The Politics Thread

[Darcy]

Very large amounts (millions in each state) of mostly Democratic votes have not been counted yet in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.  He only needs to win two of the three.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Darcy

[Vee]

LMAOOOO

 

 

[Juliajms]

Thank you, Carl. I'm just glad to know that not everyone in Nebraska is snowed by that conman.

 

I've joined a campaign for city council. We're trying to get a woman elected who actually believes in science. As you've said sometimes it's the state and local government that means more. I think that's especially true out here in red fly over country.

[Vee]

NV just turned blue.

[Juliajms]

I think I'm the opposite. I don't know if I could have made it through the last four years if I didn't believe we would repudiate Trumpisim. We definitely have not done that, in terms of the Senate. We also elected some real crackpots to the House (as usual). I guess I just do better when I have, hope even if there is a let down later.

[Vee]

I wanted a landslide too. But doomposting just bc we don't get one or get the entire nation blinking sleep dust out of their eyes and saying 'what happened? how could we vote for him?' is just not fair or realistic. They're never going to do that. Their mentalities are not wired to accept that. This is an ongoing problem we were dealing with even before Trump, and it would always be here long after. This is a generation project. Our country has made a lot of horrible mistakes and done a lot of terrible things, but we've also done good. We've crawled out of dark places step by step before, and if we win here this will be no different. Even if we don't, there will be a lot of people still out there fighting.

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by Vee

[DRW50]

 

I think it's important to have some hope but I feel like some people got too caught up in romanticism and trying to send a message when it often leads to a lot of hubris. I'm glad that Biden's campaign never really did this - win or lose I think they mostly focused on the right places. I know one could argue if they had done more in Texas and with the Hispanic vote they would have won, but I think it was just too much of a reach. 

 

In terms of the Senate, I don't think people were wrong to try to expand the map and to push Republicans - it probably helped keep Colorado and Arizona flipping and also likely helped Gary Peters (if he wins) - but I think hopes got so high for romanticism and turning the page on a broken country that does not even know what page it wants to turn to, and that meant a lot of despair which may hurt us in these coming weeks, in the Georgia runoff(s) or in further waiting out of the Presidential results. 

 

I also wonder if some in the party took their eye off the ball with the House, based on some of the losses in Florida and in rural districts, but maybe those were always unavoidable given the results this year.

[Vee]

 

Trump is about to speak. The networks are warning he will lie and try to claim victory and has no standing to do so.  I won't be watching; I'm taking a break to play Fall Guys while watching the results all night.

 

Hang in there.

 

Reid on MSNBC saying Dems in key states "remarkably calm," expecting these results. This was the plan, Wallace says.

 

I know some people are heartbroken about not wiping him out as a statement, and possibly not taking the Senate, but we've always had two steps forward, two steps back (or in last cycle's case, one hundred steps back). It's not what I want - I'm still holding out hope for a thin Senate majority - but if we take it it will do for starting to repair the horrible trauma and damage to the country. And if we don't, well, we're alive.

[DRW50]

If anyone ever wants the real scoop on Nevada, which got a lot of handwringing from various pundits and thinkpiece types in recent months, you'll usually get it from Jon Ralston. The concerns about the Hispanic vote are valid, short and long-term, in many states, but for now it seems like the coalition Harry Reid spent so many years building has held up.

 

Speaking of the Hispanic vote, I saw this from Matthew Dowd (not a fan of the man, but he does know how this works):

 

 

[Wendy]

And to add more drama, the GOP so far has flipped 3 House seats (with Dems flipping 2). But reading the map, it looks like a lot of projected GOP winners, unless I am premature.

 

But God, I hope the House is not also in play for Republicans.

 

Trump claiming victory in GA, but Nate Silver says no, not yet. Not called and outstanding votes yet to be counted are Dem leaning.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Wendy

[Vee]

They're not going to take the House.

[Wendy]

 

[AdelaideCate007]

This speech from Trump is low key insane wtf.

[Vee]

 

 

[DRW50]

 

The Democrats had enough padding to probably keep the House, although projections of gaining up to a dozen seats from some quarters were clearly off. I think people really underestimated how much the rural vote and how much red state turnout would help the GOP. It's sad because some of those who lost, like Joe Cunningham or Kendra Horn, were very qualified and genuinely cared about the people in their districts. And there are probably still a few more losses to come. 

 

As for Georgia, Brian Kemp will probably steal it, but I'm surprised it's that close. I am also a little surprised at how much Ossoff tends to underperform (although he isn't entirely out). I wonder how much may be down to anti-Semitism.