• Press Release

EMILYs List Announces $15 Million State Power Plan, Targeting Nine Key States for Building Democratic Power in 2026

January 21, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today EMILYs List is announcing its 2026 State Power Plan, a bold and dynamic plan to secure governing majorities across nine key states by recruiting, investing in, and supporting women candidates up and down the ballot. 

The $15 million plan targets nine states where building Democratic centers of power in 2026 will make an immediate impact: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. EMILYs List will also engage in state races outside of these core nine states, where Democrats have a crucial opportunity to build a backstop to Republican extremism through multi-cycle investments.

“States are an increasingly critical check on Trump and the Republican chaos coming out of Washington. Democrats need governing power in critical states to go toe-to-toe with extreme gerrymandering efforts, slashes to health care, and other fights that will directly impact voters’ lives,” said EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler. “After a clean sweep of wins across New Jersey and Virginia, EMILYs List is taking the same aggressive approach to building Democratic state majorities and veto power across the country. Democratic women are the key to securing and protecting governing power in the states.”

Over the past decade, EMILYs List has changed the face of power in states across the country. With investments of tens of millions of dollars and a strategic focus on recruiting and supporting Democratic women up and down the ballot, EMILYs List has supported over 2,300 women in their runs for state and local office.

State Power Plan Highlights

  • EMILYs List is focusing on building governing power in nine states with overlapping electoral imperatives this cycle, from electing governors, attorneys general, secretaries of state, and state legislative majorities, to winning state supreme court races that position Democratic pro-choice women to make an immediate impact and build for future cycles.

  • Races in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin represent the foundation of our work this cycle. These nine key states are places where we are already using our deep expertise and innovative tactics to recruit strong candidates and help them build strategic, winning campaigns. They are where EMILYs List investments will make the greatest impact in coming out of this cycle with governing majorities. 

  • ARIZONA: The path to turning Arizona blue has run through EMILYs List women. Two of the country’s most consequential Democratic-protect seats are in Arizona this cycle, with Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes both up for reelection. With narrow margins at the legislative level — Republicans hold a three-seat majority in the state Senate and a four-seat majority in the House — EMILYs List is recruiting and supporting women to gain seats and flip these chambers.

  • GEORGIA: With Democratic pro-choice women running for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, Georgia has the opportunity to see a real sea-change in governing power this year. We already endorsed Keisha Lance Bottoms for governor and Tanya Miller for attorney general in these must-pick-up seats. Georgia is one of the few places where Democrats picked up legislative seats in 2024, and has been a long-term investment for EMILYs List as we work to flip the state House in 2026.

  • MICHIGAN: There are no higher stakes this cycle than in Michigan. With Jocelyn Benson running for governor, open seats for all downballot executive races, Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh up for her first reelection, and control of the state Senate (Democratic-held) and state House (Republican-held) in play, 2026 is a true opportunity to build governing power in the state.

  • MINNESOTA: Minnesota comes into the 2026 election with some of the narrowest legislative margins in the country — just a one-seat majority in the state Senate and a tie in the state House. Intentional recruitment and candidate support here will be critical to securing legislative majorities. Additionally, an open governor’s seat means the stakes are even higher in Minnesota for securing Democratic governing power.

  • NEVADA: EMILYs List women have been at the heart of a decade-long effort to not just build stable legislative majorities, but also a majority-women legislature — and 2026 is a critical year to preserve those wins. At the top of the ticket, all state executive offices are up for election, and with Democratic women running for attorney general — where we have endorsed Nicole Cannizzaro — and lieutenant governor, we know women will continue to be at the center of governing power in Nevada.

  • NEW MEXICO: Over the past decade, EMILYs List has worked hard to build a Democratic pro-choice trifecta and a majority-women legislature in the state. With that foundation, we are focused on electing Deb Haaland as New Mexico’s next governor to continue delivering meaningful results for New Mexicans.

  • NORTH CAROLINA: Reelecting Justice Anita Earls is a top priority in this state as we work to build a progressive majority on the state supreme court in 2028. At the state legislative level, Democratic women will be at the center of efforts to break the Republican supermajority in the state Senate and hold that veto power in the state House. EMILYs List remains committed to multi-cycle work in this critical state in 2026 and 2028.

  • PENNSYLVANIA: Fresh off a resounding win for progressive justices in the 2025 state supreme court races, Democrats are positioned to expand our one-seat majority in the state House and make gains in the state Senate, giving Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor a crucial legislative partnership in this battleground state. Our work in 2026 builds on years of focused efforts in the Commonwealth and is crucial ahead of key races here in 2028.

  • WISCONSIN: In 2026, Democrats will need to protect open governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state seats and can flip another seat on the state supreme court. Because of the fair legislative maps approved by a newly progressive state supreme court, we have a real shot at flipping the state Senate and state Assembly — delivering governing power to Democrats in Wisconsin for the first time since 2008.

  • In addition to securing Democratic centers of power that make an immediate impact, EMILYs List will take the offensive in other state races to build a backstop to Republican extremism. That includes: holding onto a governing coalition in the Alaska House; breaking the Republican supermajority in the Kansas House; preventing a Republican supermajority in the Nebraska Senate; flipping both chambers in New Hampshire’s state Legislature; and flipping state supreme court seats in states like Ohio, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Montana.

  • Unlike most organizations, we are engaged with women running for these key state and local races on day one. As campaigns scale up, EMILYs List is in the weeds as they build a fundraising network, develop media strategies, fill budget gaps, and prepare for debates. Throughout the campaign, EMILYs List taps into our community to help candidates raise resources and to build a profile online, with the press, and in donor networks. And we step up to meet the challenges as they arise.

  • We know that the key to winning in 2026 will be a dynamic approach to this work, one in which we will continually evaluate and examine places and races where we have real opportunities to achieve governing power in November 2026. 

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