outdoor retailer’s anniversary sale May 15-25
If you have questions, comments, and especially submissions for actions, please email us at roganslisttips@gmail.com!
THE BATTLE IS ON TO RESHAPE THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT
The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais is going to mean an intense amount of redrawing of districts over the coming years, and a lot of litigation attached to it. These battles will be fought at the state level, making control of state supreme courts that much more important.
We have a chance to shape them in Georgia in less than two weeks. Republicans are planning to redraw Peach State maps this year for 2028, and they’re currently benefiting from a GOP-dominated high court the state director of the ACLU described as “not very sympathetic to civil rights.” On May 19th, we can win two seats on it for pro-democracy progressives.
Former state senator Jen Jordan and trial attorney Miracle Rankin are trying to unseat Republican-appointed Justices Sarah Warren and Charlie Bethel. They’ve emphasized taking on corporate power and protecting voting and reproductive rights as they challenge judges who upheld a six-week abortion ban and shielded Trump from accountability for his coup. Victories by Jordan and Rankin would cut the GOP majority to 6-3 and position us to flip it just months before the 2028 presidential election.
This is the sort of low profile race where a little bit of our efforts can make a big difference – especially because party IDs will not be on the ballot to guide folks.
Here’s some ways we can help:
Phonebank to turn out voters
Postcard to turn out voters
Canvass and poll watch on the ground in Georgia
Signal boost on social media
Use these toolkits from DemCast and the Democratic Party of Georgia…
…or this voter guide from the Justice Project
Donate to the campaigns
KEY RED STATE SENATE SEATS LOOKING EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE
For those of us who are eager to get to work on the big races in November, we’ve had a lot of encouraging news recently.
State rep. James Talarico has had a weekslong head-start in Texas as incumbent Republican John Cornyn and his challenger AG Ken Paxton fight it out for the GOP nod. Polling continues to suggest he’s in strong position against either candidate – whoever wins will be viewed unfavorably by well over 40% of his own party. If the deeply corrupt, scandal-ridden Paxton is the pick, at least one major forecaster will move this race down to Lean Republican.
Meanwhile, as predicted former Congresswoman Mary Peltola’s candidacy has made the Alaska Senate race extremely competitive, with multiple polls showing her leading incumbent Dan Sullivan. She also outraised him four-to-one last quarter, which is remarkable for any challenger and should give her the resources it takes to win. She’s bringing fish, family and freedom back to Capitol Hill.
☎️ We can get to work to help both of these candidates flip the Senate right now. We can take a phonebank shift for Talarico 7-9PM ET Tuesdays and Thursdays and 11AM-2PM ET Saturdays by signing up here. And for the night owls, we can join a phonebank TONIGHT for Mary Peltola from 10PM-12AM ET/6PM-8PM AKT here. ☎️
WE PAY $4.50 A GALLON, TRUMP’S DONORS MAKE $30 MILLION EXTRA AN HOUR
The average price of gas just broke $4.50. Even if Trump’s claims of a deal aren’t nonsense, it will take months before we get significant relief. And while we’re straining our budgets, the fossil fuel industry is making bank. A Guardian analysis estimated they made more than $30 million every hour in unearned profit in just the first month of the war, and estimate they could ultimately clear more than $200 billion extra off Donald Trump’s “excursion.” Energy executives sold more than $1.4 billion in stock over that same period. It’s a fantastic return on their investment of at least $75 million to elect him in the first place, and we’re getting screwed.
It doesn’t have to be this way. If Congress wanted to, they could enact a windfall profits tax to return that money to our pockets. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who championed this idea in 2022, has introduced a bill with Rep. Ro Khanna to do just that: the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax (S.4111/H.R.7960). Activists led by Fossil Free Media are calling on our reps to step up and stop Trump’s backers from war profiteering. 🗣️ Let’s add our voices to theirs. We can find scripts and language to use here. 🗣️
A WARNING TO CITIZENS BANK EXECUTIVES
The De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition has been raising the pressure on Citizens Bank, which has provided more than half-a-billion dollars each in financing to CoreCivic and GEO Group to run concentration camps for our neighbors. They’re urging the company to end their collaboration with the deportation machine, or face depositors withdrawing their funds, and they’ve made some serious progress In bringing major institutional actors on board.
The union representing working graduate and undergraduate students at Brown University is withdrawing nearly half-a-million dollars. A group of Boston-area churches has withdrawn a million dollars worth of deposits, and is preparing to pull up to $13 million more if Citizens Bank won’t sever ties with the private prisons.
🗣️ Let’s support this effort! This week, they’re asking folks to write Citizens’ senior risk advisor Richard Stein about the danger to their brand if they keep financing ICE camps. We can or contact him at richardstein@citizensbank.com and work off this base language. 🗣️
We can learn more about this campaign and get more deeply involved here.
OVERSEAS VOTERS: DON’T GET DISENFRANCHISED
We’re deep into primary season, and November isn’t nearly as far away as MAGA makes us feel. With the Republican Party deeply committed to making it harder for people to vote absentee, Democrats living overseas should start getting prepared to cast their ballots now.
⚙️ Vote From Abroad has a tool to help us request our ballots here, and a round-up of each individual state’s rules here. If we need more support we can join their help sessions on Zoom or even schedule an individual appointment. ⚙️
⚙️ The Federal Voting Assistance Program has pulled together answers to frequently asked questions and resources for service members and civilians living overseas here. ⚙️
BOYCOTT REI MAY 15-25
Workers at the outdoor retailer REI have been negotiating for a contract for four years now, without results. Now they’re ramping up the pressure and asking us to help. REI Union has called for a boycott of the store’s anniversary sale, set from May 15-25. They’ve secured the backing of 70,000 REI co-op members. 🚫 Let’s check out this report from More Perfect Union on their efforts and pledge to respect the boycott. 🚫
👀 KEEPING AN EYE ON… 👀
NEWS: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick unable to explain reasons for visit to Epstein’s island - tell Congress to demand he resign or be removed
NEWS: DOJ searches office of Virginia senate leader, redistricting leader Louise Lucas; opens investigation into Fairfax County prosecutor for being insufficiently anti-immigrant
NEWS: Republican congresswoman introduces bill that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks
NEWS: Wired’s Molly Taft previews threatened water crises that may hit the headlines this summer
COMMENTARY: Daniel Hunter on why the May Day mobilization mattered
The Supreme Court has paused Fifth Circuit ruling attempting to cut off access to mifepristone by mail - let’s keep countering the disinformation and ensuring everyone knows how to exercise their reproductive rights
Looking for ways to get engaged in the midterms? Here’s a full list!
Upcoming fights in Congress - oppose $140 billion for ICE and CBP, $1 billion for Trump’s ballroom, a Farm Bill preserving food assistance cuts, continued warrantless wiretapping, a Trump puppet on the Fed
We can’t let anyone forget the kids in Dilley - join the #ReadThemHome campaign and organize a stuffed animal drop-off May 20th
Call on the DNC to release the full results of their 2024 election autopsy
Public Citizen identifies 446 hospitals at risk thanks to the MAGA murder budget, let’s make sure folks in our community know we’re in danger and who’s to blame
Solidarity with striking workers in Independence as they enter Week Five on the picket line, push local lawmakers to stand with them
The first rent strike in almost five decades is underway in Montana - donate to support their strike fund