Both parties are ramping up fundraising for secretary of state races, which in just a couple of years have gone from obscure down-ballot contests to high-profile races that could reshape American democracy, Axios' Lachlan Markay reports.

Why it matters: Secretaries of state are many states' chief election administrators, making them crucial to efforts to alter election rules. Former President Trump is working to game the rules in his favor — and Democrats are trying to impede him.

What's happening: Party committees focused on those races are already breaking fundraising records.

The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State plans to bring in about $15 million this cycle, people with knowledge of its strategy tell Axios.
That's more than 10 times its best-ever fundraising haul, according to campaign finance records.
Republicans are breaking their own fundraising records too.

The Republican State Leadership Committee, whose portfolio includes secretary of state races, raised $19 million for itself and an affiliated nonprofit group from January through September, RSLC said in a statement.
Much of that money will go toward state legislature elections, which is RSLC's primary mandate. But the group expects to be able to devote more resources than ever to secretary of state contests, as well.
What they're saying: "Historically, these races have been much more technocratic and election administration-based — almost apolitical, rather than partisan," DASS executive director Kim Rogers told Axios

Dems of State