Don’t freak out…
This week was jarring. A former president of the United States made the bad kind of history when he was arraigned in a New York courthouse on Tuesday. It was a lot to digest. It was messy. And it has the potential to truly test our faith in the integrity and longevity of our founding national principles.
But even while that was going on, voting and activism at the state level should give you some hope that the fundamentals of our democracy are still strong.
In Wisconsin, liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz defeated her conservative opponent by 11 points — because Wisconsin voters turned out in record numbers for an off-cycle spring election.
Like so many other elections we’ve watched play out, abortion rights loomed over this race. A poll taken last year showed that 58% of Wisconsin voters were “very concerned” about abortion rights. And they turned out to ensure their voices were heard.
In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill repealing the state’s 1931 abortion ban.
In Tennessee, more than a thousand students in the Nashville area walked out of their classrooms and headed to the state capitol, demanding stricter gun laws after the school shooting that killed three students on March 27.
So while, yes, the indictment of a former president is upsetting, I’m not freaking out about it. The work that actually keeps our democracy moving is quietly churning on. …
Keep an eye on: North Carolina Republicans
North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham announced earlier this week that she would be changing her party affiliation from blue to red.
Cotham’s party switch gives the GOP a veto-proof supermajority in the North Carolina House, which will no doubt have significant implications for abortion rights, immigration legislation, gun law changes and election rules. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will now have to try to govern without veto power, and with both chambers controlled by Republicans.
This story is one I’ll be following closely as a slew of hot button topics play out at the state level.
Some people you should know: Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson
In the wake of the Nashville school shooting, the Republican-controlled ” target=”_blank”>Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones
The GOP House speaker, called their decision to peacefully protest “at least equivalent” and “may be worse” than the insurrection.
Republicans in Tennessee tried desperately to silence these legislators. But the opposite has happened. They may have actually drawn more attention to the issue of gun violence with these outrageous calls for expulsion. Reps. Johnson, Pearson, Jones are three very eloquent leaders to watch closely as the fight for gun reform continues. You can follow them on Twitter @Justinjpearson, @brotherjones_, and @VoteGloriaJ.
Andrea Mitchell’s weekend routine:
What show are you bingeing right now?
“Succession” on HBO
What’s the last book you read?
An advance copy of “Look for Me There” by Luke Russert, which comes out on May 2
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
6:30 a.m. for tennis (when my broken foot heals)
How do you take your coffee?
Six shots of black decaf espresso (sometimes I cheat and have caffeine)
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.