At the time of writing, we don’t know who took control of the house, although it looks like the Republicans have it. We don’t know who took control of the Senate, and may not until December. Georgia looks like it’s going to a runoff, and that might decide the control of the Senate.
What we DO know is that there were some winners and some losers, and some things that are absolutely unfathomable.
Winners: DeSantis, Florida, and Michael Lawler lead this list.
DeSantis absolutely creamed his opponent, and in doing so made himself a force to be reckoned with nationally, especially when compared to the losers we’ll talk about in a minute.
Florida made their desires very clear, and there were no “mixed signals” to be had. There are no Democrats in a statewide office anywhere in the state for the first time since Reconstruction. If that isn’t a statement, in a state that has been considered a “swing state” all my life, I’m not sure what is.
Michael Lawler, who beat the incumbent Patrick Maloney (chair of the DNC Campaign Committee, in other words, the guy who was the head strategist for the DNC this campaign.) in NEW YORK.
I’ll also include Patty Murray, now the longest-serving senator in history though it pains me to say it. She ran an ugly campaign, a smear campaign, and it worked for her.
Georgia’s Brian Kemp brutalized Stacey Abrams, and Greg Abbott did the same to Beto O’Rourke.
Losers: Trump, Beto O’Rourke, Stacey Abrams, Charlie Crist, The Democratic Party, The Republican Party, and Arizona lead this list.
President Trump: believed that his Seal of Approval was all that a politician needed to get elected, and the primaries seemed to show him to be right. His kiss was a near guarantee of success in the primaries and caucuses.
The problem with that, as has been observed, again and again, is that the primaries select the most partisan choice, and lately (for the last three election cycles at least) the Democratic party has actively supported the most radical Republican candidates with money, thinking that they will be easier to beat. Case in point: Mehmet Oz.
Donnie, (may I call you Donnie? Too bad, gonna do it anyway.) Do your nation a favor, do your party a favor, do the world a favor, and get out of politics. You had some really good ideas. You did some really good things. But dude, you’re a poison pill at this point.
You’re Richard Nixon.
You are SO fucking hated by about half the nation, that if you are involved in any way, shape, or form, the election or the debate ceases to be about the issues, and becomes about YOU. Be as smart as Nixon, and get out of politics.
Beto O’Rourke: how many elections in rapid succession do you have to get stomped in before you understand that you are the absolute opposite of what most people want?
Dude, you’re the new Ralph Nader, the new Eugene V. Debbs. Do us all a favor and go the fuck away, or if you MUST stay in politics, move to fucking California, where they elect people like you. And while you’re at it, please take the next name on the list.
Stacey Abrams: another perennial loser. Stacey, it’s not us, no matter what you keep saying, it’s YOU.
You’re toxic, even more toxic than Donnie.
Not because you’re black (Obama should have proven that, or Summer Lee who just won in PA) or because you’re female, (any number of senators, including several that I love to hate, are female) or because you’re fat, (that’s never been a problem in the Senate) in spite of what several newspapers have tried to claim.
It’s because every single thing you say is either wrong or a lie, (or both) and always hateful and spite filled. Seriously, go be a pundit somewhere, there’s always a market for hate and spite there, you just have to find the right venue. Hell, come to work with me, here at Burn the Boats, I would love to have a regular chew toy to make a fool of.
Charlie Crist: Wow, the only person ever to lose a state-wide election as a Democrat, an Independent, and a Republican.
Slow Clap.
Well done, sir. That is a record that may stand forever.
Dude, your state has your number. If they didn’t when you were a disaster as a governor, they did by the time you resigned from the 13th District Congressman seat to take yet another run at the Gubernatorial seat, a position you’ve lost elections for twice now. It’s time to ride off into the sunset and go play with your grandkids before you become a laughingstock like Hillary.
The Democratic Party and The Republican Party: Yes, both of them were losers albeit for different reasons.
The Democrats, because they really could have kept several seats that they lost, if they had run a different campaign. The trouble is, all they had was “we hate Trump, and all these guys look like Trump.” Well, that got you through this election without losing nearly as many seats as expected, but that’s not something you can play going forward unless Donnie ignores the results of this election, and tries to run again… Even then it probably won’t help you because I don’t think he’ll win the nomination. I suspect DeSantis or Kemp will get the nod.
The Republicans, because they SHOULD have taken it all. With the exception of some places where there’s some serious chicanery, they could have taken it all, if only they had run good candidates.
Both parties need to understand that the day of the straight party ticket is over. That ship sailed, got 500 yards out into the harbor, rolled over, and sank like a stone. (Bonus points if you know what ship that actually happened to.)
You can’t run idiots and win as a Republican.
You can’t run while just assuming your old base is still going to vote for you no matter what, and win as a Democrat.
Both of you need to understand that THERE IS NO OVERWHELMING MANDATE HERE. Let me say that again. There is no large majority in this nation on either side!
So, I would suggest that nobody tries to push their wants, needs, and desires down the nation’s throats as if they have enough supporters to just overwhelm their opponents. This country is deeply divided, and if you push too hard it’s going to break. That’s a warning to BOTH sides.
The Hispanic vote is up for grabs, the Black vote is starting to be up for grabs, and the Female vote is starting to shift too. People are looking around and saying “hey, just because daddy always voted for the Democrats doesn’t mean I should, what have they done to improve my lot in life?
Where the Republicans ran on competence and stability, they won (except in AZ, I’ll get to that.) Where they ran idiots whose only claim to fame is Qanon conspiracy shit, they got beat. For the love of Gods, please learn from this. Especially if you’re running against an incumbent, you better have your shit together, and you better not be in a place where the fix is in. If you insist on running people like Oz, and Hershel Walker, it makes winning a LOT harder.
And speaking of “the Fix” there’s Arizona. The person in charge of voting in AZ is the Secretary of State. That person appears to have just won the governorship. Funny thing, the new Governor (or at least Governor apparent, she may still lose, if they can’t cheat enough) Katie Hobbs, can’t seem to run an election without irregularities. It seems that the voting machines in the most populous county in AZ (Maricopa) had broken and had to be taken offline and “fixed.” Uh… It may be innocent, but it sure LOOKS shady. I would be asking the AG’s office to look at it, but considering who our AG is at the federal level, well, you might as well ask Mr. Fox to look into the missing chickens. IDK, maybe it’s the proximity to CA, but AZ lost big last night, no matter how the election results that are still in question turn out.
Now, to the unfathomable. John Fetterman.
Pennsylvania, really???
If ever there was a case for election day as a national holiday, and no vote by mail, vote by phone, or any other bullshit, (unless you’re deployed, or in a hospital bed) this is it.
A vast number of votes (what percentage I don’t have an answer to) were cast before Fetterman did his one and only debate, and that may have influenced the vote.
That said, I can come up with no reason other than blatant cheating for someone who is as incompetent and as brain-damaged as Fetterman to win an election. My Gods, this guy makes BIDEN sound intelligent. Seriously, he wasn’t an intellectual giant before the stroke, but now? I’m not sure the dude knows how to tie his shoes, and you’re going to make him one of the 135 most powerful men in Washington? (100 senators, the president, the V.P. 24 cabinet members, and 9 Supreme Court Justices.)
Look Oz is a little loony, he was not the best, or second best, OK he wasn’t in the top ten, choices to send to the Senate. But I would sooner send Greta Thunberg (and you have to know me to know the depth of loathing I feel for that poster child against inbreeding) to the Senate than Fetterman.
I fear that it’s liable to get sporty out sooner rather than later. As RAH and more recently Sara Hoyt has said repeatedly, keep your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.
Very good! We saw the Vasa a couple years ago. Not only was Yoke not set, which is what put her on the bottom, but when she got knocked over the ballast shifted because they didn’t have battens to hold it in place. The lowest gun deck was too low, when she heeled over and the ballast shifted, she took in water through the lowest gun ports. From there it was a chain reaction. Sank in under two minutes.
That’ll be the Vasa. I bet they did not have Material Condition Yoke set.
The whole Fetterman story reeks of the students crowning Quasimodo.
Very good! We saw the Vasa a couple years ago. Not only was Yoke not set, which is what put her on the bottom, but when she got knocked over the ballast shifted because they didn’t have battens to hold it in place. The lowest gun deck was too low, when she heeled over and the ballast shifted, she took in water through the lowest gun ports. From there it was a chain reaction. Sank in under two minutes.
Haha!,
13:02 “Now set the sea and anchor detail”.
13:04 “All hands lay to your abandon ship station”.