State Democrats in Texas are reportedly bringing in other Democrats from around the country to help them take a stand against Republicans, who are trying to pass very restrictive voting laws. This intensifies the fight around the country to pass the “For the People Act,” an act that celebrates voting rights and empowers voters all throughout the country.
According to CNN, more than 100 Democratic state legislators are flying to Washington D.C. for a weeklong battle with the Senate, who are currently on recess. The bill was shot down by Senate Republicans earlier this year, but Democrats from all over the country are banding together in an effort to protect voting rights.
Texas Democrat, state Rep. Trey Martinez, said in a statement, “The Big Lie has infected nearly every state legislature in the county, giving rise to a calculated and brazen assault on the freedom to vote. Texas has always been a hotbed for the worst anti-voter laws in the country, but this time it’s worse than ever.”
There have been upwards of 30 laws that have been passed around the country that make it harder to vote, and the efforts have been rampant in Texas. Just a few weeks ago, Democrats in Texas fled the state to protest a vote for a law to pass. This has since sparked a nationwide Democratic effort to protect voting rights and prevent restrictive laws from passing.
Many Democrats are seeing this week in D.C. as a last stitch effort to save voting rights, with Arizona state Rep. Daniel Hernandez said in an interview, “I think the dynamic has changed significantly just in the past couple weeks, which is why we are coming to talk to our senators in D.C. and make this case: we have tried everything at the legislative level, and this is still what is happening.”
Republicans around the country have seemed to make it their priority to pass restrictive voting laws, as a way to help their party get more members elected in the future. Democrats in the Senate have tried to make adjustments to the “For the People Act” to make it more accommodating to Republicans. However, considering the fact that not a single GOP Senator supports the bill at all, they look to be facing an uphill battle in getting it passed.
Representatives from 20 states in the country have gathered at the nation’s capital for a rally on Tuesday, aimed to highlight the need for new voting laws. There will be meetings throughout the week with lawmakers at every level of government to work to pass the “For the People Act.”
The “For the People Act” has shown the deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans, and both sides are politically motivated in either fighting for, or against, this bill. Time will tell to see if this no holds barred method will work for Democrats to get the act to pass.
