Democrats aim to emulate Republicans in building state power

Progressive organizer Gaby Goldstein of the new nonprofit State Futures is trying to build a Democratic answer to the American Legislative Exchange Council, the conservative group claiming roughly 2,000 state lawmakers as members since 1973.

State Futures has worked with lawmakers on nearly 250 bills limiting federal immigration enforcement and coordinates 112 lawmakers across 35 states, while a separate older group, the State Innovation Exchange, claims about 1,800 state lawmakers across all 50 states.

ALEC's president, for his part, welcomes the imitation and notes that progressive counterparts tend to arrive with big money and little of the multi-decade institutional patience his organization built. California Assemblymember Sade Elhawary says the national party is losing the messaging war and hopes state-level organizing can fill the gap.

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