Fear, anger and racism did not help you trump. In fact, it cost you the House.
2
Why is everyone missing what may very well be the biggest win of the night for democracy? Floridians passed Proposition 4 and restored voting rights to 1.5 million felons who had served their time.
In Florida those votes, which are more likely to be Democrat, will move the state into the blue side of purple. This may be a key in the 2020 presidential election and again in 2020 when the governor and a senator are on the ballot again.
Democrats should move in many states to restore voting rights where the laws that are intended to suppress voting are still in effect.
Maybe Crayola should make more blue crayons for the next few years.
1
Yes, it was indeed a good night for our democracy! Think about it. We flipped 7 governors' seats, and one to a Democrat and woman..in Kansas. Who would have thought? Although I am saddened by the loss of our Party's senate seats in North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, and probably Florida, we gained one in Nevada...a Democrat and a woman. And the House. I can finally say it, "The glorious House." So many more women, including two Muslims and two Native Americans. It has become a reflection of what a true democracy is all about...diversity. It is a rich tapestry, different parts woven together to create something beautiful. We can do this again in 2020. We can get the Big Prize. It's right there. It just takes a lot of hard work, but I'm willing. Meanwhile, let us at least take a few days to bask in the achievements of our elected candidates, and us. We deserve it.
4
Good grief...the Dems went from a Blue Wave to the historical midterm average of lost seats for the party in power...and losses in the Senate. Just imagine where the Dems would be if they didn't have an attack dog press and a bogus Russia Collusion investigation going on...
1
By and large, during modern times-primarily since the 1970's, Democrats have been the party of truth tellers-perfect?, no, who is?
But increasingly, the Republican Party has turned to lying when they need to get their point across.
Even in the face of their lying being denounced through objective fact-checking they simply claim those results are 'Fake News'. And they get away with it because they know their sycophant followers will go along with the charade.
4
The author may know a lot about politics, but not so much about government.
"The bumbling, exasperating Democratic Party claws back one branch of government."
No, the House is not a branch of government. It is one half of a branch, i.e. Congress, and less than the Senate actually. The Democrats now control less than 1/6 is the federal government.
Worse yet is the author's prediction that Trump will try to replace Justice Thomas. How exactly do you replace a Supreme Court Justice with a lifetime appointment! You don't. And why would Trump want to replace a reliably conservative Justice?
These are disappointing errors of fact from an acclaimed "historian." I expect more from the NYT.
2
best commentary thus far. - my musings precisely stated. What has Nancy Pelosi done to harm anyone, except be an effective leader? (only men can be leaders?) Why do Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez have to be considered as polar opposites, and not sisters working to make our country better? ( and to learn from each other) And why do we always have to listen to the MAGAers and not the other way around?
3
“… we have all been told, over and over again, by one expert after another from nearly every possible spot on the political spectrum that none of us must ever, ever talk down to these, our fellow Americans …”
The condescension of liberal elites toward heartland America is much exaggerated. A lot of it is projection, which doesn't make it less exploitable politically. I’ve lived in the South (albeit one of its more progressive enclaves) for nearly 50 years. Some of my neighbors, all decent people, have been from rural backgrounds, and I’ve found there are moments when they’re almost apologetic about the homegrown shibboleths that separate them from liberal America. Like many of us, they hanker for the lost world they grew up in and resent having to accommodate to rapid change. It feels too much like compulsion. At the same time, they, too, have absorbed the upbeat American narrative, and they know in their hearts they (or their grandchildren) could be part of a more humane, less parochial society. Imagine, then, the liberating effect of a Donald Trump, the New York billionaire who tells them he loves them just the way they are, channels their rage and resentment, validates their prejudices, and supplies a multi-headed scapegoat in the form of swarthy alien invaders financed by George Soros and cheered on by snooty media elitists.
2
I haven’t seen anyone make the obvious point: Democrats don’t have an unassailable majority in the House. The Democrats who won against Republicans are for the most part centrists, often in Republican leaning districts. They will not rubber stamp every attempt to obstruct the Republican agenda. The Republicans in the Senate on the other hand are likely to be a solid bloc because the President has largely won them over by supporting their primary goals. The best that House Democrats can do is obstruct just enough to not invoke strong voter backlash against the perceived obstructionists. Given how energized the Democrats were this is pretty blah showing.
2
Actually, Democrats won a lot more than nothing. Not only did they take back the House, they also came close to winning once ironclad Republican seats in the Senate, in Texas and elsewhere. They took several governorships, some in previously red states.
Let's not give faint praise. Given the vitriol from Trump, and perhaps in part because of it, Democrats did well in these midterms. Give credit where it's due.
4
It’s not nothing, but it’s close to it. Some of these new Democratic seats are in conservative leaning districts. Those Reps have a fine line to walk if they hope to be re-elected in 2 years. Further, some of these Democrats can be easily bribed, for instance, by letting them fly on Air Force One, like Obama did with Kucinich. So, Trump is still positioned to do well even with this slight shift in power.
Thanks for this. I’ve been telling my friends that any other President in this economy would have easily kept the House. And the Senate was a Sisyphean challenge—the fact that most of those races were so close may not be a balm in defeart, but it is very hopeful.
10
This opportunity is now for the Democrats to mess up. Have they grown the necessary spine to stand up to Republicans rather than simply wait for Trump to implode on his own? Have they realized that they need to represent the people rather than their donors? Are they smart enough to focus on the right issues and to craft an effective message with a better vision than the myopic one they ran one in 2016? And will they come up with a fresh candidate 2020 that appeals to the broad spectrum of Democrats, or will they fall back on the aging centrist stockpile that got us to where we are today?
5
The Mueller probe is effectively dead. Even if Mueller is not fired his scope will ve reigned in so as to be meaningless, and he will be de-funded.
It's too bad. It would be good for the republic if Mueller's work could continue unimpeded to full resolution. Then at least we would have the truth. This kind of investigation, left incomplete, is the kind of thing that will spawn future conspiracy theories and distrust of institutions for generations to come.
The Trump adminiatration is the beginning of the end od our republic. It is just a matter if time at this point.
1
We have seen the future--and it is Beto, Stacey and Andrew. I want the America they embody. Eye on the prize, boots on the ground. On Marche!
15
I never thought I'd be quoting Mitch Mc Connell, but here goes.
" The party that wins gets to govern. Every one else gets to go home."
Let's celebrate the win. We won the House. We get a chance to govern.
12
No more than a chance. it's gridlock now for two years while the Republicans fill the federal court with right wing lifetime judges.
Good grief! The President calls yesterday a big victory; this writer thinks not very much was accomplished by the Dems.
So weird. This is a day to celebrate for the Dems. They took back the House by a substantial margin. They won key Governorships. I cannot figure out why the Dems cannot celebrate the win. They did well.
Two days from now, they should figure out how to do even better. That is all.
26
On a runaway train, a mechanical regulator, called a “governor,” prevents it from speeding into deadly wreckage.
There was no governor on President Trump’s first two years. The United States raced (in every sense of that word) towards the destruction of our 222-year-old democracy (most historians date it from the farewell address of George Washington marking our nation’s first peaceful transfer of power in 1796).
Thanks to the mid-term elections, a governor is now in place: a Democratic House of Representatives. The system works.
9
Refreshing to hear from someone who recognizes the seriousness of the situation without shouting that the sky is falling. But then I'd expect nothing less from Mr. Baker.
6
Congratulations to Nancy Pelosi. You are Fabulous!!!
11
Democratic controlled House, Mueller report and New York state AG will pull the curtain back on Trump to show us any wrong doings. No longer protected by a fawning GOP controlled House coupled with investigative journalism exploring issues exposed by Mueller and the House. 2020 is a long way away and Trump can only absorb so much negative exposure that he cannot lie his way out of even with FOX/Trump State TV spinning away clear facts and documents along with grand jury indictments.
7
One result of the Nov. 6 Congressional elections will be a likely stalemate between Trump and the House. Good. That will prevent Trump from trying to implement any more of his off the wall (or build the wall) proposals. I'm so happy about this I'm thinking of contacting long time Guitarist Phil Lesh and suggesting that he form an updated version of his old band and give it a new name - The Grateful Deadlock.
9
I support the Democrats as a check on Republican fascism. However, I am waiting to hear a concise plan on what Democrats will do about immigration, border security, and the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in America today. At some point we must logically control our borders. There are more countries - with citizens - in the world that qualify as failed or repressive than we can accommodate. So once again I say the Republicans have a plan that is repugnant but do the Democrats have a plan?
7
@KEOBDemocrats have advanced at least two plans for immigration reform in the recent past. Republicans didn't even acknowledged them.
4
I know Trump listens to no one ---but, over and over again, he is turning winning hands into folding hands. If he had disappeared or become boring in reciting great economic numbers, he could have calmed down some stay at home democrats. But no, he had to go out get those democrats off the couch and into a voting booth. Even now, he has vast opportunities to broadened his base and position himself well for 2020---call up Nancy and Chuck, have them over with Mitch---and say, hey, let's put aside are obvious disagreements and see what kinds of legislation we can agree upon---with the Republicans having no problems with deficits--there are so many areas--health care, infrastructure, student loans, etc.---that both parties could get behind and pass. But no, Trump is not built like that, and thus, he will continue on his hate/racism filled tour which will lay the groundwork for his demise in 2020.
4
Winning the House is a start, but we need much more if we are to end the insanity of this world. If we are to end the wars, starvation, and other unnecessary ills caused by humans, there needs to be a paradigm shift in human thought worldwide.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer, which will give us the ability to learn what we do to ourselves with our ridiculous beliefs and manufactured values. The computer mind will be based on a "survival" algorithm and will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our beliefs about just exactly what is supposed to survive - producing a mind programmed de facto for destruction. When we come to understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity. See RevolutionOfReason.com
The best analysis of the election I've read so far, with one exception: impeachment not on the table.
Whut?
Fact is, we don't know yet what is clearly being hidden by the guy and his toadies. So how can you rule it out?
Also, are you saying a Democratic House shouldn't impeach the guy because it couldn't get the votes in a Senate trial for removal? That's exactly the sort of thinking that got the Democratic party in this mess to begin with. For even if a Senate trial falls short, if the evidence is sufficiently bad, we can tie those Rep votes to the senators come 2020.
Finally, jeopardy does not attach to a Senate trial that the guy wins. If further evidence emerges, and it is even worse, and things are bad enough, we can try again. Why not?
So impeachment is definitely not off the table, or shouldn't be. It all depends. Ruling it out beforehand is just stupid.
5
@Phillip Wynn Impeachment just means replacing Beelzebub with Satan.
You are a historian, so why didn't you place this in context of what the Republicans did to American democracy in 2010, specifically in regards to the House? We all should understand what just happened and why it "The Map" means that what Democrats just accomplished in the House is arguably the greatest tsunami in the history of American politics because it was supposed to be impossible for the Democrats to take the House by even a single seat. You can't tell the story of what happened in 2018 without realizing that the actual redrawing of the American political map by Republicans in 2010 should have totally destroyed representative American democracy.
Republicans, after losing to President Obama, perverted the 2010 census and turned a demographic disaster into Republican legislative majorities considered so unassailable that analysts universally said that Republican victories were assured until after the 2020 census. The new Republican mapping technologies were so precise that they totally resegregated all Americans, creating congressional districts where only a Republican further to the right could win.
So Democrats won despite having both hands tied behind their backs, lead weights on their legs, and being thrown in the river. It was a feat worthy of Houdini which had to be performed simultaneously hundreds of times all over the US. Yet they did it. The Republicans by cheating made winning impossible, yet Democrats won, and they lost.
35
In fact, "winning the house" is worse than nothing. It is worse because these Democrats can't accomplish anything substantive in the face of Republican opposition, regardless of which party has a majority in which house.
During Obama's first term, the Democrats allowed the Republican minorities to effectively and successfully control the legislative agenda in both houses - thanks in small part to the Blue Dog Democrats, and in large part to garden-variety incompetence.
Even Obamacare, supposedly some sort of victory for the Democrats, lacked the public plan and imposed fines on the uninsured. The Republicans wanted that version of the bill. The submissive house and senate majorities obeyed.
Thus Obamacare is useless, especially with those fines - which were eventually removed by Trump and the Republicans, who became "the good guys" for fixing the problem of the fines that they themselves originally endorsed.
So now the Democrats have a majority in the house. So what?
Even if the House Democrats somehow managed to impeach Trump without seriously compromising what little is left of unity in this country, the Republican-controlled Senate trial would be presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - which the Republicans dominate virtually unopposed now, thanks also to Democratic blundering.
Indeed, "winning the house" is equivalent to worse than nothing with these pathetic Democrats.
2
@Ben Alcobra: " 'Winning the house' is equivalent to worse than nothing with these pathetic Democrats."
Dead wrong. To be sure the Dems make plenty of missteps, but here's why this win is huge: 1) the judiciary committee can resume course w/subpoena power re Russia, 2016 election; 2) the ethics committee can reign in this administration on any number of violations; 3) the Mueller report will be made public, NOT buried as it surely would be if Repubs had retained control; 4) ACA will be protected from further erosion/ expansion of Medicare can proceed for the benefit of tens of millions of our fellow citizens; 5) see Robert B above, who provides context for why this win despite Repub gerrymandering is exceptional --you get where I'm going with all this?
3
The lesson of this election: the Republican Party is a sanctuary for racists and bigots. Any other explanation for the results is secondary. I find very little comfort in the results. Trump will double down on what has worked for him.
7
Now lets get those House subpoenas issued and get the truth out about the treason Trump and his ilk are perpetrating!
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
3
“Mr. Trump has magic about him. He has magic coming out of his ears.”
Fake quote! Trump forgot to correct it to “out of his whatever.”
2
I see that 45 is extolling Pelosi as Speaker of the House: Dems beware... She is a catalyst for ill-informed Repubs hate of the Dems. Please replace her ASAP so we can enter a new era of Democratic revival: out with the old, in with the new...
5
@chuck greene
Nancy Pelosi knows how to get legislation through, arguably better than any polito in decades. Dems need to support her rather than parroting talking points from the Repub playbook, demonizing her as a matter of course. Sure, she's part of the old guard, and damn good at her job.
5
@Debi There's no left wing legislation to "get through". Dems lost more seats in the Senate and president won't sign anything passed by a Pelosi House anyway.
2
@Derek Muller
If congressional Dems are clever, the legislation they would push would focus on the primary issue Cook et al have said voters care about: health care. Nancy Pelosi would bring home the votes to pass a bill restoring ACA provisions obliterated by Repubs over the past two years. Nothing "left wing" about that.
1
And let's not forget to give a shout out to Stormy Daniels and the other women who have sued Trump. Calling out Trump on his despicable treatment of women had the effect of disgusting enough white, suburban women who normally vote Republican into voting for the Democrats.
7
At least where I live, I needn't bother talking down to Trump supporters. They already know who they are. They don't usually advertise their association in polite company. Openly supporting Trump in my neighborhood is the rough equivalent of wearing a swastika on your arm. You don't want to be that guy. Just keep your opinions to yourself. Without any admonition, the Trump crowd got the message.
I don't think I can demonstrate a better admission of guilt. They know Trump is a terrible person. Otherwise, why would you feel shame in front of your neighbors? It's not like anyone is going to throw rotten vegetables at you. We live together. However, everyone recognizes a Trump sign on the front lawn means you hate one of your neighbors. You simply don't have the courage to say so to their face.
So we don't see any Trump signs . . .
9
so, even in crimson Utah, the divide between the urban areas and the rural districts is plain to see: Trump is banking on floating along on this cool to cold Civil War he's encouraged between rural America and the wretched refuse our our teeming cities and suburbs.
Please Democrats. Seize this moment to put great legislation in front of the president*. Let Meuller do his job. Stop trying to be the moral center of a country that has clearly pushed morality out of politics. Be pragmatic. Trump may actually sign some of what you give him. He may actually push back against the McConnel pirates in the Senate, especially if it makes him look good. Pence won't work with you, I can guarantee that. I would rather live in Trumps den of sin than Pence's Taliban.
5
Everyone knew (and knows) that the last stranglehold of old white men on this country would not be easily loosened. It's easy to feel despair this morning, yes. But these people have been in control since the founding of the country. They are desperate and pushed against the wall - they will not go down without a massive struggle. We will be lucky if we can contain the violence. So ... let's count our blessings this morning.
7
Winning the House Is Nothing
@Nreb - would you be saying that if the GOP had held onto it? I very much doubt it.
4
That Adam Shiff will now sit in the place of Nunes on the intelligence committee does give me so peace.
That republicans still control the Senate tells me we are still Dumnassistan not the United States.
That Steve King is still in congress is a disgrace.
Is it really going to take him shooting somebody on 5th Avenue to get so many of our fellow citizens to shake themselves out of this fantasy that they are winning?
5
The bumbling Democratic Party? How is it that a Republican Party that has gone completely off the rails, ceased even pretending not to be racist, misogynist, and only interested in money and power at any cost to the country, has zero positive accomplishments over the last decade, and has been easily split into factions supported by warring billionaires is not bumbling? The only adhesives holding the Republican Party together mindless fear, anger and hate.
8
It's now 70 years since a local lad hung a piece of election literature around my dog's neck, and ushered me into politics. So I'm able to take a long view. Change came to America yesterday. That fact is not lost on Trump who may now set about locking down the white nationalist grip on power. We must all be ready to urge the House on, and support them in the protection of democracy. Yes, the DP is increasingly "..the party of immigrants and (however belatedly) the party of people of color... the party of inclusion...in the face of relentless demagoguery and racism..." In my lifetime, the population of America increased by about 200 million. No point in judging all the newcomers by voting patterns of yesteryear. Better to stay in touch with the real world and what all the people actually want--and deserve. We do not deserve a medieval white-power enclave. We deserve a land of high purpose and joyful hope--which are beyond the ken of Trump and McConnell.
6
The House is a minor victory-
The Senate is where the real power is....
1
Lets see
gerrymandering
obvlous voter suppression
closed and moved polling places
voting equipment failures
Long lines at polling places
This would be be seen as a major problem in any emerging nations election but somehow its just par for the course here. Democrats went into this election hog tied and were still able to put some heat on Ruspublican butt.
7
My roommate always washes the dishes and I never wash the dishes, until my roommate goes out of town, and I wash the dishes.
If a political San Andreas Fault (on both coasts) DID divide us PEACEFULLY into two nations, would each nation re-grow the bloodlessly-amputated political limb?
My question is prompted by Mr. Baker’s description of the sullen mood in his polling place, where ultra-blue raging bulls had only flimsy red paper matadors to charge, as the real election (the primary) was already over. In my cursory reading of NYT’s election map New York is the only state with any districts over 90% blue. If I were a crook or a plutocrat I wouldn’t sit around waiting for the GOP to retake Gotham.
Likewise, in the heartland might we gradually witness the evolution (the WHAT?! - when I was a kid there, few of us doubted Darwin) of “pink-necks?” Maybe the only thing we have to fight about is conflict itself. FDR was right. We should all clear out of town now and then.
Random bits:
“Have no doubt about it…” – a last-minute dilution of the more aggressive “Make no mistake…” which I so tired of hearing from GWB?
“…and no TV show is on every night” – this from a newsman?
Respectfully, Mr Baker, anything less would have been - to borrow from Mr Churchill - the "end of the beginning" of the end of America, as this observer - who 'tho 4 at the time, recalls VE Day - has known it.
To be specific, that Beginning being the three plus years since PT began seeking the presidency in 2015.
1
@Jethro Pen, Please also remember that the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slowly but they grind exceedingly fine.
1
@cdd thanks! You probably know there's an O'Henry (I think) short story based on the principle you've cited entitled "They Grind Exceeding Small."
1
trump will not take the advice of keeping a low profile, of staying quiet. He can't. He only exist if he has an audience. Its the trump show - all trump all the time. He should remember that every show gets canceled, every act becomes boring.
10
@sjs Agree. His inability to keep a low profile is less about politics and more about his narcissistic personality disorder. Wouldn't matter what his political affiliation is. In every situation, it's all about him.
3
Gee, great, ‘not nothing!’
I guess the last gasp of White privilege is going to take a while.
We do see that our country is coming around. As much as Trump likes exposure, he’s fast approaching a ‘too much of a good thing’ tipping point as his fans become sated and his faults begin to show.
Dems should ignore Trump’s base. Don’t antagonize these folks and don’t try to convert them. Just offer solid, practical, progressive policies and programs that will materially affect folks in the flyover states and improve their lives. The Trump phenomenon will die away as Trump is found out and seen for the phony and the failure that he is, a process Dems are now in a position to facilitate.
11
@jamiebaldwin I think it would be helpful if those whom Trump has designated as the "eastern elites" would stop referring to people between the coasts as the "folks in the flyover states." My state has been blue before and many of us are fighting to make sure that it becomes blue again. While we had disappointing results yesterday in many respects, both formerly Republican Ohio Supreme Court seats were won by Democrats, the Governor's race was closer than anticipated, and we returned one of the best, lifelong progressive senators, Sherrod Brown, for another term. Patronizing comments are not the way to help us accomplish our shared goals.
The under reported new voters in Florida for 2020 should be the death knell for republicans moving forward. One vote in that state determined republicans now have a shelf life of about 2 years....
6
All those voices braying in the distance about how last night's election didn't constitute a Blue Wave because the Democrats didn't win the Senate are forgetting two things: 1) They won the House and 2) Just how close they came to actually winning the Senate.
They're also forgetting how every gerrymandering and vote-eliminating act Republicans used in order to maintain their control in rural districts and overwhelmingly communities of color resulted in their victories.
And if that's not "bumbling" and "exasperating" -- then nothing is.
11
Right. Sometimes things work slowly. This year the House turns power to the Democrats and in two years the Senate will flip to the Democrats against all the Republicans Senators who vote not to confirm the impeachment voted on by the House sometime within next year.
10
Well, not the outcome I was hoping for, but it's something. As far as checking Trump, let's not forget Mr. Mueller. Assuming Trump doesn't quash it, his investigation may be the thing that takes Trump down.
It's going to be a long slog back to normalcy, but fixing gerrymandering is the priority, and there are now more Dem governors than there were on Monday. And FLA may have not gone the way we wanted, but 1 million more ex-felons will now be able to vote. That's also not nothing.
19
It is now time for Dems to focus not only on health care but on education and RE EDUCATION for men and women who have lost livelyhoods due to automation and the new era of fuels taking out the need for coal.
Folks need to be helped in this endeavor with practical programs and instructors.
It will help us embrace globalism and climate change
which are here to stay, rather than denying them!
DEMS: Get Creative!!
17
Absolutely the house is not nothing- I am a Dem feeling good this morning. When the tea-party swept in the media declared it a big movement and now Dems have won house seats by a greater margin and some are trying to spin a "no big deal" message. It's a big deal, we have an end to one party rule, we flipped many governorships which effect so many people's state budgets, school systems, and voting protections. We have a check on the Presidency and we can actually attempt to put a check on the rampant corruption and swampiness of the Trump administration. I don't need to vanquish my enemies, I just need to know Democracy works and it does!
35
@momma4cubs: "I don't need to vanquish my enemies, I just need to know Deomocracy works and it does!"
Right on --and thanks. Wish I had said that!
7
You're right, winning the House is not nothing. But I can easily see it becoming a squandered opportunity for the Dems.
First and foremost, they need to understand that they are NOT currently, as much as they like to claim and and you yourself said, "the party of inclusion." If they spend the next two years focused on identity politics, pushing political correctness and the agenda of the #MeToo movement, they will guarantee a Trump win in 2020. The fact is that their current agenda excludes far too many.
Rather, they need a strong shift to an agenda focused on Medicare and Medicaid protection, protecting Obamacare as a stopgap until a chance presents itself to adopt universal healthcare, creating true living wage jobs, and addressing the out-of-control housing costs that are plaguing many parts of the country. Cracking down on for-profit colleges and prisons would also be good use of their time.
Then, maybe, they can rightly claim to be the party of inclusion, and devoted to upholding the rights of all.
22
@Kristin
Such misguided notions expressed here...sigh. First, identity politics: a useless phrase that gets tossed about by conservatives against progressives but, aren't white nationalists and LGBT activists, for example, both espousing identity politics? Second, please explain how promoting #MeToo "excludes far too many..." But perhaps you mean the men with predatory instincts who may feel less comfortable inside the tent than previously? Surely the party is better off without them!
7
"Listen to your experience, to that little voice in your heart or in your head, to what you can recall of what used to be acceptable presidential behavior in this country. It will tell you that this is not a fit man to be president, in any way whatsoever."
this advice (direction?) for Trump supporters makes a critical assumption: that they put the same urgency on having a "normal" president as Mr. Baker. There was no more "normal" candidate than HRC and she was rejected for a cartoonish reality TV star of dubious pedigree. The inconvenient message The Resistance *should* take from that, but cannot fathom, is that what they do and/or represent in the elite political circles disguised as governance is just not that important to many Americans.
2
@Mike A. Yes but let still behave in a way that contrasts with Trump and does not sink to his level. Let’s be articulate, decisive, principled, empathetic, competent and strategic (Adam Schiff-like, perhaps). Looking back in 5 or 10 or 20 years, I’d like to admire how the leaders of my party and the bearers of my values held to basic decency in the face of the current disaster in the White House and Senate.
10
Maybe, with a 3 seat margin and 23 left to be decided. Even probably, but not a done deal. This is counting chickens with eggs still in view.
Control of the House? That means control, very precise and complete control, of over 220 Democratic members for every key vote. They can't lose even 2 members. This is like the Republicans when they couldn't lose even one Senator, but they're Democrats and in the House, with bigger numbers and a tradition of disorder.
Yes, they would have the gavel and chair committees. They'd still need to herd those cats, and very very effectively herd them too.
This is better than losing. It is not the big win that had been expected.
Democrats need to smell the coffee, and realize this is not the Blue Wave they'd been so sure of.
Thanks polling. Did it again.
8
While I'm delighted that Kansas dodged the Kobach bullet, I am not so happy about not taking the Senate. There wasn't really a chance, but we could hope.
Once it was clear that the Democrats took the House, all I could think was that Mueller is now safe. He will issue more indictments soon, I would imagine. The next indictments will hit a lot closer to home for the Trumpsters.
15
365 Senate seats were up for election. Democrats won about two-thirds of those. And the republicans wins were a lot of close wins and small population States.
The country is gerrymandered against democrats. And they still won a House majority.
The republicans won more Governor races, but the numbers are from winning a lot of small States.
20
@votingmachine Dems flipped 7 very important governor races and that is very important- why can we never enjoy our victories. Cheer up voting works and we can build momentum to 2020!
8
@votingmachine
I think you meant 365 Congressional seats were up for election.
1
@Richard Neither of you is correct. About one-third of the 100 seats in the US Senate (Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3) is up every 2 years for a six-year term. There are 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, and all of the seats are up every 2 years. Ergo, the 435 seats were up again yesterday, and will be up again in 2020, 2022, etc., etc., etc.
1
Low end of Congress Projections - Lose yet more seats in the Senate - High profile losses in Georgia, Florida and Texas - Go Dems! lol
2
@SteveRR There were 35 Senate races. And the democrats will end up winning about 24 or so of those. The fact is that the republicans had 42 Senate seats not up for election. The 2020 election will have 33 Senate races, with 21 republican seats and 12 democratic seats.
Flipping the Senate was a long shot proposition in 2018. In 2020 ... it should only take winning 16 of those 33 to take the Senate. Obviously, the exact number depends on the final count of this election and can't be stated firmly right now. If it is 53-47, then dems need to go from 12 to 16 in that 2020 cycle.
15
@SteveRR it was an impossible senate map. No surprise the republicans prevailed. Marquee contests narrowly lost( abrams had her election actually stolen). Alas. However, democrats have shown message discipline and represent the majority of the diverse American population. Trump has a lock on white conservatives and keeps it with bigotry and fear mongering. So gloat if you wish. I wouldn’t be in your shoes for anything.
4
@SteveRR
Politics are a long game. In normal times, the repubs should have won big. They didn't. Look at their losses and see their future.
8
The worst outcome was avoided - giving Trump both houses of Congress again. So that much is good.
But.... I am totally in a funk with the country voting in high numbers for indicted Congressman, for racist soon to be governor in Ga, in sending Iowa's King back to Congress and so on. That means much of America is still racist because they support Republicans (including Trump).
Much of America seems to think stealing votes is OK. Much as America seems to think that Trump is a fair and all around good guy. That is why I'm in a funk. How can so many Americans be so hateful and bad for Democracy? I do not understand it.
114
@Charleston Yank
We need to be patient. We won 7 Governorships as well as plenty of state Houses (which will be instrumental in redistricting), the House and a ballot measure in 4 states that will help undo Republican gerrymandering. Additionally, in 2020 Republicans have to defend 21 Senate seats as compared to Democrats 11 and the same numbers in 2022.
The one thing that should not happen now is for everyone to kick back and do nothing. If Democrats had mobilized in 2010 instead of basking in the Obama glow Trump would never have been elected.
19
Liars, the presidents team. Enablers, the GOP elected officials. The rubes that vote for it. Same as it ever was in rural America. White evangelicals may just be more racist than ya thought. Like always it will take a time for people to come around. Just think NOW they want Medicaid expansion and protecting PE conditions. Same economic trend for the last 10 yrs just with a huge tax cut. With Obama we were broke but overnight with Trump we now have the money and We're back. Rubes .......
21
Here’s the difference between dems and repubs, dems keep someone good even from the other side- like MD and MA governors. But repubs will reject even outstanding dem candidates to elect the most vile and hateful creatures like FL and TX.
That pretty much sums it up.
72
There are two and only two issues that truly matter in the US today. (1) restoring democracy, by which I mean ending voter suppression and gerrymandering, and (2) protecting the environment.
Once Trump is gone we can reverse all of his fascist, racist policies. We can't reverse the destruction of climate change.
60
@JP Tolins I add a third issue - protecting women's reproductive rights. Most of my friends see these 3 as their voting issues.
3
“Mr. Trump has magic about him. He has magic coming out of his ears. He is an astonishing vote-getter and campaigner.” Ben Stein.
Wrong! American voters have lard coming out of their ears.
And Democrats I'm sure, received millions more votes but lost decisively.
We've a long way to go little donkey.
14
I don't give a tinker's damn about further alienating Trump's supporters. They've morphed an already dishonest Republican Party into what should reasonably now be called the American Fascist Party. The GOP is now happily practicing all fourteen characteristics of fascism, which has very much alienated me and my more informed friends.
Taking the House is a start, but it's only a start. Mr. Trump will continue to motivate us by keeping himself in the daily news. Onward to 2020!
90
I no longer listen to Trump. If he’s on TV, I switch the channel. I’ve stopped trying to understand Trump voters. They have their reasons for screaming “lock her up” or “build the wall” or “CNN sucks”. Whatever.
I look at last night as the glass is half full. We made progress. We took back the House. We secured new governorships.
From my seat, these last two years seem like an eternity although in many ways, wasn’t it just *yesterday* when we felt such despair that Trump won?
I look forward to watching a Democrat emerge from the scrum of 2020 primaries who can energize the party, and country.
For now, however, my one piece of advice to Nancy Pelosi:
Don’t pull a Kavanaugh and overreach. Win the battle on our terms. We’ll be rewarded.
Indeed, last night was the “end of the beginning”.
65
@HJS
I do a similar thing, whether it’s Trump, one of his sycophants or yet another “Behold the Trumpkins in the Wild” piece on TV, I hit the mute button. It’s just all garbage.
1
Great analysis Kevin! The smearing of Delgado, our new Representative, didn’t fly. And you’re right it’s the end of the beginning of The End.
4
@Mara Kearney. Yes, my only criticism of this editorial is that once again the author tries to give advice to Trump on how to be more successful (“A tip that Trump should take...). Here’s the thing, would you want Stalin or Hitler or any of the other monsters of history to have take their critics’ advice and been more “successful”? The more Trump follows his own brilliant instincts the sooner we’ll be rid of him. No advice needed, thank you.
Very well said. Although the "Ahab-like pursuit" foundered a bit, as Trump is too much the great white whale for it to work.
5
@onlein I love "Ahab-like pursuit", great analogy.
1
Stats indicate 80% of incumbent senators are reelected. TERM LIMITS NOW for all branches.
2
The Blue House win is a start, but It will take more than one "inoculation" to cure America of it's Trumpfection. Examining Trump's taxes and protecting Mueller's report will do the job.
The American democracy is at stake and that is why Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstien must IMMEDIATELY send Congress what ever parts of the Mueller report are ready. Tonight might be the last night that it may be possible.
Trump will fire Rosenstien and bury the evidence with the help of the GOP lame ducks.
10
Even Trump isn't that stupid. It simply invites the House Democrats reopening the investigation while giving them an opportunity to add charges of obstruction of justice to Mueller's plate. His lawyers would never allow it.
Ah yes, the “bumbling” Democratic Party that keeps clawing forward despite obscene impediments to voting; the Constitution’s rural veto and a news channel devoted to nodding vigorously at everything their opponents do.
46
Here are a couple more positives, Democrats picked up 7 Governor's seats, WI, IL, MI, KS!, ME, NM and NV. This will help solidify these States against Republican efforts to suppress the vote.
On top of that, when voters get the choice, they choose to expand Medicaid under the ACA - Three more States have now expanded Medicaid: ID, NE and UT.
Democratic ideas win when put to a direct vote.
17
It's close to nothing. Until the rigged game of the electoral College and Senate under-representation of the US population is reversed a minority of Americans, mostly deplorables, will rule through executive decree and packed courts.
Democrats won the hollow victory of being able to investigate the theft of our democracy and not be able to do anything about it.
9
The House of Representatives is the closest thing we have to a body that represents the will of a majority of American people. The Senate represents states equally regardless of their population. The Presidential voting process is somewhat of a hybrid that unfairly amplifies the voices of some states when you look at the population distribution in this country.
So, we can see that a majority of Americans clearly want Democrats representing them. Were we a parliamentary democracy, the will of the majority would be served now. Unfortunately, we have the landowner based system still in place. Perhaps in the future, population will spread more evenly across the country. Until then, a rural minority will have an absurdly outsized voice in this country's government.
40
@Matthew S
Americans clearly want divided Government. That's the only message you can take from the ripple win in the House. Compare these results to 2010 and you will understand a bit better. Dems are going to waste this opportunity if they take it as a mandate to obstruct this President.
1
@Matthew S
Yes, thanks Tom Jefferson and those who put more stock in the landowner based system for the "absurdly outsized voice in this country's government." It's part romance and part a class thing as in feudal Europe, for instance, where Hungary listens and/or cleaves to autocratic Orban.
@Matthew S Re: "perhaps in the future, population will spread out more evenly across the country." I agree with everything you said, except I have little optimism that the population will spread out evenly. In the era of heavily rural populations and family farms, there was a better chance for that, but large agri-business and the inability of families to make decent livings by just farming has negated that. There is little opportunity in most rural areas and those who leave, get education and move for their jobs, do not tend to come back. This leaves rural areas populated by older and/or less well educated, with dwindling businesses to sustain the area. This is helping to create the dichotomy between rural, mostly older whites, with the younger who stay lesser educated vs. urban, better educated regions of the U.S. with better jobs/resources. In urban areas with dying businesses such as manufacturing, you see the same thing. Older people remain, lesser educated younger ones there as well with little to offer them. Those who are born there who pursue education/training, leave. There is little incentive for businesses to locate in both rural and urban areas like these.
4
There must be a pony in there somewhere. Nice try, but the structural inequities that enable minority rule remain. Which leads to the unfortunate realization that this is now the country we live in: racist appeals to the barely literate combined with oligarchic greed in control of government. This was not at good night for democracy; it was "good night" to democracy.
8
I don't agree that "a few high-minded, kumbaya speeches" by Trump might have saved the House. Although many Republicans try to characterize criticism of President Trump as criticism of his "tone," it's hardly a mere matter of rudeness or nastiness, but rather his endless stream of bigotry and lies. It's the content of his utterances, not his style of delivering them, that puts them beyond the pale.
Given that, the fact that so many red states could still support senatorial and gubernatorial candidates who aligned themselves with Mr. Trump is shocking. It tells me that 2016 was no fluke and that we seem likely to be at war with ourselves for many years to come.
29
If Trump can't handle the tough questions offered up by reporters, he is in the wrong field of work.
10
I'm tired of hearing about the "red hot economy", Obama created more jobs in each of his last 5 years (2012, 13, 14, 15 and 16) than the Grifter did in 2017. And the Grifter reversed the budget deficit Obama brought down to below 500 billion, which is now approaching 1 trillion. Thankfully the purse strings which have been in the hands of the corrupt GOP for eight years have been relinquished.
19
As Will Rogers said, “I’m not a member of an organized party. I’m a Democrat.” Notwithstanding some blue wave disappointments, the Democrats gained a half dozen or more governorships, made inroads in “better-dead-than-red” regions and states and, most importantly, retook the House, a major check-and-balance on a rogue and renegade president. Along with it comes the speakership, subpoena and investigative power and, at long last, an end to the Devin Nunez-led shenanigans in the “intelligence” committee. Now that we all can take in a deep breath of fresh legislative-branch air, there’s at least one more thing to look forward to: It’s Mueller time!
29
Depends on what the Dems do with the two years. If they give it to Pelosi and Waters to grandstand and 'investigate' things that didn't happen it will flip right back in two years, and it will be a Red Tsunami flipping it back. If they work with Republicans for the betterment of the American Voters maybe they have a chance in 2020. We will know when the House votes on Majority Leader. If its Pelosi, expect it to be a wasted two years and go Red again in 2020.
1
@GregP. I agree that Pelosi should step aside since she is a catalyst for GOP hate of the Dems. However, I have little faith that the Senate will work with a Democratic House to further healthcare, infrastructure and immigration concerns... The Dems can only bring commonsense initiatives forward to call the GOP out on their inability to compromise or get anything accomplished.
1
"...we have all been told, over and over again, by one expert after another from nearly every possible spot on the political spectrum that none of us must ever, ever talk down to these, our fellow Americans, or criticize their choice of Mr. Trump in any way, lest we further alienate them."
Maybe...maybe that had some truth to it in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 election. Now, after two years of the alternately laughably inept and dangerously vindictive Trump administration, and following a campaign packed full of lies and racism, it most assuredly is not the case. Understand, America, that vast swaths of the country voted for Donald Trump with full knowledge of who and what he is. This can no longer be attributed to a protest vote against some diffuse, out of touch representation of Washington D.C. This time, voters knew all they needed to of Trump's ignorance, his vanity, his penchant for continuous lying, his racism, his misogyny, his reckless and chaotic foreign policy, his cruelty, the distrust and lack of respect he earns from those who work closely with him, and they said "Yeah, I want more of that."
I don't know what will happen after today. A Democratic House will investigate things Trump doesn't want investigated and the Mueller report is on its way. There are tough times ahead for Trump, but as long as a huge chunk of America supports a vile charlatan in the White House there are tougher times ahead for the people of America. Respect Trump voters? No.
60
@Rob
Yes this is our reality. It’s not the Russians, it’s not Facebook, our fellow Americans are profoundly unhappy with their lives under our government. But the piece that’s missing in this string of discussion is that we have a president who is mentally Ill. Every night the TV shows discuss why he does the despicable things he does and there is one simple answer. He is a narcissist and he can’t help himself. He truly believes that he is the smartest, greatest, most influential person in the world. He believes this like you believe you have five fingers on your right hand. It is his reality . This is the delusional nature of his mental illness . He has no capacity to see beyond his narcissism .
But most importantly, Mental illness does not belong in the White House. We spend our days reacting to a lunatic, Who is reacting to anything he believes is questioning his value. What a waste of our time. We could be feeding people, educating people, helping the less fortunate to crawl out of the hole they feel they are stuck in. Sadly, folks think that Trump is going to help them but the reality is he could care less. He is mentally ill . Trump is about Trump is about Trump. He needs to be removed from office so the world can continue on its path of making a better life for itself !
Dr. Carol
14
@Carol stephens - Trump's narcissism, like his other glaring faults, is obvious. He is so transparently unfit to be president that the rest of the world remains in shock at his success after two years of his presidency. But Americans had an opportunity to correct the error of 2016 yesterday, and their votes tell a different story. Yes, Democrats now control the House, but the election was hardly a full scale repudiation of Trump. How is that possible? How can I speak to an American now, for the rest of my life, knowing there is a good chance they voted for the charlatan in the White House? He is clearly as bad as you say. The trouble is, that says more about Americans that it does about him.
5
@Carol stephens - Mentally ill and declining
day by day.
4
A decidedly mixed bag of a night.
I'd predicted the number of votes for Democratic House and Senate candidates would exceed those for Republicans, but that they wouldn't be distributed optimally, and that 28-32 House seats would flip to Democrats--seems pretty accurate.
There are both good signs and bad signs here. Scott Walker's Wisconsin defeat is a major plus, as is getting a Democrat into a House seat in Oklahoma, the reddest state around. On the other hand, the fact that Democratic Senate incumbents in Missouri and Indiana were not even really competitive is disquieting.
I prefer to take a glass half full perspective on Andrew Gillum's, Stacey Abrams', and Beto O'Rourke's narrow defeats (even if Stacey hasn't conceded as of this writing). They got close in locations that wouldn't have even let them get within sniffing distance (none of them are Protestant white males, you know) of a win a few years ago. And demographics will continue to slide in the direction of such candidates for the next decades (especially in Florida, in which the re-enfranchisement of previous felons could make a big difference in 2020).
And while turnout was up, it still ain't what it should be among younger people, especially. The big fight is to expand the franchise--and to get, eventually, to publicly funded elections with VERY severe limits on individual campaign contributions (low three figures). But that's a long slog.
19
@Glenn Ribotsky and penalties for not voting as in Australia.
This post-mortem entirely ignores key Democratic victories in gubernatorial elections and state legislatures. Those victories will pay off after 2020 when redistricting occurs in states like PA, MI, and WI. In states like FL and GA, fair elections will depend on flipping state legislatures in 2020. Sadly, too, citizens throughout the South will continue to be deprived of expanded Medicaid coverage by the officials they have elected.
13
“....the magical Mr. Trump has become a permanent low-pressure system hovering over us, dominating our conversation, filling our airwaves, distracting us from exercising our great right to be left alone.”
So it was, thus it will be. While the newly reconstituted House may present some curbs to his autocratic desires, our judiciary is subject to further perversions of our rights, and for at least a couple of generations. Unfortunately, gains by intractably regressive Republicans in Texas, North Dakota, and Missouri will decrease the likelihood of bipartisanship in the Senate.
On the other hand, several horrid governorships were overturned in Wisconsin and Kansas. Perhaps bluer state governments will begin to reverse representational districting, a topic the Supreme Court was disinclined to address. Maybe our representatives will start to better reflect their constituencies and, with luck, pay more attention to those needs rather than their partisan affiliations.
So, yeah, it’s something, but not enough. Let’s not get complacent. Start gearing up for 2020.
15
The house is not nothing, but it is typical for the sitting President's party to lose seats in the midterms. Despite the "Year of the Woman" (which seems to happen every few years), the Republicans continue to control the bulk of the government (and there are still a few very conservative Democrats who will work with them, so the House isn't even guaranteed to oppose Trump.
I hope Democrats will lean harder on protecting our right to vote, make it easier for more people to vote, and make it more difficult to cheat elections. I read again and again about the "long lines" at polling places. Even Safeway knows that "three's a crowd". Is our democracy so unimportant? I expected front page announcements on the state measures that would outlaw gerrymandering and set up non-partisan committees for districting. Not there. I think it is important, for now and in the long run. I appreciate Kevin Baker's opinions, but I hope there will be more on what we need to do to protect and maintain a legitimate democracy.
9
“Winning the House is not nothing” does not obscure the fact that the red Senate expanded its reach and power. Being wholly now the arm of Donald Trump, the Republican Party is set to repeal Obamacare—bad enough—but, as this essay makes clear, wave through all manner of unthinking, uncaring and even marginally qualified judicial candidates.
These planted seeds may not bear fruit for Trump in 2020 but we learned last night that judicial appointments will long outlive Trump’s time in office. The rank weeds of partisanship will sprout and, perhaps for generations, will disfigure a garden that once was hopeful of a becoming blooming symphony of inclusion and reason.
The (expected) resurrection of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House will carry with it its own poisonous dynamic—on the part of a president so simmering with ill will and rancor that any discussion of policy and program will have it sullied—a priori—by a president who lives to create confusion and distraction because that who he is and what he does.
The shining lights from last night will be the women who will now walk down the cool corridors of power on The Hill. The changeover of some committee chairs will, it is to be hoped, redirect the priorities of a divided nation badly in need of a legislative reorganization that will benefit the few and not the many, as has been the case in Washington for time out of mind. It’s time to allow the people’s representatives write the nation’s laws instead of the lobbyists.
10
The key was the house. The governorships are very important and a few turned blue. Gerrymandering will be on the plate in those states. And many states governments turned a lot of seats blue. All and all, a good night. To the House, let Mueller take care of Trump, stay out of it. Work on stuff that matter to the voters. Come to some consensus on immigration or Trump will use that against you in two years.
61
POTUS will say that because he picked up 2 Senate seats - out of the 26 Dems running - that it was a wondrous GOP'er victory. When the tables are turned, and in 2020 GOP'ers have to defend 21 Senate seats with just 11 Dems up for re-election, we'll see what he says :)
Dems taking back control of the House - winning back more seats than any time since Watergate and Richard (1974) - shouldn't be swept under the rug.
And Nancy Pelosi as Speaker - at least at first - is actual history coming back into focus, as the 1st female Speaker and now the 2nd female Speaker.
His Weaselness 45* is destroying the GOP; they are all now Trumpists, with 40+ house members, including Speaker Ryan refusing to face voters again, and with several GOP'er Committee Chairmen losing their seats last night, further decimating GOP'er leadership.
Next up will be Mitch McConnell deciding he won't run again, taking his place with Orrin Hatch and other geezer Senators following their friends in the House by refusing to face voters again after going all in on Trumpism.
GOP'er gatekeepers didn't do their jobs of keeping someone like Very Stable Genius from ever getting close to one of their ballot slots, and after going all in on Trumpism, they refuse to face voters again, handing over the party to his minions.
And GOP'ers faced losses in the House - the egregiously gerrymandered GOP'er tilted House - like no Dem who's under 60 has seen in their adult lives.
Indeed, a great GOP'er victory (joke).
40
@R. Law: Whew! Thank you :) I live in Michigan and went to bed very worried. It felt a lot like the night I went to bed in November 2016 before knowing the results. I woke to find that Gretchen Whitmer, who I campaigned for, won the governor seat, big time...and Debbie Stabenow was re-elected senator. 3 good proposals passed: ending gerrymandering, legalizing marijuana & making it easier to vote (absentee ballots, etc). The dems (as a nation) lost 2 senate seats but your analysis gives me even more hope for 2020! Gonna keep on keepin' on!
7
Some interesting points about what to say and not to say. I’d say your ending on bumbling and incompetent was a poor choice. Maybe you could also have observed a Democratic/liberal tendency toward self-flagellation. But the choice to make that the closer reflects your own pessimism and lack of heart.
I don’t feel the Democratic Party itself particularly distinguished itself in this election. But several allied groups, notably SwingLeft, did; they were brilliant, creative, and made a huge difference.
You missed the teamwork, discipline, and organization that produced this victory.
34
Trump still has tremendous support. His people love him. Defeating him in 2020 will be very difficult.
Look, the white power movement that he incites isn't going anywhere. The South is still the South. Many if not most rural Americans would rather die than vote for a Democrat.
2020 is going to be a bloody battle for the White House. The Democrats have to wage a two pronged attack. The first thing to do is pass legislation that the people want and show that the new House can get things done. When Trump and the Republican Senate oppose everything, which they will do, a contrast will be obvious to the voters. Well, at least to a few of them which could make the difference.
The second prong must be taking down Trump for all of the laws he has violated. This must be a legal process in the courts. Don't waste time with impeachment. The votes aren't there. Trump cannot be indicted, but everyone around him can. Doing so will expose his wrongdoings and corruptions. Most of his supporters will call it fake news, but again, a few may come to their senses.
Look, the reality is that America is under siege from a fascist, white nationalist movement. That movement will not be swept away in one election. These people will not change. Their hate and fear will not dissipate overnight. Only a generational, demographic, change will remove them. This is going to take time. This battle for America will take another ten years at least. Keep fighting.
167
@Bruce Rozenblit "When Trump and the Republican Senate oppose everything, which they will do, a contrast will be obvious to the voters."
How will it be obvious? The rural voters who support Trump get their information from Fox News. As demonstrated earlier in the week, Fox "News" is really Fox "Propaganda", with "journalists" from Fox campaigning for Trump.
The editorialists of the NY Times should take their show on the road and educate the rural citizens who have been hoodwinked by lies and propaganda.
38
@Bruce Rozenblit
Well said!
8
@Bruce Rozenblit
Tremendous support amongst a shrinking base. Read Jennifer Rubin's op-ed "Voters Give Trump a Big Thumbs Down. Her last sentence is particularly noteworthy, "A party that has alienated women, nonwhites, suburbanites, urbanites, Midwesterners, Northeasterners, the college-educated and all but the over-65 demographic set has dim prospects for 2020. I agree.
19
Remember that to win the House the Democrats had to deal with the gerrymandering that was in place after the 2010 election. And where the Democrats took either at least one state house or the governorship they will be in a position to block extreme gerrymanders after the 2020 census.
Also remember that the Democrats won the national popular vote quite handily.
98
All I know is that the Blue Wave was barely a trickle and the Republicans made substantial gains in the Senate...defeating several Never Kavanaugh senators. The defeat of several far-left southern Democrat governor candidates was just icing on the cake. So yeah, I'd call it a big win for the President.
4
Black is white! Up is down! Good is bad! A true Trumpian response.
22
@John
Democratic wins termed "trickle, but Republican wins termed "several".
The president lost a whole branch of the government he "had".
Big win for new "Math."
23
@M: Haha :) Touche!
Much as I would like to rejoice, this election still brings home the total inadequacy of American society when it comes to morality (except, of course, the phony religious morality espoused by the religious right), education (particularly economics and how the government fiscally operates), sympathy and empathy (except of course where my own interests are involved), The cities and towns responded properly by trying to put some brakes on our bankrupt president (who specializes in that path). Unfortunately, the rest of the country seems to like to believe in a con - but then that is the way of most of our not to bright electorate. Perhaps some day, we will actually be an enlightened democracy were issues are decided on merit rather than bias but we do seem to continue to value power over what is really right to do.
88
@John Sikora
Don't forget that Trump's trade war is doing a lot of damage to rural Republicans in states like Iowa and Nebraska. By 2020 they may be ready to admit it. They are not stupid.
16
@John Sikora
1) Which countries' populations meet your requirements?
2) How did those populations get that way?
2
@Professor M
Professor I wouldn`t bet on how stupid they are. They were hardheaded enough to re-elect Steve King, a little racist from NW Iowa whose only claim in the House has been a seat warmer.
2
Not sure what qualifies as a Blue tsunami. Can it be measured by the number of victories? In specific districts? Dems have the House, so would 5 more wins make it so? In terms of the number of votes it’s not even close, Dems lose seats in the Senate, but scored 9 million more votes....I’ll take this win.
107
@raincheck Wisconsin elected a democratic Governor and a democratic Senator. The State ballots were majority for the democratic party. But gerrymandering means that Wisconsin will send 5 republicans and 3 democrats to the House.
Of 35 Senate elections, democrats will win two-thirds. And a vast popular vote majority. The 42 republican Senate seats not up for election was too large a hurdle.
Of 36 State Governor elections, democrats won 16, republicans won 19, and Georgia is still uncalled. The popular vote again favors the democrats.
3
@raincheck Yup. If not for gerrymandering, which acted as a breakwater, Republicans would have been swept away in the House. The article in today's Times supports exactly what you say. The vote totals shifted bigly toward blue.
1
@votingmachine That Wisconsin's state offices are now controlled by Democrats is huge. They will oversee the next census in 2020 and re write the districts. They can likely reverse that House delegation ratio.
1