As we approach the halfway mark of President Trump’s disastrous second term, candidates, the media, the political establishment, and voters are already thinking about who will follow him into the White House. And after the devastation Trump has caused, Democrats have good reason to focus on how we ensure we win the White House back in 2028. It’s a critical fight–and one we start to win by focusing on state legislatures in 2026.
As the leader of States Win, I know there are many reasons to focus on state legislatures every cycle. As we have seen since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, they can determine which rights we have, or they can take them away. They impact our schools, safety in our communities, health care, taxes, and so much more. They are also responsible for some of the rare progressive wins in the last couple of years: from New Mexico providing universal no-cost childcare to Maine covering IVF to Virginia passing family leave.
But while state legislative races can seem far removed from a presidential campaign, who we elect this cycle to those offices will have a major impact on who wins the White House.
And recent months have shown us again and again that state legislatures hold the pen in many states when it comes to congressional lines. In their recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court has effectively overturned the federal Voting Rights Act, giving state legislatures the power to undermine the impact of voters of color. In a dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan argued the decision’s consequences “are likely to be far-reaching and grave” and that in states still impacted by the Voting Rights Act, “minority voters can now be cracked out of the electoral process.”
Critically, state legislatures can make it harder or easier for people to vote, depending on who you elect. In recent years, we have seen some states limit voting by mail or early voting sites, turn election processes over to partisan actors, make it harder to register voters or make it easier to kick voters off the rolls. At the same time, other states have worked to expand voting access by extending early or mail voting time and locations, establishing state Voting Rights Acts, and making it easier to register voters. States will also be the ones to decide how they will stand up to voter intimidation, whether they want to follow Trump’s orders to turn over unredacted voter rolls, and whether they will try to stop law enforcement from being at polling sites for no reason.
Who we elect determines all of this, and state legislatures are taking action every day. According to the Brennan Center, in the first five months of 2026, nine states have enacted restrictive voting laws, while six states have enacted expansive voting laws. During the 2025-26 cycle, states have already enacted a record number of restrictive laws, passing the previous record for a full cycle in just May of 2026.
And in a presidential race that could be a toss-up, every electoral college vote matters, and states legislatures can change how electoral college votes are allocated. In the unlikely (but still possible) event of an electoral college tie, the makeup of the House determines the winner, and as we have learned, many state legislatures are willing to change those rules to suit their partisan needs.
These midterm elections represent our best and last opportunity to build progressive power at the state level before the 2028 elections. With Trump’s approval dropping to record lows and voters wanting change, Democrats have an opportunity to secure trifectas in several battleground states around the country, including Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and to make real progress in other states. But we must act now.
The road to the White House runs through state capital buildings. This cycle, we need to make sure that we have paved that road with progressive lawmakers who will do the work.
As a fellow Michigander who passed ballot petitions both for the Non Partisan Redistricting Commission, plus the Reproductive Freedom For All Amendments to the State Constitution, I have watched with horror what has been happening especially in the Bible Belt South. Or should I say the old Racist, Confederate States. The fact that the present President has fostered and pushed these policies to disenfranchise both People of Color and Women disgusts me to no end! All this to disguise the fact that he and his cronies are looting the US Treasury for their personal gain! Please vote Blue up and down the ballot from dog catcher to US Senator, so we can stop this raid at all levels of government, spearheaded by sowing hate and division, on our Rights and Dollars! We can only advance if we stick together against the Money and Power accumulated by the Billionaires and now Trillionaire!