To further put this into perspective, the city council of Mike Pence’s hometown, Columbus, Indiana, flipped to the Democrats. Just one of a few impressive gains last night in a state that many see as backward.
9
“Former Gov. Bevin’s” defeat “didn’t seem to carry other GOP candidates” down - moral of the story: 1) run good candidates, not establishment candidates whose turn is due: Hilary Clinton, VP Biden. 2) run on local bread and butter issues: jobs, fair wages, good healthcare, good schools, etc. 3) Trump’s brand is not that powerful - Miami’s “El Doral”.
Virginia shows that 2020 is not the year of “centrism”. They can just invoke what passes for “Ambassador” in Sondland to kill that notion. Should people vote to ensure he keeps getting rich at everyone’s expense? No! The country needs a restructuring back to democratic principles.
3
In elections, I don't think there really is such thing as a "narrow" victory. It's either a victory or it's not. The GOP controlled the Virginia House last year based on a coin toss and that control was just as real as if race had been won in a landslide.
16
I just hope the Kentucky Secretary of State or Election Commission doesn't rig the election after the fact and say Bevin actually won.
11
Bevins’ “a few irregularities” is a tropical GOP lament whenever things don’t break their way. The only irregularity is his refusal to live with reality and concede.
11
This story is giving me visions of sugarplums dancing in my head.
8
we must not rest on our laurels. There is much work to be done to reclaim democracy and bring this country back from the current traitorous and corrupt administration of Donald Trump and his gang of thugs surrounding him.
I never dreamed I would see the USA sink so low, in the eyes of the world, never dreamed my fellow Americans were at heart so selfish, greedy and racist to put an unqualified con man like trump in the white house. it has literally been sickening.
Democrats are far from perfect but at least they still believe in aJohn Lockian notion of the common good. the only people getting any good right now are the 1% who spend their time ripping off the rest of us and plotting about how to get rid of Social Security and Medicare.
Rise up and protest people! Elizabeth Warren is correct.
13
Do donnie trump, in your own words, but modified per my leaning, bevin's defeat clearly sent “a really GOOD message” beyond Kentucky’s borders.
Are you sweating yet about your upcoming historical impeachment by the House?
Are you sweating much about one of your insiders moving over to the truth and justice side and speaking/providing indisputable written evidence of your wrongdoings re Ukraine and possibly elsewhere?
I hope so, you deserve it, and this mid-term supports your exit.
6
Actually, if the GOP were a normal party, we'd say that the Democrats won in KY. But we don't, and the press enables the worst anti-democratic impulses of the GOP by playing along.
We shouldn't. NYT shouldn't.
10
As is usual in NYT coverage, the idea that Ds let Beshear make the election "local" just ignores the fact that Sanders held rallies in Ky. You know, the socialist candidate that is a monster to all the center right NYT opinion columnists and the country clubbers. Somehow, though, his rallies for Beshear seemed to mobilize voters for him. Sakes alive! This is such terrible news that it is best to pretend it isn't happening.
9
Glad to see the Latinos in Tucson are becoming more active and engaged.
5
At Trump's rally in Kentucky all the big bad Republicans were there cozying up to him including Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell. Guess they didn't help much. Also, Trump urged the crowd to vote for Republicans or else it would reflect badly on him Trump. Guess that didn't work either.
7
To the Red States...maybe you should lift the 10K SALT deduction because I know lots of people who have moved from NY to places like TN, NC and VA and we are going to bring our blue values, votes, high rents etc.
7
Republicans swept all the other races in Kentucky including the election of Daniel Cameron, the first black attorney general in history.
Bevin was deeply unpopular mostly because tried to primary McConnell in his last senate race.
The campaign slogan that Ed Beshear, a pro-life pro-gun Democrat, ran on was actually #RedForEd. He was also the son of the previous popular Governor.
Bevin trailed Bashear by over 10 points before Trump’s rally and the votes are still being counted.
2
@JQGALT. Bevin also did his best to destroy ACA in Kentucky, despite the fact that it significantly cut the uninsured rate and many residents could finally afford healthcare. Yet, I bet many of those who benefited from ACA (called KyConnect in Kentucky) still voted for Bevin.
So, Beshear had a slogan of #RedForEd. Good for him. It meant that he was reaching across the aisle.
2
What sad part is that Republicans try to claimed that they want to be conservative and want no help from government but they happily take money for socials programs. Look at all of these rural areas that hospitals and food store are closing, what's they are doing trying to fix this? All of the doctors will not open a office in this area because they need peoples with money and insurance to pay for services and conservatives Republicans banning more peoples from Medicaid. If I was a doctor why should I lived there. All of great hospitals are in liberals area because they want to be free to help people in the area that can pay their salary.
4
A few addition warning signs for Republicans to worry about regarding the Kentucky election. The votes in coal districts. The huge drop in the voting margins in those counties. These are districts that Bevin and Trump carried with massive margins in 2015 and 2016. Those margins dropped from 15% to 30% down to 1% to 3%. Also the massive increase in voter turnout in the suburban districts wich provided the margin of victory for Brashear.
Trump's margin of victory was provided by 77,000 votes in three swing states. A Kentucky like turnout increase in the suburbs could flip those results without changing a single Trump voter. Combine that with the Trumps failure to replace Obamacare with the 'Fantastic' Health care that he talked about will bring out millions of voters who rely on Obamacare since Trump is still trying to gut it without providing a alternative.
18
Socialism is the basic rationale for government. People who don't understand that govern poorly. Socialism comes in many flavors, but it all boils down to justifying taxation of everyone by spending the revenue for the benefit of all.
17
Democrats are making to much of their victory and Republicans are down playing it too much. I guess that Trump will take Kentucky in 2020. But there is plenty of problems that have popped up for them with the Kentucky results.
"Bevin was unpopular." When Trump won in 2016 some looked back to Bevin's 2015 victory and said he was Trump before Trump. Loud, aggressive, controversial sometimes works for campaigns but makes governing tough. Sounds like someone else, eh?
Bevin tried to reverse the Medicare expansion in Kentucky and removed 50,000 from the roles and was gunning to remove more with work restrictions. How many votes did Bevin lose by his actions. Trump has one or two million potential voters in the same condition.
And the number one problem for Trump. In 2016 he had no record to run on. He also had 20 years of anti-Clinton agit-prop to draw on. That advantage is gone.
8
@KJ Peters: The federal government administers Medicare for the aged, but the states variously administer Medicaid for the medically indigent of all ages. Bevin cut Kentucky's support for Medicaid, not Medicare.
4
@KJ Peters
" Bevin tried to reverse the Medicare expansion in Kentucky and removed 50,000 from the roles and was gunning to remove more with work restrictions. How many votes did Bevin lose by his actions."
By trying to reverse Medicaid expansion, Bevin was governing as a typical Republican. It appears that the people have finally had enough.
2
Hopefully, residents of Martin County, KY will now get their water infrastructure fixed. This is America, after all, not the 3rd world with an elite class that the Republicans seem to be trying to create. Clean drinking water is a basic right for all, not just the rich. Take down Senator Mitch McConnell next. He has done nothing for poor KY counties like Martin County.
14
@Angela Correction to my comment.. I just checked the results. Martin Country voted strongly Republican for the Governor. This means 2 things. (1) They are being tricked and (2) The Democrats definitely need to do a better job reaching out to these impoverished rural communities!
3
Sadly and unfortunately that saying “this is America” has no meaning anymore. Many cities and towns do not have good drinking water (flint, Mi) and with a crumbling infrastructure (roads, bridges and nyc subway) , that saying takes on new meaning
When the people of Kentucky start to think, it is a notable occasion. A point from another commenter about the housing costs of living in LA bringing some former Kentuckians home might be a factor.
2
Not so fast, KY Dems. There are multiple ways Bevin can steal this election to retain power and he will use them all. I will not be shocked if Bevin finds a way to stay in office.
4
The key message from this election is that the public wants a functional government that represents the interests of the people. The petty, childish antics of the Republican party in so many states has been entirely ineffective. Real issues like growing national deficits, poorly performing schools, crumbling and inadequate infrastructure, global warming, and on and on require real governance. Bathroom bills, bigotry, Trumpian twitter wars, immigrant hatred may get temporary attention from the news media but those distractions mean next to nothing compared to the actually important issues of our day. The nation has grown tired of the clowns, it is time for real leadership.
6
@Ben P: The Republican Party has arrived where it is by convincing an adequate number of voters in the right places that all of the problems of the US are due to God's wrath at the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Ruling, and everyone needs access to assault weapons to prepare for the Apocalypse to follow.
4
This confirms what we saw in 2016 when being associated with Hillary was toxic for any Democrat......Trump should remember that old saying--"what goes around comes around".
3
Thank-you to the States of Virginia and Kentucky!
Onward!
14
I’m waiting for the malignant occupant to start ranting about what a loser Bevin is. How he did everything he could for him after he came crying and begging for help. But Bevin was such a bad candidate that there was no way he could help even with his complete awesomeness, total fabulousness and perfection.
7
Thank you, Mr. Trump! Now go out there, continue your embarrassing act, divide the GOP, and let's turn Old Dixie blue!
13
That little bellwether is out in front of the flock and his bell is ringing “Blue, blue, blue!”
5
Bevin's inability to admit he lost is indicative of his party. These guys jobs are their lives and losing their office is earth shattering for them. Trump's sycophants are willing to grovel just not to receive the wrath of Trump. Men and women so ensconced in their power and jobs that they are willing to Kiss the Hand of Trump is disgusting.
12
Kentucky proves less than the commentariat thinks. It's principal lesson: If You Want to Run for Governor, Run for Governor. And run as a person who will care for the citizenry, instead of demonize them like Kentucky's defeated petty tyrant did.
The reason to be skeptical is that nationalizing the race almost worked for Trump, it was a near thing for Gov-elect Beshear who ran a perfect race. Those of us who want to save the country from our would be Mussolini need to find ways to shake the scales from the eyes of Trump's base.
Virginia, which played a major role in giving birth to the "phony" constitution Trump seeks to destroy, is a more important harbinger. Rebuild the Democratic in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan and keep building it in Georgia and good things will happen in 2020 as they just happened in Virginia, a state which Trump helped turn blue.
3
Congratulations, Democrats. Virginia has been blue for a while now.
Here is a very interesting poll: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/06/donald-trump-2020-election-poll-066158
"POLITICO/Morning Consult Poll. Poll: Majority expect Trump to win in 2020"
"According to a POLITICO/Morning Consult survey released on Wednesday, 56 percent of voters expect the president to be reelected next year, including 85 percent of Republicans and 51 percent of independents. By comparison, more than a third of Democrats (35 percent) say the same."
This is shocking: More than a third of Democrats expect President Trump to be re-elected.
This poll seems to show that if voters are asked if they intend to vote for President Trump, many do not want to answer yes. But, if they are asked if they believe that he will be re-elected a comfortable majority will answer yes.
There must be a lot of hidden Trump voters out there.
4
Congratulations Kentucky and Virginia. You give us hope that Trump's style of being senselessly abusive and offensive to a majority of the voters in the USA is not good for anyone, Republicans included. Now I hope Texas can follow suit in 2020.
10
In Virginia ,I would think, that the government shutdown and Trump's recent statement that another shutdown may be in the offing unless the impeachment drive is stopped may have been on the mind of some voters.
3
Virginia has been well on its way to turning blue as the population has grown in the last 20 years in response to an ever growing swelling government especially in the government contracting side. The northeast has expanded its reach one more state south.
No big surprise with the flip and they only have a small majority. I don’t know if the house and senate voting rules in VA require more than a majority to get bills passed.
1
Bevin's resistance to admitting defeat is a harbinger for what's going to happen with Trump in 2020. If he is still in office then, it will be very difficult to get him to leave, even if he loses.
12
I’ve heard this prediction many times. But it really won’t be that hard to pick him up and carry him out.
9
@Wolf: The Republicans sure burned up time delaying Al Franken's election to the Senate. What a pity he isn't in the presidential race now.
The Kentucky Gubernatorial race shows that it DOES matter if you try to get the Reagan Democrats back. And you accomplish this with a moderate. I’m a progressive. I’m to the left of Obama. But I’m not naive.
11
Stay focused on the issues that actually impact families, and you can defeat the Trump-cult politics: that's the takeaway here. And it should come as no surprise.
If Dems had any sense or hope of winning next year they'd be spending every dime they could scrape together to advertise and demonstrate the legislation they've passed. It's impressive, and address things Americans really want and like, says poll after poll.
And all that progress is now being deliberately throttled by Moscow Mitch and his Kremlin-backed cabal. The more specific and repetitious the Dems can be about their actual legislative accomplishments, the less they'll have to worry about being smeared as 'socialist' and 'do nothing'.
Seriously, is there any single more important message for Dems to make as they undertake impeachment? Is there anything more motivating to the electorate? If they lose to Trump, this will be the reason why.
9
Don't go acting and talking about this as if it is a sure fire proof the trump team will lose in 2020.
The thing to do here is for the winners to start using government to make the lives of all of the people better and get away from just helping those who need no help to begin with.
2
Trump still has a clamp on much of the electoral college to help get him re-elected. But not so for any of the other Republicans trying to skate in on his coattails. Let this result be a warning to all of them as the impeachment process proceeds.
2
I think the national Democratic party should take note of the fact that many (if not most) local Democratic candidates do not lean as far left as the leading presidential candidates. (Looking at you, Sanders and Warren) It is not that I think Biden is the best candidate to lead the country, it is that I think he has the greatest chance to pull from the middle and get rid of the aberration that now inhabits the White House. It is with such small steps that we can actually regain control of the country and put it on the right track. You don't turn around a speeding train in the roundhouse. You slow it down to be able to actually turn it around and put it in the right direction.
8
Agree - I think Klobuchar should be the nominee. Tough enough to take on Trump, “Midwestern nice”, and moderate. That’s the ticket.
2
@CLL - Whenever a company is looking at merging with or acquiring another company one of the factors they take into account is staff turnover. Klobuchar's turnover is the highest in D.C. and that indicates a serious problem.
1
Congratulations to the educated people of Kentucky who voted for Andy Beshear tobe their state's governor. Over the next few years, will see if the educated people of Kentucky can also win out, and replace the Ayn Rand Libertarian (Rand Paul) and the Alabama transplant (Moscow Mitch McConnell).
Hopefully, under new leadership at both the state and national level, Kentucky can rise from its bottom ranks of 38th in education, 44th in healthcare, 45th in poverty. The people deserve more!
7
Its really not complicated. People should vote based on the candidates and the policies they present and not based on party affiliation. If the candidate is a republican but I agree with the policies they put forth and act as responsible adults then they have my vote if the overall package is better than the other party's candidates. I am an avid independent and do not feel hamstrung to vote for a party regardless of what I feel about individual running under that banner.
3
Virginia becoming a Democrat state as more educated people moving into northern Virginia. As people get educated, they become democrats. That is why, Republicans oppose free college education. The less educated the better for Republicans because they can easily con them, Trump is a clear evidence, you honor.
24
@Kodali I resent the tone and implications of your e-mail. It comes across as elitist. Education comes in all forms. I know college grads with Masters that didn't have the common sense dogs were born with and hard working adults that didn't have a college degree that were some of the smartest people I ever met. I agree in general that understanding the topics and the facts is important but by implying that everyone who votes for Trump is uneducated just further divides the country. What is true is that Trump plumbed a vein of resentment in the American citizenry that felt they were not being represented by the elitist politicians. The way to heal this wound is not by insults but to listen and react to the problems these people have and try and help
4
The Democrats are seemingly a divided party. Run one way in one part of the country and another in other parts. So if they win the Senate and the Presidency they will have the same problem Obama had in 2008. Some Ds that seem more likely to support the GOP on important issues. On important environmental, health and social issues they are divided amongst themselves. The GOP want to continue the reckless fiscal, environmental and social policies that mainly benefit Trump and his plutocratic cronies.
2
@c harris: Yellow Dog Democrats turned blue when Reagan conned them.
Steve, I agree with your comment, but I think you meant “Blue” Dog Democrats. Yellow Dog (and I count myself as one) will vote for a yellow dog (or anything that moves) then vote for a Republican.
Number one priority should be to ensure that voter suppression, gerrymandering and other democracy-rigging activities are made state crimes with jail time.
22
@SbW: This involves crafting institutions that encourage enduring compliance. These do not get negotiated rationally state by state.
Any bets on how long before Trump turns on Bevin, claiming that Bevin was a flawed candidate or that he had refused to take Trump's sage campaign advice? Trump takes credit for every Republican victory, and none of the blame for defeats.
9
Still have over 700,000 folks voting for corrupt Trump supporter in Kentucky. Hard to know why so many continue to follow such a person. Perhaps reason is related to why so many Americans made the Kardashians so popular and wealthy.
2
Matt Bevin needs to concede right away because he can not hid under trump`s coat tail. trump will act his does not know Bevin and has moved on already.
Trump hates losers, although does not know he soon will be a member of the loser`s club.
Go democrats !
17
If the Republicans had won, Mr. Trump would be taking all the credit. Now that they received these two stunning defeats, who will he blame?
12
Democrats should expect Republicans to redouble their efforts at voter suppression of minorities and young people nationwide in anticipation of 2020.
15
An observation of language used: a shift in makeup of government doesn’t mean one party “fell” to the other. The language may seem trivial... however, these statements that allude to war/battle incite faction politics. We all see how damaging it is to be *uncompromising* across the political spectrum.
7
Perhaps lost in other results from last night is this quite remarkable development in Pennsylvania:
"Democrats won political control of the once-legendary GOP stronghold of Delaware County, part of a Republican wipeout across the Philadelphia region and in other elections around the country.
It was the first time since at least the Civil War that Democrats won control of the Delaware County Council. They not only won a majority, but also swept Republicans off the governing body entirely. Democrats won a majority on the Chester County Board of Commissioners for the first time in history, in the only suburban Philadelphia county where Republicans still outnumber Democrats. In Bucks County, Democrats captured the Board of Commissioners for the first time since 1983."
Source is Philly paper online.
If the trend continues of historically Republican suburban counties like these turning substantially to Democrats, the implications strike me as pretty great.
19
There is a theme here. Pelosi is spot on. Her sober, measured, restrained, even reluctant approach to impeachment is right. Her call to let the candidates speak to their own constituencies is right. 2018 was no fluke. Decency and competence matter. If they know what's good for them, the immoral, bad-faith, undemocratic, unpatriotic, bootlicker Congressional Republicans are reassessing the wisdom of their loyalty to the demagogue. Do they really want to go down with that derelict wreck of a president?
25
@Robert
Which is why democrats should proceed with the public hearings but stop at impeachment. Trump will be acquitted and made a martyr and victim. Let the voters decide once the evidence has been presented by the hearings. Perhaps go the censure route. Voters in the Midwest states that will decide the election support the inquiry but oppose impeachment. Those Midwest states are the only states that matter. An election defeat will be more devastating than impeachment in which he will be acquitted and can declare victory.
2
Happy as I am with the KY result, I take little comfort from it. A mere 5,000 or so votes between a seriously unpopular Republican Governor and an exceptionally well known Democrat challenger... it's a win with a soberingly small margin.
15
If, as you say, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in Kentucky the how do you explain the scourge that is Mitch McConnell? Are we talking voter fraud here or is this another case of the DNC choosing not to show up and fight for the seat?
8
And now the GOP shenanigans begin. One can only hope that the will of Kentuckian is respected.
How typical of the 'bad loser, bad form' republicans to immediately raise the spectre of 'more than a few irregularities' in an attempt to hold on to power at any cost. This is why just beating Trump won't be enough...
6
Hopefully this is the beginning of a huge wave, ending with the removal of Trump and a substantial segment of his Republican allies next November.
We don't need no stinkin' dictatorship.
13
A win is a win. And of course, the Republican is going to contest it. And is nasty about. Sounds just like DT. Sad.
6
Virginia, welcome to Team Blue! Perhaps the GOP will smell the coffee and stop angrily supporting lies and tyranny? Nah, they need to hit rock bottom first, like an addict, and trump knows how to take them there.
8
Looks like it's time for the Kentucky repubs to do a little post-election rigging.
3
I can see the new license plates already: Kentucky, The Deep State
6
Last night was a very important night in America, a very clear message was sent to Trump and his Republican enablers: we are done with you! Americans are not perfect, but we do expect better from our our elected leaders than lies, cheating, obstruction of justice, emoluments clause violations and worse....extortion! These are high crimes and misdemeanors. Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia spoke very loudly last night, with a big NO to Donald J Trump and his sycophants.
An article in the Huff Post this morning about Mike Pence messing with foreign aid to help “Christian groups” in Iraq! New York Times look into this!
Democrats are fired up! We’ve got the momentum of Independents, never-Trumpers with us, America IS united against Trump! Vote!
10
In spite of the common attitude that Trump will not be removed from office, last night's results suggest that his support in Congress is going to naturally crumble as the campaign season begins.
When voters challenge incumbents to defend their support for a criminal president, they will begin to condemn his misdeeds and his personality defects, while clinging to the party's refusal to remove him from office. Trump in turn will begin to seek revenge, threatening all the punitive things he will do if he is re-elected.
An ordinary president in his dire straits would be making glorious promises to his loyalists. But Trump's MO is to threaten and undercut the basis for any loyalty shown to him.
2
If we were to fullfill the intent and spirit of the constitutional establishment of the District of Columbia. Washington’s suburbs in Virginia and Maryland would be included in an expanded DC and denied representation.
1
Wow!! The ultimate in gerrymandering!!
1
...and by extension, the remaining 46 contiguous States!
2
I’m sure you didn’t feel this way when Virginia voted Republican.
1
Look, I'm a liberal and here's what I hope the new VA legislature *doesn't do* the very first moment out of the gate:
1. Don't pass sweeping abortion legislation....yes, of course protect the rights that are already there. But the reality is that we're at the lowest rate of abortion right now in 47 years in the country. The rates have been dropping for years/decades. There is no crisis....there's only 2 parties using it to gin up their bases. its simply not needed and will rile up opposition for no reason whatsoever.
2. Don't make the ERA some big piece of legislation right away...i mean, lol, the ERA?!! Yes someone will jump in here and say that we need it for X or Y but the reality is the progress is being made every single day by women...60%+ of college students are now women.... in 2017, more than half of all medical students were women (and growing)....yes, of course stand up for basic rights but, again, don't push a piece of legislation that's sure to lead to yet more infighting...especially when we have legitimate problems that actually need to be solved.
we need to pick our battles carefully....starting (my own opinion...others will have other ideas) with sensible gun legislation and other pressing needs.
4
While all eyes are on national "big picture" stories, in the spirit of "all politics is local" we have the Delaware County council (a suburban county bordering Philadelphia).
The five member county council has been in Republican control since the Civil War. The Democrats have had, at most, two members at any given time. Last night, Democrats swept all five seats on the council.
If you're looking for a bell weather, look no further.
11
@Ray Harper
My husband grew up in Wallingford - we were stunned (and pleased) by this news. Who'd'a thunk it?
2
@Ray Harper
In the spirit of "learn something new every day":
The correct term is "bellwether". Who knew? (Besides everybody else, I guess.) :}
@KMW
When Republicans lose they have to get out the vote to win again. But when Democrats lose we have to try and understand what it’s like to be Joe Flyover Guy. Why don’t Republicans ever have to try and understand the inner city / suburban voters?
11
Mr. Beshear was paraphrasing JFK when he stated politics don't have to be about right versus left but make it right versus wrong. JFK stated Let us not seek the republican answer nor the democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not try to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
Trump most definitely is not the leader who will comply.
6
This is a huge win for the Democrats. The groundswell of support they got- winning by an unheard of four tenths of one percent, shows that they have mandate to really change this country.
The people have spoken: open the borders. Free healthcare for the world. Free college for the world. We should be accepting ten million refugees a month. The Kurds,the Rohingya, the Uighers. Every single person from a Spanish speaking country.
And we should be sending hundreds of thousands of troops into Syria.
The people have spoken.
12
What was Trump’s mandate, with almost three million fewer votes than Clinton? Or, does an electoral college win indicate a mandate?
32
Without CA she lost by 1 million votes nationally. Why can’t people understand that.
1
@Willt26
None of what you have written here is true, of course. No democrats are calling this a mandate. They are calling it a step in the right direction. Toward decency, ethics, competence.
9
Bevin sounds like a Trump imitation. I hope Trump fares more poorly in 2020. This country's future depends on it.
21
Bevin should never have called teachers names and threatened their retirement. Bad, bad move. And BTW, Trump rallies appear to lose votes since Matt Bevin was ahead by 5 points in polling just before Trump's rally in Kentucky last week. If I were running as a Republican, I’d keep Trump away.
16
@Bob: Education should be more popular, because it conveys a confidence that is elusive to many.
2
I found it interesting last night to see the back and forth between both candidates but mainly to see the decisions made in certain counties, fascinating that women will most likely be more of the electoral future than men. however, one troubling observation was the fact that even though Bevin portrayed questionable character he was still able to attract enough votes to make this a very close challenge. After seeing the reception Trump received during the world
series the State of Virginia going Democrat was not a surprise nor was the Mississippi election, there you can see
Trump and his acceptance of militant and white supremacy much visible, there is no denying this is what many in that
State see, not how good he is at governing, but the allowance of heinous acts that he does not condone such as
the blatant disrespect shown at Emmet Till's gravesite., to think that a State who has superimposed Donald Trump's head over a Rambo like body holding an AK47 would ever
become a State where Democrats could make many inroads
would be to have a dream to see that all people included in
the Constitution and in that State be treated justly and fairly regardless of color, culture, religion, as long as you have a governing body who allows such distasteful behavior there will never be equality, so in essence even the College Students who were martyred during the 1960's Human Rights investigation by the Kennedy's died for a cause that will never be resolved due to too many Klan members
10
I hope the Democratic Governors Association is sending a platoon of lawyers to Lexington to defend Beshear's victory. The Republican head of the state senate is now making noises that the Republican legislature may have to "settle" the election. Republican election theft continues unabated!
25
trump’s toxicity is increasingly being rejected by patriotic and thoughtful Americans. Bravo!
23
Trump is toxicity to the max. He thinks we were all born yesterday. Surprise on him.
16
Beware Mitch, the writing is on the wall. You will be next to go come November 2020.
21
@Tonjo, from your mouth to God’s ear!!
3
Prediction of what's next at fox. "Trump is directing AG Barr to look into voting irregularities caused by Democrats colluding with Mexico to interfere with American elections many people say." Let's see how the propaganda machine is going to try and spin this one.
Let's keep it going Dems! We have a lot of work to do.
15
These election results serve as an indictment against Donald Trump and his corrupt administration. Minorities and educated whites were united in getting to the polls in Kentucky and Virginia, to reject the flagrant lies and destructive policies of the Trump administration, and to vote against the politicians at the state level who support this odious con man. This was America at its finest!
12
A precursor of 2020.
15
The Republican way:
There is *nothing* more evil than a Democrat; not a predator, a thief, a traitor, or any other kind of scoundrel.
Democrats are more generous (in general), though the recent antics of the nastiest extremists make it hard to continue to understand and be tolerant.
We need to get together to solve problems: that is *not* nasty, even though it's "socialism".
And if we don't the planet will get rid of us. Think of other people younger than 50.
Worshipping the golden calf is not Christian. Time to wake up!
10
@Susan Anderson
Keep singing that tune about the "evil" Dems. See where it gets you next November. Even if Trump were to win, I think GOP control over most of the country will start to crumble. Trump may have the electoral college hoodwinked but the rest of the shameless politicians answer directly to the people. And the people are restless.
3
@Peggy Rogers
Peggy, for heaven's sake, don't you recognize irony when you see it? Read the rest of my post!
2
Main takeaway from kentucky: the only way a Republican loses in a red state is if he is such a huge jerk that GOP voters can't being themselves to cast a ballot for him.
Remind you of anyone?
16
@Htb
And yet they keep sending McConnell back to the Senate. If registered Ds outnumber the Rs in Kentucky then the DNC has not been doing its job to get out the vote.
3
I am afraid to feel too happy for Beshear because part of me expects Kentucky Republicans to “find” ten thousand votes in a cupboard. I suppose that is why the NYT has not said “Beshear Won” which I suspect you would say were it the Republican who won by a narrow margin.
12
Regan would have been ashamed of how Trump has transformed the GOP into one of hate, lies, huge deficits, sexual assault, incompetence, corruption, division, and deep racism. The constant stream of lies and scandals is exhausting and it is ruining our country.
Many people like me used to be Republicans. I am ashamed of Trump every day. I can't understand how seemingly good people can support such evil.
16
@JLT, #VoteBlue. And welcome to the right side of history! Hope you stay with us!!
2
@JLT - Reagan gave us the myth of the welfare queen. He lied when it suited him, he was just a bit more subtle about it.
I left the party after G.W. I'm ashamed it took me so long.
1
Fox News, in the face of bad political news for their followers , shifted to “ other news”. I learned over there that a man had a colony of cockroaches growing in his ear, and that a giant squid was watching a deep sea (deep state?) investigation.
It is instructive to pop in on that “ news” outlet to see how they handle real news that is damaging.
13
Want to save what's left of your party, Republicans? Three little words: Impeach Impeach Impeach.
14
Agree. But your party members don’t have the courage to do what’s right. Unfortunately.
@Mari
Not my party.
2
I slept better last night with a democrat winning in Kentucky of all places.
16
Did the current administration succeed in waking us up to the power of democracy, the dangers in losing it, and the need to be vigilant, active and vote?
Viva Virginia!
10
I sincerely hope that AZ can follow the example of Kentucky. If the Democrats can run a campaign focusing on the same issues - healthcare, education, corruption by the current Trump supporter, Ducey, - they may succeed in getting an ethical governor elected.
9
Best way for Democrats to win is to get the vote out, especially the Latino vote. Hope AZ goes blue!
3
The Democrat held an edge over the Republican in deep red state is the happiest news to me politically in recent time. Now I am optimistic for 2020 election. The Democrats have to be united and work hard .
13
The Urban - Rural divide is getting bigger. The combination of more non-college whites in farmland and a much more diverse population in cities is creating a huge rift in lifestyles and beliefs.
The economic divide is equally big; farmers are highly insecure as technology drives income and wealth up in urban areas while crop prices stagnate or decrease. Obama's observation of clinging to guns and religion come to mind.
The Dems need a few more moderates in their ranks to attract the rural voters. Better to compromise to have a majority than be in the minority. AOC, Rashida and Omar are costing Dems big time in the rural and suburban areas. Almost enough to offset Trump.
8
What's democratic about a system whereby leaders are chosen by place rather than people? I mean counties within states & states within the Union. This defect is the main reason we can't address the existential threat of global warming. Rural voters are simply out of the loop.
4
@JGSD
Rural voters who are farmers are not out of the loop on climate change. They are feeling the consequences of it more than the average American. Hopefully they start to realize which party is on their side. It’s the same with blue collar workers, traditional Democratic voters who need to come back.
4
Hopefully this will give McConnell incentive to move some of that legislation piled upon his desk through the Senate.
10
What is gratifying is that it looks like the Dem lead is so great that we don't need dreamer high tax socialist candidates. Biden will do just fine with Buttigieg perhaps as VP. Hopefully the wealth tax will go into the dustbin of history. Warren is not genuine and Sanders is simply not rational. We need adults in the government for once.
1
Congrats and a heartfelt thanks to the citizens of Virginia and Kentucky!
May this encouraging wave continue to gain momentum across the country.
And hey Mitch McConnell - the folks in Kentucky were talking to YOU when they voted Andy Beshear into office.
Andy Beshear has just come up with the new Democratic slogan - "elections are still about right versus wrong"!
Great little jewel of wisdom!!!
12
Message to democrats: the 2020 election is the Democrats' to lose. We need a moderate. Neither Warren nor Sanders will win the moderates and independents in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota, states we need at a minimum. Adding Ohio and Florida would be icing on the cake.
Furthermore, democrats should take their wins and focus on the inquiry hearings but stop short of the actual trial. Since the polls in the swing midwest states support the inquiry but oppose impeachment, dems should proceed with the hearings and declare: Since we're heading into an election year, we have presented evidence to the American people, and therefore, they should decide. That will neutralize propaganda that impeachment is a political stunt. The Senate will acquit him so it's a useless exercise, and will turn him into a victim. Democrats need to focus on the issues that are being overshadowed by the impeachment circus.
7
I wish we could read more into the KY race - but I guess the conclusion is that Bevin was a bad candidate who barely lost by 5k votes. KY still voted for the republican candidates for all other offices by huge margins. But they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Bevin.
Trumps margin of victory was less than 100k votes across MI/WI/PA. Hopefully turnout will erase that margin next year.
21
Turn out is crucial to the Democrats. That’s why the GOP work so hard to thwart the vote.
4
@BR
Part of the takeaway is that the president* is claiming he pulled Bevin from a 6-8 point lead up 15 points to a 1 point loss.
I like presidents who can do four-function math.
2
An exciting night for elections. Beshear upended Bevin in the election, albeit by a razor-thin margin. Matt Bevin has refused to concede, but it'll only prolong suffering. He can only prolong it until... December 10. I would think Bevin would have at least SOME dignity, but how long will he stretch his defeat out? That, I can't say, but it appears likely that Beshear will be the next governor of Kentucky.
6
Proof positive that the only reason we suffer with the GOP is because gerrymandering is effective at keeping them in power. When they can't gerrymander, they can't win. And that is probably why the GOP is now trying to hedge their bets with help from foreign governments.
The GOP must be stopped if we want our democracy to survive.
37
Here in the Philly suburbs, Trump is deeply unpopular among my neighbors, and not just among Democrats but also among registered Republicans and independents. When conversations turn to politics, there's a lot of head shaking about the nonsense going on in the White House.
Delaware County, just south of Philly, went Democratic last night for the first time since the Civil War.
The suburban revolt has begun.
64
Nice to see the country waking up!
31
Give the voters in Kentucky some credit: Beshear is far more qualified and appealing candidate than Bevin. I am not convinced that the race outcome is all about anti-Trump sentiment. Bevin did a good job all by himself destroying local support and, from what I have read, Kentuckians are very engaged in local issues. Good for them. It is encouraging to see focus on real issues (not that incompetent leadership is not a real issue) and less on national politics.
18
The Democrats should analyze the results and see that Amy Klobuchar would have the strongest chance of beating Trump in the general.
14
@Kathy - No thank you. Anyone who is unable to keep their staff members obviously has some serious problems and we don't need any more of that in the White House.
6
I don't agree that it was a narrow win in Kentucky. I remember back in the 70's when the state was bloated with corruption under GOP rule. We were lucky to get out of the state alive one night. My husband knew too much; they did damage to the brakes of our car; and when he called to check up on an associate still in Kentucky, he was told that he had committed suicide with a rifle to the back of his head, which I imagine is difficult to accomplish. I never set foot in Kentucky again. So, no, this was not a narrow win. It was way overdue.
17
Hopefully these results portend the end of Trump as well as a reduction in the ranks of his Congressional enablers.
13
I went to undergrad in Kentucky, and it’s a very nice and friendly place. However the people there were getting feed misinformation and were being misinformed. I’m so glad that the people of Kentucky are starting to understand the truth!
17
@Kindness4All
When we were in Kentucky years ago, we visited only with the GOP big wigs and they’re not so nice. As a matter of fact, this is where all the lies and misinformation came from. It looks like the general public is now finally waking up from a deep sleep.
1
Of course the Republicans will find a missing batch of 5100 votes. This election must be overturned: I mean, people voted. That's not how we do things in the US anymore. Plus it's humiliating: Beshear's win is 0.3% of the vote: 5100 out of 1,442,000. Trump became President with far less: 77,000 votes that gave him WI MI PA and the electoral college, out of 136,000,000 votes: 0.05%. Or maybe dirty tricks and software tampering will be uncovered and it will turn out that Beshear won by 10,000 votes or more, and Russia just didn't think it needed to bother very much with this one.
8
We need to allow the inclusion of all mail-in and advance/absentee votes in any election. Why bother otherwise?
1
The Secretary of State is a Democrat. She is a woman. I doubt she will be manipulated.
2
This is what democracy looks like.
13
Today is my birthday and when I hear progress and compassion beat out corruption and tyranny, I'm a happy camper.
25
Happy birthday
4
@Sasha Love - Happy Birthday!
4
Virginia did great yesterday. People who oppose this corrupted president must now work on PA, MI, WI, MN and CO. If we can flip or hold these states, Trump cannot win. If we can overcome Trump, we need to reach out to Red States to build common ground in order to ensure that the next charlatan will not capture so many people so easily.
19
The "president" will claim a fix or some such thing!
Note to Warren. Go with what the voters want....the doable, not some academic dream!
8
Don’t you think that if Warren is chosen as the nominee, it means that what she wants is what the people want? Why backtrack now when we just may get some actual progress in so many areas?
But according to Trump, the map is all red, so the GOP must be the overwhelming majority, no? /S
3
Tomorrow, Trump will deny ever meeting Matt Bevin
19
Meanwhile, over at Fox News the only story about the election just glows with Republican success: HISTORIC KENTUCKY WIN: Cameron first Republican AG in 70 years, 1st African-American in role.
Virginia? Crickets.
That hissing sound is the Republican balloon deflating.
21
@hammond
If anyone on the air at Fox can name 5 AGs picked from random states without peeking I'll eat a bug.
But they think that's important on the national scale.
This is the electoral equivalent of Jim Carrey's "So you're tellin' me theres a chance. Yeah!"
Bubbles on both sides are like that.
But what of Michigan, what of Wisconsin, what of Pennsylvania. Don't get cocky, we are a long way away from the finish line. What are the people of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania thinking, that's what is important and Trump has millions to spend on attack ads, and fear ads, and hate mongering and fear mongering always works, and always remember that for whatever else he is, he is one of the best salesman of all time. So before you get too giddy take time to ask-what of Michigan, what of Wisconsin, what of Pennsylvania.
15
@ Dayne Andersen
This is why Citizens United needs to be overturned for all parties involved. Gordon Sondland donated one million dollars to Donald J. Trump and got an ambassadorship to the UE. We see what you tried to do there Dayne. Nice try......
7
Bravo Kentucky for making yourself and your families a priority by voting Democratic!
11
Lynchburg Virginia remains gerrymandered to insure Republicans hold legislative seats for life. The city is divided in half, splitting the Democratic leaning parts of town while also attaching them to far flung right wing rural counties over 40 miles from the city which have no common interest. The State would be even bluer were it not for the unfair advantages Republicans have crafted for themselves.
10
@Displaced yankee
With the Democrat clean sweep last night the Dems will be in control of the district map after the 2020 census so those gerymandered districts will be eliminated. Virginia is a blue state.
4
Nice that Kentucky will never be referred to as "the Redgrass State."
I do wonder, however, if Bevins' attitude and unwillingness to concede, could be a small-scale version of how Trump might handle his own defeat? (Spoiler Alert: A Trump victory should never be treated as a foregone conclusion; if it happened to Thomas Dewey....)
I wouldn't put it past him.
6
To the best of my knowledge, Dewey was never a one term President. The comparison doesn’t work.
The comparison he meant to make was: the newspapers printed Dewey on their front pages as the winner in the election, when in fact he lost.
@Suburban Cowboy & Philly Girl: That's just what I meant. Would anyone have preferred my using HRC as an example?
Like any real Trumper out there, Bevin will never concede. They never admit they are wrong, and never go on the defensive. So they certainly won't concede a loss brought about by mere human voters.
In their twisted minds, the real boss of all is either in the sky or in the Oval Office spouting "No quid pro quo. No quid pro quo...". And since neither their omnipotent friend the sky, nor their orange-mopped liege in the new white-domed Trump Tower, have spoken, they shall remain in place. After all, they were assured from up top that they'd prevail. How this plays out will be a stark preview into what we can expect when Trump is shown the door in 2020 or before.
9
Let's hope that what happened in Kentucky will be a harbinger for Mitch McConnell. McConnell must go away for good.
26
Gov Bevin's actions of not accepting defeat is a warning of how Trump will act if he looses in 2020.
12
In 2015 Matt Bevins won by 9% with 511,771 votes cast.
In 2019 Matt Bevins *lost* by 0.4% with 704,523 votes cast.
Trump has managed to awaken a sleeping giant.
19
So proud to be a Kentuckian today! Very, very tight results, but a strong message that wrapping yourself in the Trump flag isn't working. Trump won KY by 30 points in 2016. With his visit to Lexington election eve, he managed to destroy Bevin's 6-point lead. Keep it up!!!
27
“Bevin? Don’t know him. Never met the guy.”
22
Let’s hear more about the impact of the third party Libertarian candidate, John Hicks, who got over 26,000 votes in KY Gov race.
6
@Vicki
Libertarian John Hicks got over 1,000 votes in Kenton County, KY. I would assume he pulled votes from Bevin’s numbers.
Great turnout and good increase for the Dems. But without Hicks in the race, Bevin would have carried Kenton Co., which is just across the river from Cincinnati.
Bevin wanted to put a toll on the Brent Spence Bridge into Ohio too. Very unpopular idea in a region of no tolls.
3
Conservative Republican constituents recognized corruption and crossed over to vote for Beshear. (It was the teachers, stupid)
14
@peggy mann The Kentucky teachers are superstars! I've never been more proud to be an educator! UNITE!
17
The upset in Kentucky shows that running on defending, fixing and expanding the ACA and Medicaid is a winning strategy in red states. Add the public option and you have a set of popular progressive policies that can gather an American majority. I hope some of the Democratic candidates will learn a lesson from yesterday’s results.
15
@David H. I hope the Republican led legislature learn a lesson and vote to support these kitchen table issues. Will they?
4
The big news out of Kentucky is turnout. 400,000 more votes were cast yesterday in the gubernatorial race than in 2015.
The lesson is clear: when voters show up, Democrats win.
It's no wonder that a key Party of Trump strategy is to suppress votes, using every imaginable means. So Democrats in 50 states must do whatever is necessary to get voters to the polls. Period.
27
The Democratic Party worked hard in this election. We spent time and no small amount of effort to Listen to voters, and work with them to find answers that would address their concerns in a rational, adult manner.
The republicans chose to run on a "Gee, isn't trump wonderful" platform; and not address the issues that matter to voters.
It's clear which platform carried the day.....
13
@Palmer Congratulations!
1
Live in the real world or be severely disappointed in Nov of 2020. Virginia has been trending towards blue for years. A simple result of population changes and the proximity to Washington DC. Kentucky Governor was as unpopular as he could be, and he still almost won. New AG in Kentucky received MORE votes than this defeated Governor. It means nothing as far as predicting the results of 2020.
5
My good friend won in 2017 in the first blue wave against a "moderate" Republican, long time holder of the seat. The Koch brothers put a lot of dark money into Virginia this year, including to her opponent (same Republican as last time). She beat him again, by a larger margin. Money can't buy everything I'm heartened to see.
13
The author glosses over the results in the Deep South but something big is going on down there.
Democrat Jim Hood's 5 point loss to Tate Reeves was the closest loss for a Democrat for the governor's race in Mississippi this century. The margins in the previous four races were 2003 - 7%, 2007 - 15%, 2011 - 21%, 2015 - 34%.
This, coupled with Stacy Abrams 1.4% loss in the 2018 Georgia governors race shows that even in the deepest of red areas of the country, not everyone may be as happy with Trump as popular belief and polls seem to show. Democrats lost the previous four gubernatorial elections by the following 2002 - 5%, 2006 - 19%, 2010 - 7%, 2014 - 7%.
These are significant swings that should be taken note of, especially by a Republican Party that, to date, seems hellbent on sticking with their man.
9
These votes were the loud echos of boo in the ballot box. I hope the Democrats in Virginia will be successful in governing, so that Republicans will become as unimportant their as they are in California. Reach out to the rural Republican voters and find a path to help them, pass a decent gun law, and help improve education and the environment.
11
What are the chances Bevin is projecting when he claims there were voting irregularities?
3
It gives me great pleasure to report that for the first time in history Democrats have won the Delaware County Council, the controlling body of this historically Red Philadelphia suburb. Furthermore across the county in most other races such as the School Board in Radnor Township it was a clean sweep for Democrats .
Similar to last years primaries voters in the Philadelphia suburbs have rejected Republicans seeing them as being tainted by Trump.
Despite the recent piece in the Times that discussed a recent poll showing Trumps support fairly solid in rural PA I am confident that in 2020 Pennsylvania will once again turn Blue .
Trump and his policies are Poison to most of the electorate in our big cities and suburbs even on the Main Line where I live at one time at least Republicans had a shot at wining 'No More'.
Our largest population is centered around cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown, where the electorate is fired up and we want Trump out of the White House , like tomorrow.
13
We have to work hard for it though.
2
To all you Kentuckians who gave Bevin the boot, we here in the great [ever-turning Blue] state of Missouri raise of glasses of fine Bourbon to you in a hearty, very hearty, Toast!
(Looking forward to the day you give the other boot to Moscow Mitch....)
16
Thrilled to read the Democrats have total control in Virginia. Best news I've read in awhile. Thank you Virginia Democrats for running an excellent campaign.
10
Typical of the refusal of the Republican governor of Kentucky to concede the election, even after 100% of the precincts were counted. Delusional men like Bevin and Trump just can't believe they are not as popular as they are sure they must be. Just wait until the 2020 election when Trump loses the popular vote by much more than 3 million votes and blames his loss on the "Deep State" and Ukraine. Trump may have to be strong armed out of the White House in Jan, 2021 if he were not already removed from office by the impeachment process before then.
6
“It’s a message that says our elections don’t have to be about right versus left, they are still about right versus wrong.”
Until the press frames our current state and the reason to vote in our elections with these terms, they will be part of the cacophony of divisive language primarily coming from corrupt leaders.
Stop promoting their manipulative rhetoric. As long as you do, you are complicit in harm to our "United States".
The forces that are working at break neck pace to keep us divided received a message yesterday. "We the People" who understand the risk to our Republic, reject corruption and are demanding that those represent us do what is right.
Party doesn't matter. The politicians who rejected lies and corruption in government received more votes yesterday.
4
Since land doesn't vote people do, it would be so much more trenchant if the Times for their default graphic, and all news organizations, switched to the format of showing election results by variably sized colored dots adjusted to population and party within a voting precinct rather than shading the whole precinct. The current format of shading entire precincts seems unintuitive and deceptive in comparison.
1
@Parsrus I get what you mean. However, in the Senate, land votes. When Wyoming gets two representatives in the Senate with only 650,000 people, (the same as California with 40 million people) land certainly seems to have a vote. Our antiquated electoral system needs to change.
5
Using Trump's words " This is the greatest defeat ever !
5
FANTASTIC! Great outcome. Let's make sure we carry this to the 2020 elections. I think it shows that the American people are tired of the WH lies and deceptions - promises that are meaningless to the general population. The Republicans and their staunch (white) conservatives are in the minority and this is finally playing out the way Democracy should. Clean out the swamp once and for all. The biggest challenge is finding a Democratic candidate that can wipe Trump and his corrupt administration out, forever. His win in 2016 was rigged - the American people did not vote him in, the Russians and other corrupt entities did. Let's make sure this does not happen again and that we Americans come out in force to vote-in a people-centric, honest and law biding candidate - at all levels of government. Someone who cares about health care, income disparity, reducing gun violence, fair immigration laws, opportunity for all that seek it, global diplomacy, nuclear reduction, sensible environmental laws that tackle the climate change problems (manmade or otherwise). Don't people want to live in peace and be happy, not fight all the time? Trump is destroying this country. He is not a nationalist, he's a Trumpist, a megalomaniac.
5
@Roger Sounds like Bernie Sanders to me, but I'll support whomever the eventual D nominee is in 2020. We all need to work hard to rid the stain of Trumpism.
4
Has Virginia passed the Equal Rights Amendment? With this historic win, this is now possible!
7
@Maureen You are absolutely right! The 15 states whose legislatures did not ratify the Equal Rights Amendment by the 1982 deadline are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.
4
Pleased that Jefferson and Fayette and Woodford Counties in KY went blue ... and my sources tell me that GOP voters in Russia may have been a bit confused when they voted!
8
Trump will blame the Democrat's win in Kentucky on Obama or the fake news media or a hoax of some sort — rather than admit that Americans are finally awakening to the fraud, misery and sycophancy that is the GOP in late 2019.
11
The grass is politically BLUE!
10
Bevin ignored Trump's advice to tone down the hateful and insulting rhetoric.
Otherwise he would have won bigly.
2
A great Democrat, Tip O'Neill once stated that "All politics is local". Yes, the underlying theme for most of these elections was a referendum on Trump and the impeachment process. But the most remarkable successes were because politicians were right on the local issues. It's imperative that Democrats support political diversity as well as racial, ethnic, and religious diversity if they intend to make inroads in conservative states. That is the message of Kentucky.
It is also the message of Louisiana, where John Bel Edwards is running for reelection. Edwards is a true Democrat who wants Louisiana to work for all it's citizens, especially the poor and people of color. He is also a pro-gun, pro-life, highly decorated combat veteran, issues that are important to people in Louisiana. Democrats need to accept that not every Democrat needs to toe the line on gun control and abortion if they expect to win in traditionally conservative states.
10
Oh Dana. I fear you are correct in your summation but a pro-choice voter like myself has a dilemma. Vote for a Democratic who supports a draconian abortion bill that will assure certain death from some illegal abortions or not vote and risk loss to the worse one. What to do, what to do.
2
@Suzzie
I'm totally empathetic. No one supports a woman's right to choose more than i. I performed abortions at PPH in the South Bronx in the '80s, and continued to perform them in my private ObGyn practice until I retired. But what works in NYC won't fly in Baton Rouge. That's one reason I choose not to live there. If I did live there, I would still work for a woman's right to choose. But no candidate that supports abortion rights can win in Louisiana at this time. I would definitely support Edwards over Rispone, no contest. He is far better for Louisiana. After he wins, i would oppose him on abortion rights.
Will VA Democrats allow Richmond to remove its Confederate statues? And will they investigate and reform their broken, runaway child welfare system known for falsely accusing innocent families of child abuse--also a national problem?
6
Bevin: Described striking teachers as "as accessories to the sexual assault of children". Really? No wonder he lost....and good riddance.
24
Jamie L -- touche!
3
As I looked at the stark red/blue divide on the Kentucky map, I couldn't help but wonder what the results would have been if the election was governed by the Electoral College, the way our presidential elections are.
Would Mr Beshear have prevailed with only a 5100 vote margin in a system, like the Electoral College, that favors geography over actual voters?
6
@Jim
As I look at the stark red/blue divide on the Kentucky map, I see an urban/rural divide. The margin of victory was provided by suburban Kentuckians who rejected Bevin. It's true that the EC favors the small more rural states over those with large urban populations. It is a remnant of the distrust rural southern agricultural states had for more urban northern states with larger populations. It should have been abolished with the 14th Amendment when the 3/5ths Compromise became obsolete.
3
Though I am heartened by the results of these elections and encouraged by all the positive, supportive comments of readers below, my concern is: will the democrats now seize the moment, organize themselves and begin the hard work of restoring dignity, integrity, honesty and respect back into the process of governing our democracy and managing the affairs of our great nation?
Dems: it's time to focus, come together and get things done!
17
I really believe this will happen and even more so when we get the Dem Presidential Candidate. Things are little less focused because we are in the selection phase.
3
I wholeheartedly hope that Virginia will now start the process of joining the Interstate Compact to bring us closer to getting rid of this relic called Electoral College.
21
The subtext of this report is about Trump. The problem with this is that where we are now as a nation that has “united” in her formal identity, denies that identity as a practical reality in what amounts to a zero-sum game. In this kind of game ... morality aside and hostility rising to face a new day ... victory is un-substantive and everyone loses. That is the troubling mark Trump has made on this nation that has been bought into.
1
The weight of President Trump dragged under many outstanding G.O.P. candidates across Virginia yesterday, most of whom reject his scorched earth politics. This was sadly the Faustian bargain that the G.O.P. made when aligning with Trump's toxicity. Doing so won the White House, but at a deep cost. Trump already caused the G.O.P. loss of the U.S. House, and now lost the Virginia legislature and Kentucky governor's office. In retrospect the G.O.P was far stronger when it controlled Congress, the majority of gubernatorial offices, and majority of state legislatures prior to Trump. A costly trade-off for the G.O.P. indeed!
5
@Wesley But isn't that always the case when you sell your soul to the devil?
6
@Wesley
I follow politics closely and I really haven't seen "G.O.P. candidates who reject his scorched earth politics." Something I do see is 85-90% of Republicans approving of Trump in poll after poll.
4
While the Red/Blue state maps are still geographically lopsided (though not in terms of numbers of people), I'm feeling better about 2020.
The 2020 races (Senate and Presidency) are the DEMS to loose.
5
Just like their policies, it's easy to identify Republican officials. Consider Kentucky's Republican Bevins -- compared to the man who beat him last night in the Kentucky governor's race: Andy Beshear:
Governor Beshear smiles, and has a look that's inviting and collaborative.
Ex-Gov Bevins frowns (smugly), and has a look of ceaseless disparagement.
9
Mitch, time to tremble...your day is coming.
15
I think despite reports to the contrary, Americans do care about our democracy.
I haven’t felt this great in three years.
17
Best statement by a political candidate in years: "Our elections don’t have to be about right versus left, they are still about right versus wrong.”
23
Great news in Virginia and Kentucky.
Let's hope the people of Kentucky do right by all of us in the country and VOTE MITCH McCONNELL OUT in 2010.
16
I doubt the voting machines are programmed to let that happen.
5
@MAW - Obviously, I meant 2020! LOL
2
Overall, Democrats had a pretty good night. We can forget Mississippi, it's really a one-party state, with both parties on the same side on guns and abortion. Kentucky was a good win even if over 100,000 voters split their tickets - a win is a win. Virginia is the icing on the cake for Democrats, and clearly shows what Trump employees think of him.
9
Plain and simple, the governor's race in Kentucky shows that people will vote Democrat down there and the reason they don't is because the Democratic Party doesn't bother organizing there. A carefully crafted message combined with organizing could easily flip the South. Missed opportunity with Trump in the WH.
5
Today Several Republicans are thinking about voting Trump out of office.
6
@Tom — Or disinviting him to come to their states to campaign.
Another Trump brand goes toxic.
5
@MDB Or inviting him to a few more sports events....
2
Congratulations Virginians. Now it is time to work for the people. Show them what can be done for the people who have trusted you.
6
Uhh... if 100% of the votes are in, why aren't the Times, AP, NBC and others saying that Beshear won? Am I the only one expecting 8000 absentee ballots will magically appear to switch the result?
4
Bevin, being as reprehensible as he is, still received almost half the votes. Kentucky and this country still have a long way to go.
14
I am sure that President Trump will crow that the Kentucky governors vote is fake news and say he played no role in the outcome. But as this happened in Mitch McConnell's home state will the Senator also support the President's call about fake news? I am sure it won't be too long before Donald Trump calls both Mr. Beshear and the Senator losers. But will President Trump cut the Senator loose and now disavow him? And will the Senator continue to support Mr. Trump in any upcoming Senate impeachment trial? Very interesting times indeed that we live in.
2
Let us all rejoice and continue to work harder to expose the criminal enterprise of Trump and his republican enablers.
6
Looking at the stark rural/urban divide on the red/blue voting maps, I think Democrats need to go more into rural areas with something like a "Democrat Petting Zoo." Come, meet some real-live Democrats! Ask them questions! See that they're not so different from you! Find out what they REALLY stand for!
262
@Citizen-of-the-World
That's too random.
We need to target millennials; that is the demographic group that votes Dem - when they vote. They are the future; the older GOP voters are the past.
12
@Citizen-of-the-World You need to dig a bit deeper. That divide is not as stark as it seems. The Republican majority in rural communities is much slimmer than it used to be.
11
@Citizen-of-the-World That's just not going to work. Fox news and the Republicans have convinced these people that Democrats are evil. Until the vile and rancorous propaganda stops, rural area republicans are never going to vote for a Democrat no matter what. Democrats need to continue to talk about issues that matter to middle class people. Perhaps with time those democratic hating republicans will come to their senses and open up enough to at least listen to the other side. We can hope.
3
People have finally had enough of the hatred, bullying, lies, greed, fake Christianity, and fake patriotism that the Republican Party since Reagan has come to represent.
18
Cowboy Marine -- spot on.
3
This bleeding heart liberal is donating to Amy McGrath.
10
I really don't think much will change though.
“Right over wrong” needs to be a part of every Democrat’s branding this election.
10
So moderates can win in deeply conservative places so long as liberals don't elect the Republican? We knew that.
A big thank you to the people of Kentucky who had enough rationale to vote the sore looser Bevin out of office. I promise that when Mitch Mcconnell is also voted out, I'll start buying Kentucky Bourbon, again.
13
Cheers!
1
Sore loser! I cannot think of another term that illustrates the behavior of any Republican who loses an election. Mr. Bevin falls right in line with that observation, pushing a theory of election "irregularities" when he doesn't even know/remember the rules and laws of Kentucky's electoral process....he stated that in his non-concession speech! He forgot them! This is in the video published today in the Times.
I shouldn't be surprised that the results are being challenged and Mr. Bashear will have to contend with this long dragged out unnecessary process instead of getting right into his agenda.
But then, this is right in keeping with the state of play in politics today and I must be a cockeyed optimist to expect grace in defeat.
5
Bevin pointed out "that only four Republicans had been elected governor since the 1920s and that registered Democrats in the state still outnumbered registered Republicans," and "He did not mention that this partisan registration gap has considerably shrunk in recent years, nor that Mr. Trump romped there three years ago."
He also did not mention that Kentucky must be gerrymandered to the max in favor of Republicans, so in absolute terms the slim victory is probably bigger than it seems given the sweep by the GOP in the rest of the state where gerrymandering played a roll.
14
Forget race, gender, and sexual preference. All those things are taken for granted, from a progressive perspective, by the vast majority of Millennials. The real war for the soul of America that will start when Warren drives a stake through Trump's (and Wall St.'s) heart in 2020 is generational. Trump is the end of the line for the overwhelmingly narcissistic, greedy, selfish, and right-wing Boomers. We've had forty years of Boomer rule from Reagan and the yuppies to Trump and his fellow Boomer geezers. Starting with the good Boomer Warren, we'll now have forty years of progressivism, as Boomers die ever faster and get replaced at the polls not just by Millennials, but by the even more progressive Greta-Parkland "kids" behind them. Atlanta and its little imitators across the South, from Charlotte to Charleston (where Dems are already running dead even with right-wingers), all with exploding, increasingly progressive, increasingly mixed-race suburbs will be part of this transformation of American politics, not a drag against it. And it's a good thing, too.
6
@Fred White
I hope you’re right but fear you’re not. I know plenty of Repub millennials and most of my boomer friends like Warren.
2
Bevin keeps on charging "Irregularities!" He thought he had those voting machines "fixed."
12
The BlueWave will continue! It’s why America is in position to save its fragile democracy from this current President’s corrupt dysfunctional administration, by flipping the Congressional House of Representatives and provide much needed oversight of his Executive Branch! That is the reasons he is obstructing justice and stalling at every turn, including outright lying in an attempt to distract from his upcoming impeachment. Our only regret is we didn’t also flip the United States Senate.
Imagine for a moment if the gutless Republicans were still in the House of Representative majority as Donald J. Trump would prefer. This widespread coverup of his abuse of powers would have already been swept under the carpet and legally there would have been nothing anyone could have done to stop it.
Bravo to patriotic Americans. Onward to BlueWave 2020!
22
Beware the fascist playbook: Bevin has not made a concession and has referred to unspecified "irregularities" that were "corroborated." The state legislature is in complete Republican control and I would not be surprised if they at least tried to force a decision into the General Assembly.
"Last but not least, there is Section 90 of the state constitution, which addresses a "contest of election for Governor or Lieutenant Governor." Section 90 states: "Contested elections for Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be determined by both Houses of the General Assembly, according to such regulations as may be established by law."
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/11/06/kentucky-governor-election-recount-bevin-beshear/4175543002/
9
@Joe Lucca
Thank you for the link pointing out the potential problems ahead in that Bevin has not conceded. He has until next Tuesday to make his case.
I don’t put it past McConnell or Trump to “find” irregularities, and to encourage and fund a recount.
5
Thank you Northern Kentucky! Looks like you played a big part in Beshear’s win. I tell you what...y’all did the right thing!
12
Canadians cannot give financial support to your candidates, but we can give advice.
Support Amy McGrath to defeat McConnell.
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/amymcgrathkentucky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTzU62mjXM - brief interview with her and Seth Meyers
19
I suggest that the media stop referring to the Democrats’ gubernatorial victory in Kentucky as a “narrow win.” Given that Kentucky went for trump by a huge margin in 2016, that trump is still wildly popular in the state, that trump himself campaigned for Bevin the night before the election, and that the rest of the races in Kentucky were won by Republicans, Andy Beshears’s victory is very big indeed. If the election results had been reversed, the Republicans would be claiming a landslide this morning.
20
Great to see Kentucky voters at last act in their own best interests, though it would have been nice to see a more conclusive victory. Fingers crossed that Moscow Mitch will be shown the door in 2020.
16
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. VA was once a conservative stronghold, now going Blue. The pattern here is that over the past 20 years Virginia has become far more urbanized. The rural counties of Virginia depopulate as the urban counties continue to grow unabated. Virginia's population and economy increasingly favors a college educated white collar workforce dynamic, and downstate Virginia no longer has enough population (votes) to offset Northern VA.
It wasn't that long ago that Virginia was a rural farm state, but that ship has sailed, Virginia has transitioned to an urban-suburban state, the stronghold of the Democratic Party. Ten years from now Virginia will be a solid blue state, if their population demographic trend continues.
12
@Shend In addition, Virginia has a YUUGE population of active and retired government workers - you know, the ones Trump loves to bash, fire, and otherwise greatly disrespect....Also, not all of the Military here are enamoured with his Putin-loving ways, instability, lack of discipline, and tendency to disparage war heroes and Gold Star parents.
2
Mr. Bevin asserted to supporters that “there have been more than a few irregularities,” without offering specifics . . .
Let that be a warning to Democrats. When Trump loses in 2020, this will be his mantra as well, only he will voice it much louder and with the benefit of the Fox News propaganda mill. Trump will not leave office without doing everything possible to cast doubt on the election results, not just rhetorically, but also through legal challenges. Democrats will literally have to "take back" the White House, and winning the election is only part of that challenge.
47
@Dconkror
Exactly correct. Claiming election fraud will be the last refuge of these scoundrels, and they will not go easily.
12
@Dconkror Isn't it convenient that only one race is impacted by such irregularities, but all the other races on the same ballot won by Republicans are not?
10
@Dconkror
That is exactly why Trump needs to be soundly defeated in 2020 by a wide margin.
4
I had a very odd conversation with my brother in law the other night where it became clear that he only listens to Fox “News” . He didn’t know that (1) Hillary Clinton wasn’t the democratic candidate for 2020 (2) impeachment wasn’t an electoral strategy by democrats (3) strong women weren’t his natural enemy . He was also gloating about the *fact* that “we” would be more miserable with Pence as president then with Trump. I was floored. I couldn’t imagine a world where I would be happy if half the country was miserable about who the president was, but here we are. There are people in this country who WANT their fellow citizens to be unhappy. And this is a guy who was raised with a silver spoon. Sad.
46
I can’t get past the fact that this man was “born with a silver spoon “ and is so ill informed that he thinks Hillary Clinton is once again the candidate for 2020.
5
@Hector I've been saying for years that there is a huge problem with Fox as the primary or sole source of information for a large number of people.
6
@Hector I work with young men like that. They are wandering, lost and confused. They cannot envision a world where they don't matter most. Plenty of older ones like that, too. It's frightening. This will be a slow turn as this boat heads in the right direction. Sadly, some of them are so distressed they will hurt others while also hurting themselves. More attention needs to be given to education and mental health. This is a big part of the problem. Basic facts are rarely at issue. Ignorance is. That and bad coping skills (sand box tantrums turned bad, really bad, as they age).
6
I watched Mr. Beshear give his acceptance speech last night and was impressed. We need intelligent, articulate and hard working people who stand with everyday people to represent us.
This does not necessarily translate to a centrist. To me, it means a person who has spent his or her life advocating for the poor, working and middle classes and not simply for the big money interests that has pervaded the U.S. political culture, especially since the Supreme Court has decided money is speech and corporations are people. We need people who represent the left behind and disenfranchised. Donald Trump espoused this ideology but obviously has not followed through. People are still underemployed and/or not receiving the kind of raises and salaries reflective of the huge gains by the tax cut for corporations and the rich. The trickle down crumbs are still not enough when food, housing, education, healthcare etc. costs keep rising above those meager gains.
We need a person to lead our country out of the business as usual for the rich and powerful and concentrate on helping those who have struggled over the last 40 years. We need a person who wants to bring our country together rather than divide. Someone who speaks to urban, suburban and rural people about social, economic and racial justice. I hope people will get beyond the rhetoric of Republicans and status quo Democrats. Get educated rather than succumbing to sound bites. Don't be scared by media labels. It's time for change.
14
@Sue Salvesen. The reason he won was because he was a centrist. If he spouted “free” Medicare for all, “free” college tuition, new taxes on 401ks and pensions, etc., he would have been DOA. He specifically avoided those issues and won. Wake up Democrats. We can win in 2020 with a moderate centrist, nothing else.
3
@Retired Hard Worker Do you like your Social Security? How about Medicare? Are your roads paved, libraries open, police stations and fire stations functional? How about your schools? Do your grandkids go to public school?
Years ago, people cried out, "socialism" from the rafters when FDR proposed sweeping change. We are all better off for his bold vision. It's been 40 years of the working and middle class getting less and less of the pie, while the rich and powerful thrive. Progress is scary but it is necessary.
Signed a retired public school teacher with a pension and full healthcare.
I disagree entirely.....the time has come for a major change....if you want to call it a “radical” change, so be it. Healthcare and Education are very important issues and they need a “radical” change, look at other western democracy, like Canada, Australia,New Zealand and loads of European countries, whose citizens are thriving, healthy and educated.
1
I'll go with voting for right over wrong, as Governor-elect Bashear said, and these days that leads me to consistantly choose Democrats. I'm happy to see that I am not alone in my choice, despite the lies, distortions, changing rationales and frequent hate speech from too many Republicans, even at a local level.
A first-person local example: when I moved into my town, I was warned that there were only two parties: Republicans and Other Republicans. But yesterday, we elected our first Democratic majority town council in our history, and we join two adjoining formerly red towns which are now majority Democratic. While our new administration will need to be aware of and deflect some pretty hostile Republican crossfire (based on the campaign and on past experience), I look forward to practical and enlightened leadership instead of partisan sloganeering and grandstanding while doing nothing. I thank the voters who cast ballots based on the issues, not the invective. How refreshing!
586
@CP
We must keep holding them accountable and primary democrats that cease to represent or undermine democratic initiatives by voting republican constantly.
Keep up the good work!
11
@CP “I look forward to practical and enlightened leadership instead of sloganeering and grandstanding ….”
You mean the same leadership responsible for the nation’s third-highest tax burden (8.97% income and 7% sales tax) while leading the nation in underfunded pension liability (only 35% funded which is below basket-case Illinois)? Maybe that's why twice as many people moved out of New Jersey in 2018 as moved in, according to NJ.com
I’m not defending Republicans but Democrats have done you no favors. What were you saying again about “refreshing”?
3
@CP
You are so lucky! I live in Ocean County and the GOP won again - I can't stand it - only thing I can hope is that all the retirees eventually die off and a new generation of retirees comes to their senses and elects Democrats who will actually work for the people!
11
P.s. centrism didn’t do it. Everyday people’s needs fro fair wages to healthcare and everything in between did it.
10
@Ted Hear, hear. People seem to forget what FDR did for our country.
A wake up call for Mitch to do something positive for the Nation. His days in office are numbered no matter what he does.
16
It sure doesn’t seem like the idea of impeachment is hurting Democrats (which is a very popular Republican talking point).
Maybe it’s energizing the Democratic base...
About time.
24
The results in Kentucky is great. The recount that the Republican asked for is meaningless. If it was a matter of a few hundred votes there would be a possibility of a mistake, but not when it’s a matter of thousands. Even more important than the
Kentucky is the suburbs are turning blue, where they have always been Red. It seems the impeachment is working.They are starting to realize that Trump is a threat to our country.
15
Congrats and a heartfelt thanks to the citizens of Virginia and Kentucky!
May this encouraging wave continue to gain momentum across the country.
And hey Mitch McConnell - the folks in Kentucky were talking to YOU when they voted Andy Beshear into office.
I think Andy Beshear has just come up with the new Democratic slogan - "elections are still about right versus wrong"!
Amen to that little jewel of wisdom!!!
28
Lies and personal attacks can only go so far for the Republican Party / Trump and will eventually catch up with them. When the focus is addressing and attacking Republicans on the real concerns, issues and problems in this Nation, Republicans just don’t have the answers and don’t have a leg to stand on; simply because a good majority of them are party over country. Last night’s election represents small steps in restoring our Government and Democracy. It’s a manifestation, a wake call in choosing between what’s right for the country and progressively moving forward instead of continuing to support what is wrong with the country.
9
The blue wave is coming. Even if Trump is re elected ( which is a toss up) the wave will engulf the Senate and Chuck Schumer will be the new majority leader. Goodby Mitch.
12
@Oliver. From your mouth to God’s ears. Good riddance Mitch McConnell. Hope he is a nervous wreck now. What to do to save his skin.
5
The tide continues to turn. Bravo all.
Bring on the blue tidal wave in 2020!
The GOP thoroughly deserves electoral oblivion.
18
@Andrew
Now all the Democrats need is a candidate.
1
"With 100 percent of the precincts counted, Mr. Beshear was ahead by 5,100 votes."
I noticed that 100% figure in the NYT online quite a while before TV news shows stopped updating their Kentucky governor's race figures. Does it mean anything over 99.5%,by any chance? What I'd like to know is what percentage of votes have *not yet* been counted.
3
Democrats need to throw together a rural infrastructure program here and a rural healthcare program there in 2020, just to add a few more percentage points of safety margin in razor thin states. Republicans lie cheat and election rig like never before these days, there is nothing wrong with throwing a few dollars directly at their base if not just to coax a small handful over. Target those dollars the same way today’s republican candidates target open hatred. Every vote that can be legally bought needs to be. This political war must be won at any price.
13
This shows why voter turnout is crucial. 5100 votes made the difference. Getting out the vote in 2020 is key if we want to curtail the lawless insanity of the GOP. Your vote DOES matter!
22
John McCain's brother Joe said during the presidential race of 2008 Alexandria and Arlington are communist.
We evil 'commies' in the heavily populated suburbs of D.C. did not turn the state red, but solidly blue. That's called karma.
15
Republicans can be on their way to oblivion.
In placing all their faith in being pulled over the line by the right wing base they are alienating forever the inevitable consequences of demographic change . The minorities , women and the youth vote.
The Electoral College May get them over the line in 2020 but beyond that they need to live in fear.
Sadly I do not believe this Country can stand another 4 years of corruption, mismanagement of our resources destruction of our Climate, victimization of fine Americans
Will yesterday’s events convince Republicans in the House and Senate to put Country first and impeach and remove Trump for gross abuse of power. I think not and that is a tragedy for us all
9
Be careful not to read too much into Beshear's win here in KY. Beshear is a moderate. Bevin was broadly despised, but Trump is NOT. No bellwether here - Trump still has KY on lock until enough MAGA diehards see the light. I'm not going to hold my breath.
13
Great, kid. Now don't get cocky.
3
A clearer indication of changes in Virginia, is the one of Shelly Simonds.
The last time that Simonds (D) ran against David Yancey (R), the two tied.
Then they had a run-off ---- and tied again.
So they pulled a name out of a bowl.
Yancey, the Republican, won.
Fast forward.
They ran against each other again yesterday.
This time, Simonds won.
Not by a "tie".
She won 58% to 40%.
This should shake some Republicans out of the Trump Cult.
Stop listening to the screed being fed to you by Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell or Kevin McCarthy.
That bunch has got it wrong.
It is "about the economy, stupid", and it's also --- always ---
about the ethics.
These elections yesterday are about the last warning that you Republicans are going to get.
Stop being a cult, stop with the cold-blooded cruelty to kids in cages, Gitmo and forcing the poor TO WORK for medicaid.
Trump isn't going to be around next year.
He's already bugging out to his hidey-hole in Florida.
Last night he lost Big Time.
He's not going to hang around for more.
Your Beloved Leader can't hack being a loser.
End this Trump cult.
23
Beshar's narrow victory in Kentucky means nothing: contrary to comments here, this is not a "big win" for Democrats. More telling is the comment by Julia in the NYT article on Sondland's change of testimony: she says the quid pro quo was "no big deal," just Trump being tough on corruption.
If Democrats don't get out of their bubble and stop offering the American people, most importantly the swing voters, some presidential alternative other than the 2020 version of George McGovern in 1972, we are sure see re-election rather than recovery.
Draft Michelle Obama.
3
Perhaps Gov. Bevin should turn to the Russians for help with a recount. After all, they enabled Trump to overcome a 3-million vote deficit in 2016.
11
Hopefully this off year election will send a big signal to Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell to do what is morally, politically and ethically right.
7
The good news is that Democrats are coming out to vote, and some Republicans are putting good people and good government above party.
Let's hope this continues in 2020 to cleanse the Trump virus from Washington and the nation. Still, it will take the youth of America to rid the nation of the rancid and vicious "us vs them" attitudes that Republican politics started with their invention of RINO and politicians like Pat Buchanan and Newt Gingrich.
10
Perhaps Mr Bevins demonstrates that you can allow Trump to rally with you, you can work to appeal to the base you hope to share with him. But you cannot emulate him, you cannot conduct your own affairs in words and deeds similar to him. Trump is a unique beast in that regard who gets a pass for his outrageous, impolite, spoiled and borderline criminal and beyond actions. He is above the law in the eyes of his beholders, defying common courtesy and rules as if the laws of physics ( gravity ) and our land ( Constitution )don’t apply. The rest of his ilk and us must still respect gravity.
3
I moved to VA in 2006 when the statehouse and the governor were Republican. it is no surprise that the state turned from red to purple to blue since that time. the VA repubs in the state house spent their time trying to ban books, force women seeking abortion to have unnecessary vaginal ultrasounds, and trying to pass bathroom bills. while the governor was busy accepting lavish gifts from business men. it was a relief when Gov McAuliffe was elected, and he vetoed a record number of bills. northam has his flaws but hopefully the Dems can actually get things done now.
473
@Erin
Democrats are left of center because the center has been moved to the right. Democratic voters don't want to vote for blue Republicans. They do want a democratic commonsense government and not a republican obstacle course.
32
@Erin
Northern Virginia is not merely "suburban"; it is filled with government workers who have been continually humiliated by Trump for 3 years. Like the time he played a weather expert and botched it) as if the position required no intelligence or training.
40
@Charlesbalpha
"Like the time he played a weather expert and botched it) as if the position required no intelligence or training."
Funny, that sounds an awful lot like his "presidency."
22
This is all about voter turnout. When more people vote, Democrats do better. GOP knows this and that is why they purge voter rolls, limit the number of voting locations, demand IDs etc. etc. Yeah Virginia! Pat on the back to each and every one of you who got out to vote.
14
"Thank you for offering Mr. President, but it might be best not to be seen with you." - Election 2020
9
First things first: nothing more important than to rearrange the gerrymandered districts.
8
This defeat for Bevin gives me hope that Trump will be viewed as a campaign pariah and not a blessing.
I'd love to see lots of "No, thank you"s pile up on the rsvp campaign desk.
Too bad the victory for Beshear was so narrow but a win is a win.
6
Maybe more Republicans will decide to stand with constituents instead of playing water-boy for Trump.
9
Republicans in KY still think they won even if they lose the popular vote. Now Bevin will obstruct the peaceful transfer of power a la trump and will be a test case for when trump wins by losing again in 2020.
2
I'm desperately hoping this a harbinger.
8
Dear Bevin- thoughts and prayers.
16
@Michael
OMG - So dang funny. Glad I wasn't drinking my coffee when I read that little gem!
6
Michael -- Brilliant sarcasm tossed at a guy whose understanding and use of the word is solely in its application of disparagement.
2
There needs to be a change in the way these elections are illustrated by mapping, or at least an additional map. All this red seems to indicate that a minority of “places” elects the blue team. But those places are relatively bereft of voters. In the places where most people live, the blue team predominates. The false impression promoted by the maps the Times (and other media) use needs to be corrected. Trees and plants don’t vote; people do.
6
Thank you my fellow Americans. This was the best wake-up news since the 2018 mid-term elections.
Of course, in southern New Jersey (a real disappointment), across Mississippi and Kentucky (not surprising, but for that matter, the Deep South) there is much work still to do. And by that I mean working to inform people just why truth should matter to them, why compassion matters to all, why people serving in elective office must not ignore our laws and why ethics in office matters for our collective national security.
I've no doubt that if real news, information based on verifiable facts, and reminders that Christianity is not Christianity without moral behavior; I say if we can get past the Fox Nutwork bubble machine and the Facebook lies-for-profit platform, we can reach the ears and eyes in Trumpland with the sunlight of commonsense and the dignity of integrity, then Trumpland will turn into Slumpland.
7
The economic momentum from urban areas is finally starting to show up in some state elections as the rural exodus continues. Continuing to vote conservative agendas will keep rural areas isolated in our changing world. It has been a long time coming, but it is coming as rural areas die a slow and bitter death of blaming everyone else for their problems.
8
For Republican Tate Reeves to win by only five points in Mississippi is perhaps the biggest news of the night.
Nate Cohn seems like a sharp guy, but my gut is telling me that, contra Cohn's piece last weekend which had Trump running close to Biden in key swing states and beating Warren, 2020 is going to be a Democratic landslide.
Forget about Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin; I predict the Dems will take North Carolina (where I vote), Georgia, Arizona, and, maybe just maybe, the biggest prize of all, Texas.
January 20, 2021 will see the inauguration of President Elizabeth Warren and Democratic majorities in both House and Senate. Let's just hope they have the moxie to kill the filibuster.
8
Bevin will end up in the Trump's cabinet along with Cucinelli and Kobash. He'll probably become the "Healthcare Czar."
1
"Irregularities" = People who are not white and male were allowed to vote.
23
@Jay Arthur And somehow the irregularities only impacted one race on the ballot
Just maybe, this is the shot across the bow to force Republicans to realize they're legacies are being etched in stone as they continue to support the gross behavior of Donald Trump.
And mind you, all the while this recklessness is ad infinitum their selfish attempts to remain in office branding them forever victims of their own folly, an embarrassment not just for themselves to explain away, but their descendants, their families.
Have they no shame?
Basic History 101 Civics classes, for all time mind you, will pillory them and leave them hanging from their heels in a silken web of shame they spun themselves.
7
Congratulations! Now let’s get the rest of the country on board and move president Trump to Florida.... permanently. Make America Constitutional Again!
9
@GCAustin: This Floridian doesn't want him down here.
1
It's not rocket science for the democrats if they want to take the Senate and WH in 2020.
Outside big liberal districts, ie purple ones run moderate progressives in tune with the districts not identity/social engineering neo con zealots like Hillary.
It's not rocket science.
4
Poor, poor Donald! This is classic:
Poor Donald! This is classic:
President Donald Trump made a last-minute push on Monday night for Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, a strong ally who is facing a tough re-election bid in a deep-red state that should be a shoo-in for Republicans."Here's the story," Trump told thousands of supporters ahead of Tuesday's election. "If you win, they are going to make it like, ho hum. And if you lose, they are going to say Trump suffered the greatest defeat in the history of the world. You can't let that happen to me!"
ME ME ME ME ME!
Yep. Hyperbole, check
Narcissism, check
Infantile, check
22
The people have spoken!
4
I hope Trump got the message.
7
Trump is incapable of getting the message, but other Republicans might.
1
is mitch biting his nails yet?
10
First tweet of the day will be Ukrainian hacking of election servers.
4
Ditch Mitch 2020!
18
Yes, Virginia, you are the Santa Claus.
9
@Technic Ally
Sweet.
4
What is stupid? Trump and Bevin holding a last minute rally in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky which is one of the most reliable Democratic locales in the state.
5
If McConnell were really smart as well as serious about keeping his job as Senator, he will not only start to disengage himself from Donald Trump but also run a fair, open and honest impeachment trial in the Senate.
Letting sensible Democratic measures that have passed the House come up for debate and vote in the Senate would alter public perceptions of his role as Leader. Running a fair trial for Trump would do the same, on steroids.
Surely McConnell must realize that he would benefit from the removal of Trump and the installation of a more malleable and, honestly, if not a more ethical than at least a more rational President Pence.
8
Most elections are local even the presidency and governor ships. They must be fought precinct to precinct paying close attention to the voices and needs of voters. This is clear in the Democratic wins in Kentucky and Virginia. The trust of voters can not be won from a far or taking them for granted as Hillary Clinton did in mid country states. Trump can be beat.
1
Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky is "deeply unpopular" yet lost by only 5,100 votes? That says a lot more about the people of Kentucky than about the "unpopular" governor. It's sad what polarization can do. People know Bevin is not worthy to remain in office yet they still voted the party line.
20
Great comment. The Dems shouldn’t be too happy over Kentucky. The ability of people continuing to vote against their long term interests is amazing.
Kentucky continually gets more money back from federal spending than almost any state ( as compared to what the state contributes in fed taxes) and yet they vote for republicans that say they want to reduce spending, healthcare, etc.
If this governor hadn’t been such a jerk, they would have voted him back in again.
2
@Wayne
Trump won the state by 30 percentage points. As a proxy vote, 5100 is a big fall from grace. Obviously many did not vote the party line. Give some credit where it's due.
3
Yes, your vote counts. Here in Australia, we have compulsory voting for all levels of government, also one person one vote. Seems to work for us, and no we don't always get who we would prefer as our leaders but come election time that can always change.
10
Why does it matter if a losing candidate "concedes" or not? This is always mentioned as part of the political story.
5
Democrats didn't win. The republicans lost. People are finally seeing the wisdom behind democracy and are coming back home to the mother land. Incidentally, the republicans can keep the likes of Graham and McConnell. Jordan and McCarthy and their faithful backers. I don't think the democrats would trust any of them if they came back, It would be like an infiltration to leak out further discriminating evidence and not an honest effort to resuscitate the effort to honestly and truly make this country great again. You know that slogan Trump and company don't live by.
Get your Turkey's early for Thanksgiving before the price goes up on the suspicion that Trump when choosing the annual turkey unlike past presidents will want to license his name to all turkeys for the usual fee. Unless there's a shortage then the price will escalate.
1
What’s fascinating is that when the Republican candidate loses, there are “irregularities” (only known to said Republican candidate, for some reason). Yet, when the Republican wins, even if by a margin of 0.0001%, it’s a “mandate,” a validation of the Trump agenda, etc., etc., etc.
Bevins’s behavior is part of this frightening precedent. Never mind his unpopular policies or the fact that many down ballot GOP candidates prevailed. “Irregularities.” Hmph.
This feeds into my greatest fear among a sea of great fears, that our elections will no longer be sacred, but instead, compromised, threatened by within, threatened by foreign entities, and worst of all, dismissed when the results don’t go their way.
20
@Charlemagne That's one of my favorite laughs over "irregularities" - they somehow only impact one race on the entire ballot, the rest are fair? How can people not see through this nonsense?
7
Make no mistake-- the teachers in Kentucky made sure Bevin lost. #120Strong!
24
A takeaway for the national Democratic Party from the KY governor’s race is that a moderate Dem can flip moderate conservative voters who are tired of the Trump/Bevin style of governance. The GOP ran ads trying to tie Beshear to the farther-left Sanders/Warren/AOC, but it didn’t stick because he didn’t run on their platform. For example, Beshear committed to defending the Medicaire expansion under the ACA, which provided insurance to tens of thousands in KY, but never espoused single-payer Medicaire for all. A much farther left Dem would have probably lost handily to Bevin despite Bevin’s unpopularity. As such, the lesson is that if the Dems want to retake the White House, a moderate Dem like Biden or Buttigieg will have a better chance at flipping the votes of those moderate conservatives and independents the Dems absolutely must have to win in 2020.
6
These State contests are the best demonstration of why the electoral college system must go. If the winner was the candidate who won the most districts, Republicans would be celebrating today. Instead, the popular vote gave critical victories to Democrats. Every vote in every district counted. That should be the goal in every election.
14
Fearless leader will awaken his voter fraud commission who will respond to Fox News reports about busloads of Hispanic appearing persons swarming polls.
These are the same nefarious people who cut holes in the impenetrable wall so that they might fraudulently vote and steal elections.
And the funding came from George Soros and Ukraine smuggled in Comet Ping Pong pizza boxes.
Watch for this in a tweet this morning.
8
When Katie Hill stepped down last week, I thought it was a mistake, and the VA results are part of the reason why. I'm not defending Northam's past mistakes, but I think it's worth considering the possibility that his refusal to step down contributed to the VA wins. Imagine all the "Dems in disarray" articles that would have been run over the past year, and the field day the Republicans would have had with it.
While I understand Dems wanting to contrast themselves with Republicans and show voters they hold themselves to higher standards, the political reality is that unilateral disarmament cedes advantage to the other side. There's a good chance the seat that belonged to Hill - who is pretty widely regarded as a strong progressive - will end up in Republican hands now. While she shouldn't have done what she did, and she's admitted as much, I simply don't think the benefits are worth the costs.
12
Kentucky is a preview of what 2020 will be on a national scale if the Democratic candidate wins a narrow victory. There will be no concession. There will be a recount. There will be lawsuits. There will be an effort to get electors to switch their votes. There will be an attempt to have Congress throw out the result. And, even if the Democrats ultimately do prevail, there will be no transition, so that on January 20, 2021 the winner will have to rebuild the entire government from scratch.
A scorched earth policy.
17
@John Graybeard
I think it will be worse than that. I think Trump supporters and a sizable portion of the military will commit violent acts to keep Trump in office.
2
@Max Deitenbeck
Trump supporters, absolutely. The military, I'm not so sure.
The article doesn't mention that Andy Beshear is the son of former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear. This relationship is probably the major factor in his victory, not the Democrat versus Republican factor that you emphasize. The rules of politics are quite different in Appalachia than in New York and the rest of the country.
5
The message sent to McConnell is clear: hitching your wagon to Trump is not the way to win statewide office. I fear his takeaway will be much as it was in 2016 though: if you can’t win honestly because people don’t like your policies, sit back allow the Russians (and other foreign actors) to rig the election.
12
" ... the enduring conservatism of the Deep South."
It should always be remembered that this "enduring conservatism" has its roots deeply embedded in opposition to the civil rights legislation of the 60's. I think "conservatism" is perhaps too kind a word.
52
This is EXACTLY what I came here to say, and you said it much my generously than I planned to!
“enduring conservatism of the Deep South” unfortunately that sentiment seems to be all over our country. I’m shocked at the xenophobia and blatant racism that has become so much transparent over the last years...
16
I would suggest my party The Dems run someone to beat Trump and not someone who wants to change the world.Grand ideas work in some states but if we look at the map most of the states are not blue.Cutting the military or take private healthcare is a time bomb in many states we need to win.People who think its great to gin up the youth vote and not thinking about the non youth vote are going to be caught out there.Lets run someone who can end this nightmare we are in. Once we send Trump to his new home state Florida,New York is breaking out the champagne, we can start changing the world.Please stop using Quid Pro Quo and tell Americans what he really tried to do. Trump was extorting and trying to bribe a country to help him take down Biden.In other words Trump thought he was playing The Godfather in a Francis Ford Coppola movie.
21
@Steven McCain
I will vote for Blue, it's true,
but at this point Biden is still a step back.
We need someone with vision as encompassing as Trump's vision was evil, or we will only be fiddling while the world burns.
That being said,
#BlueTsunami202
3
Trump may be a Florida resident, but his next home will be behind bars.
I've heard that McConnell is deeply unpopular in his home state too. Democrats should take hope in that too.
26
The rest of the republicans in Kentucky won. The democrat had a well known name, had won state wide office before. He was going to restore Medicaid for 30,000 people, protect pensions and ran on unity and won by 5,000 votes. Kentucky is not turning blue they just aren't insane.
15
@dave
How much of that is down t gerrymandering though? Also, if a Democrat can win state-wide, that might put Kentucky in to play for the 2020 especially if this trade war with China continues.
3
This well-written article culminates in one of the best quotes of this election season. Hurrah for John Brown, whoever he is.
Hicks, a libertarian, denied Bevin, the Republican, a victory.
He received more than five times the margin of victory in votes.
Open a light beer, not the champagne.
Go back to work, it is but a small step in a thousand mile journey.
13
Trump came within a whisker of getting a very unpopular and abrasive Governor re-elected in Kentucky. Democrats should take minimal comfort from that.
13
Of course Bevin refuses to concede and claims, without evidence, that there were irregularities. It’s what Republicans do.
37
@Hugh CC
Right.
Let's see if Bevin goes full-Trumpian on this, with wacky make-believe stories:
“The Republicans don’t win and that’s because of potentially illegal votes,” Trump said. “When people get in line that have absolutely no right to vote and they go around in circles. Sometimes they go to their car, put on a different hat, put on a different shirt, come in and vote again. Nobody takes anything. It’s really a disgrace what’s going on.” (November 2018 interview with the Daily Caller)
3
I hope this informs the thinking of GOP senators who think that “Trump supporters” will be their base in the next election. There are no “Trump supporters”. Rather, there are angry people who feel abandoned by their representatives. Hopefully you notice and start to represent your constituents and your country.
4
When I lived in Kentucky 40 years ago, it was primarily a Democratic state. It had the same history that many southern states had--to not be the party of Lincoln. It was never a bastion of progressive politics. I keep wondering why they can't find someone to defeat McConnell. A Biden-type could win there. Warren, despite her brilliance, would not. One has to be realistic in certain states. Good step, KY!
17
"Mr. Bevin asserted to supporters that “there have been more than a few irregularities,” without offering specifics."
So, in true fashion, Republicans assume victory and when numbers point the other way, they say it's rigged and refuse to concede?
When in doubt, steal! Could this be the new Republican play book, simply refuse to leave office?
The sense of entitlement is breathtaking.
38
Watch: Trump and Bevin will be on Twitter and the other media claiming that the voting was rigged. But of course, it wasn't in Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016. Funny how that works.
14
It's a good sign that Beshear won but it's still nothing for Democrats to get too cocky about. It's astonishing to me that all of the other Democrats lost, and by substantial margins. That means voters went to the trouble of splitting their ballots instead of voting straight party. That means that people really hated Matt Bevin. It also means that Beshear will have no allies in office and still has to deal with a Republican majority in the state legislature. Perhaps the most important thing he will have is the power to say "no" to some of the more crackpot Republican proposals, and that's a good start.
19
@Rick
I think the most important thing is that Trump went all in for him, and he lost (we hope), even as the electorate voted for other Republicans in droves. Viewing it as a referendum on our Great Leader, I regard it as a sign of hope!
10
I’d like to sincerely thank the people of Kentucky. Thank you for you confidence in democracy, and may great things happen in your new governorship to the benefit of all Kentuckians!
44
Andy Beshear won big in an unlikely combination of suburban areas that have been trending against the Republicans for years and coalfields that overwhelmingly favored Bevin in 2015 and Trump in 2016. He did so by calling out Bevin's betrayal of public education and healthcare. One area is feeling more and more alienated from what has become a far right party; the other area was given promises that were never going to be kept. Democrats must now focus on giving all working and middle class Americans a fair shake and going to war against the political abuses and corruption of the Republican Party.
Beshear's challenge in office is going to be steep. Kentucky is broke from the Bevin years, a state already massively in deficit and with probably with worst pension deficit in the country along with Illinois and New Jersey having added massive new tax cuts, and a legislature for now still very much in the hands of Bevin-like Republicans. (Note Kentucky elects its statewide officials in odd years and its legislators in even years on November election days; Dems lost control in 2016 by among other things losing 17 legislative seats to the Trump wave)
18
Mitch, are you listening?
42
Richard B -- When has McConnell ever listened to us voters?
1
Of course there are calls of voter irregularities by the Republican. Throw a smokescreen and make accusations with no proof instead of acknowledging perhaps your message and policies are not what the voters want. Next up, claims of Soros bussing people in to vote and paying illegals to vote. Don’t forget to bring up Hillary. Anything but the truth. It’s right there in the playbook.
59
We watched KY race till the end, how does it feel for trump , the pathological liar, the State he visited went to Democrat as Governor ?
Of course Matt Bevin will refuse to concede.
Now it is turn for Moscow Mitch, and trump to lose their seats.
Please all the youth, register to vote them out !
66
Bevin and Trump made the Kentucky governor's race all about Trump. That he lost Trump's 30 point advantage should give the rest of the GOP (and especially Mitch McConnell) a huge scare and the Democrats a shot in the arm. Democrats need to stop arguing about differing forms of health care coverage and delivery or differing approaches gun reform. Instead, agree broadly to shared goals in those areas and start focusing on making 2020 a referendum on Trump and his enablers. The Kentucky results (and frankly the Virginia results even more so) demonstrate that the Democrats can win that referendum.
34
In my area, it seems that voters are tired of Trumpian Republicans. A nearby incumbent county exec, who as a GOPer was notably without scandal, was unseated by a Dem. The first time in 30 years. her mistake? Blaming her challenger, who was county clerk, for tax increases, when everyone knows full well, it is the county legislature and the county exec who cause those increases.
I truly believe there are voters who are tired of hearing lies, even if it from their own party's candidates. Could it be we have turned the corner, and are sending the message that the GOP needs to learn how to be fair, honest, and reasonable when they have power? One can only hope. I wonder if Trump is capable of taking notice.
30
As to your point on blaming a tax increase on a County Clerk. One thing Republican candidates think and try to do after watching Trump’s rally and tweets is teach a twisted civics and government course. The Republicans rely on the ignorance and willful malleability of a core of the audience to convince them how they portray the system is accurate. And if these folks don’t read or think critically, they go hook, line and sinker. On the same notion, many of us blame Trump for the tax cut of 2017. There too it was the Congress that wrote and passed the law. I am quite confident any given Republican in the Oval Office would have easily signed the bill into law giving the upper echelons of individuals and many corporations the tax cut. Trump was no more instrumental than the pen he used to enact it.
5
“legislative victories cemented Virginia’s evolution to becoming a reliably blue state”
Yeah, I don’t think so. Would not take much to flip back to purple or even red. Don’t think the reporter knows his subject very well.
5
@MB
It’s a trend that is continuing, not a blip. You’re wrong, thank goodness.
8
What is most hopeful about this vote is that it *may* shake the GOP into realizing that its blind, inexplicable, unethical, indefensible, unquestioning support of a grotesquely inept president guilty of criminal wrong doing is a losing proposition.
They will never do it for the right reasons (and history will never forget that) but, by gosh, if they think they'll lose votes for being on the demonstrably wrong side of the impeachment issue, they just may come around.
I won't hold my breath. In just the past 24 hours, all of the ancient history is reanimated. DJT has been shown yet again to be unstable, a liar, a serial sexual harasser (yet another serious complaint from yet another woman, and this one has phone calls to back up her claims) and a traitor (and by those in his own party). He is what he is and will never change.
Against that backdrop, Lindsey Graham's preening twittery and nitwittery about not reading documents his job description *requires* him to read, suggests this GOP really does intend to self-destruct rather than uphold its sworn oath to protect this nation from enemies foreign and domestic.
But these victories in VA and KY suggest that this GOP still may bury itself in a landslide...of rejection. We, the people, still have the power to make that happen. That's a proposition worth celebrating.
29
On Judgement Day, when we must face our Creator, Kentuckians will regret the decision that they have made.
1
@Southern Boy — If that’s the case, then a lot of people in higher office will have a lot to answer for as well.
Why is it that so many conservatives are opposed to the democratic process, especially when things don’t go their way?
19
If you’re going to quote David Duke, at least give him credit.
4
@Southern Boy Fortunately, the United States is not a theocracy, nor is it a "Christian nation"; and American citizens are not required to be superstitious when we cast a vote.
4
The writing is on the wall. Will be interesting to watch Trump’s scared sycophants try to start distancing themselves from him.
16
I hope Democrats understand that a lot of people voting for them are moderates, not liberals. What choice do moderates have? Please, please, please Democrats . . .Do not take this as a carte blanche support of all of your ideas and transfer this notion to the Presidential race. You will lose.
26
@Sage X
What's the difference? You can't be one at the same time? The problem is in people's perceived definitions of those words. They think they mean what they mean because that's what they think it means.
2
@Moehoward If Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders looks at the outcome of Virginia and thinks "See, people are ready for my policy prescriptions" they will be sadly mistaken. It's not to say whether or not their prescriptions are even right or wrong. It's about beating Trump. And Virginia's shift to Blue is not necessarily a shift to more Liberal policies (though I do think there is a some shift) but a shift away from Trump.
1
@Sage X Good advice. Now is the time for moderates. Let the Republicans be the party of extreme ideology as they have embraced their loony, right wing ideas.
1
If nothing else, I hope we learn every vote matters.
People all over the world have died fighting for a say over who rules their countries, and we have become indifferent.
How many sat out the 2016 election, or threw votes away for fraudulent third parties?
Our self-destruction must stop. Today.
15
As a British citizen, I visit your great nation on many occasions as I run an arts company (we paint racetracks) and I'm utterly confused as to how, after everything, Trump/Red is still able to make gains.
I know the deep south is ingrained right, but are there really that many people willing to prop up what is currently your President?
Trumps call to UK may have lost our far right/conservative election as to us, Trump supporting Boris will drive voters away in droves.
I just don't understand how your nation, allows this presidency to continue to me it suggests a deeper problem if so many are aligned to Trump/Party.
Do they really like guns that much?
Let me tell you shooting guns at an overflowing sea, shooting guns at wildfires set to get worse, the deep freezes of the winter that are getting worse. An M80 won't save you!
21
@Conrad Thoughtful Americans don't understand it either.
If I were to speculate, I would say that the only answer is to be found in evolutionary psychology: in the strong pull of tribalism on the human mind. The delusional but clarifying conviction of "Us versus Them." When we all lived in small groups of hunter-gatherers - the great majority of our history as a species - this was adaptive. It no longer is.
Add to this the tragic but seemingly universal human tendency to identify with the oppressor...
5
@Conrad
It's an education problem. People everywhere throughout the USA are very poorly educated and it's not the fault of "educators." It's the fault of those people themselves. You can't force people to be inquisitive, logical, ethical, moral, intelligent. And these people squeak through a rudimentary "education" and then live their lives in utter ignorance. And the worst part is they resent anyone who, to them, shows or is perceived to show their intelligence. either through speech or actions. They really resent them. There's a constant undercurrent of anti-intellectualism throughout the USA.
3
@ Conrad Trump's base and many others identify with GOP ideas that keep a poverty stricken white working class under the illusion that the liberals/Democrats are out to get them and only the Republicans can protect them against the coming onslaught where they will lose their guns, jobs, rights and they will be enslaved by a hated liberal society full of immigrants getting free government money and health care.
3
LOL--Many commenters appear to believe that the election results are some sort of mandate for the Democratic Party--national and local--tide of change sweeping the nation.
In fact, the voters appear mostly tired of the current crop of Republican office holders and candidates. It doesn't necessarily equate to a rising blue tide that is sweeping the nation.
It is not as though Kentucky is ready to vote for Warren.
12
@Sendero Caribe
I just hope they are ready to vote for Amy McGrath!
32
@Sendero Caribe — All politics, as they say, is local. Grassroots efforts pay off. If Mitch McConnell doesn’t see this as a huge wake-up call, then he’s buying his own nonsensical brand of invincibility and his landing will be hard.
Create the groundswell at the local and state levels, and national elections will follow.
This is the most encouraging election this Democrat/Independent has seen since maybe 2008.
3
Is this a thin ray of hope and light in what has
become the darkest era in US History?
By that I mean rule by a corrupt and despotic Republican party.
16
I'm a lifelong Republican but refuse to support the Trump cabal and will vote against every GOP candidate until they regain their moral compass.
With yesterday's election results, I'd expect Trump and his sycophants to start grabbing everything not nailed down as they are shown the door.
69
Thank you. Hopefully others like you follow suit and we return to the days when we had two reasonable, grownup, legitimate parties with legitimate policy ideas to choose from.
17
Main takeaway is this: "Mr. Beshear’s performance demonstrated that Mr. Trump’s popularity alone is insufficient for most Republicans, even in one of the most conservative regions in the country". We need 20 republican senators to weigh that very carefully against a vote that would make international extortion, bribery, obstruction of justice, running an off the books rogue foreign policy apart from the State Department , perfectly acceptable things to do for this and whoever the next president is.
25
Kentucky decided it was time to take out the trash. Mitch McConnell is next.
69
Welcome Virginia to full Democratic control! We have had this in NJ. Out of control taxes! Worthless state debt! Failing infrastructure! Cuts in all forms of public service! Public unions run the state! But you will get all of the most important issues - legal weed and gun control on law abiding citizens (see your real odds of being killed by a gun anywhere if you can dare to look at actual statistics). Welcome to the NY, NYC, CT club. It’s marvelous.
10
@E, the last time I looked, this was a huge country. That said, there are other states you could move to.
1
Very very good news. When Democrats vote, they win.
27
The people have talked. To quote our president, this was a referendum.
Now there is a lot to do for 2020 elections but there is hope.
20
The third party candidate in Kentucky - a Libertarian - got 2% of the vote, 5 times the margin that separated Bevin from Beshear. Whether the Democrats go left (Warren, Sanders) or moderate (Biden, Buttegieg) in 2020 they will likely elicit such a third party opponent in most states. This is likely to cost them more votes than it does Trump, whose hard core supporters are unshakeable.
7
First the Democrats and now the Republicans lose from Russian election meddling. People didn't like Hillary? Apparently no one likes traitors and dictators either.
16
It boggles the mind how anyone can vote Republican after all this dishonesty and bad faith. Oh yeah, Fox News.
31
Mitch to Pelosi: “How soon can you get those articles of impeachment sent over?”
22
Another step towards cleansing the country of GOP rot and corruption in 2020.
24
When Americans turn out to vote Democrats win elections.
18
The KY result was not a wholesale rejection of Republicans. It was a rejection of Bevin - primarily of his policies on healthcare and education but also his personality. People assuming this means McConnell is next misunderstand the state. How tight that race becomes will depend on how McGrath campaigns. KY Democrats have to focus on pocketbook issues and stay away from social justice issues as we saw with Beshear. KY is full of poor and working class whites, many of whom are evangelical, and many of whom are swayed by issues like abortion and same sex marriage when it comes to national offices. Basically - don't read too much into this for 2020, folks.
15
I guess threats of Warren and Sanders didn’t work. Wonder what that implies...?
5
The beginning of the end of anguish for the rest of the world. Trump's minions, in Paul Simon's immortal words, are Slip Slidin' Away.
12
Just more evidence that the conducts of Trump and his Republican enablers are so offensive to the conscience of majority of the Americans that we could not stand these clowns anymore.
9
Congratulations to Bashear, his campaign team and his volunteers! And especially to the teachers, many of whom are women. When the full story of Bashear's victory is told, I'm betting the key was a group of women who didn't just get mad. They got organized.
21
It's not just women. Beshear won two Northern KY counties that are reliably red because they are also home to thousands of college students and workers at NKU. The faculty and staff of NKU are on the state pension system. Jefferson and Fayette are reliably blue, but counties like Kenton and Campbell (home to NKU) account for the vote difference. This was a local decision based on pocketbook issues.
12
Though there is cause to celebrate, and I do, I would caution against too much joy, and especially against becoming cocky.
I'm still using the rubric that led me to correctly predict a DJT "win" the first time, something I was convinced of after watching his very first rally. No amount of polls nor the conviction of friends that it would be Democrat "landslide" --something pundits were still predicting even as the first votes came in--convinced me otherwise. I flirted with hope now and again but kept coming back to this alarming awareness: There was just too much hectic, weird energy around a man who had not a single thing to recommend him.
It's a simple test. That fact that a man this self-evidently deplorable has a single vote or follower much less millions remains a dire sign of something seriously amiss in our political house, increasingly, a haunted one.
These should not be close votes. Until we see massive rejection of his agenda and unequivocal renunciation of his politics of hate, fear and paranoia, we have a problem. A very serious one.
22
Mr. Beshear presented himself as the winner, telling supporters that he expected Mr. Bevin to “honor the election that was held tonight.”
Will we see the new Republican strategy play out: To not honor the will of the people. Will Mr. Bevin have to be escorted out of the Governor's mansion by the Kentucky State Police?
Will Trump have to be escorted out of the White House by the US Marines?
And, thankfully, escorted to Florida.
13
@MS We may well see what we saw in North Carolina and Wisconsin: Republic* legislatures attempting to strip powers from duly elected Democratic governors.
(* as long as Republic Party members insist on using the noun form instead of the adjectival one when describing the "Democrat" Party and its elected officials, I am committed to doing the same in reference to them and their party.)
1
Beautiful, Andy Beshear turning the Trump Table over on Matt Bevin last night in Kentucky! Let's see what happens to Kentucky's Senior Senator, Mitch McConnell a year from today. Beshear victory a harbinger of table-turning time against Donald Trumpin 2020?
7
hopefully 2019 extends the increasing national Democratic majority from 2016/2018 - enough to overcome in 2020 - ????????
6
Okay, now that the Dems control both houses of the legislature and the governorship, is Virginia REALLY going to counter Republican gerrymandering AND set a standard for other states to do the same?
12
Talk about missing the forest for the trees. We are told that the election in Kentucky reveals how Trump has caused increased contentiousness in local elections. But in Kentucky, the contentious and bombastic Republican went down to a surprising defeat. Kentucky voters rejected a contentious and bombastic Republican. Which has obvious national implications and should be the lead here.
4
The reporting suggests the election results are substantially more about partisan personalities than issues. This is a symptom of our fragmented nation and culture. Will be looking forward to the times when there is more balance in our electoral conversations.
4
Now it’s time for a profile of the expected next speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. The first women (and first Jew) to lead the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere, Eileen Filler-Corn. Considering how well she navigated the abysmal controversies of the three, male state-wide office holders this past February, Minority Leader Filler-Corn is widely expected to become a star of the Democratic Party, deservedly even more so than former Georgia Minority Leader Stacey Abrams.
6
Oh what I would have given to be a fly on the wall at Mitch McConnell’s house tonight...
14
The New York Times failed to report a very significant result in upstate New York. Here in Monroe Cpunty (metropolitan Rochester), although the Republican District Attorney was reelected, a Democrat won the County Executive seat for the first time in 32 years, 90,000 to 85,400, and Democrats won two county judgeships, although the Republicans just barely held onto the County Legislature, 15-14, a loss of two seats.
18
Feeling like 2018 all over again. Congratulations Kentucky and Virginia. And thanks for trying Mississippi.
16
The Republicans have lost sight of the values that made the party appealing to many voters such as fiscal responsibility, law and order, states rights just to name a few and have become hostages to a misogynistic, corrupt, narcissist. Now that linkage to Trump is starting to come back and bite Republicans where it counts, at the voting booth. A day of reckoning is coming Mr. Trump. You will soon have to answer for all your words and actions.
13
As former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich notes on Twitter:
“Since Trump took office, Democrats have flipped governorships in Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Illinois, Maine, Wisconsin, Michigan, and now, Virginia and Kentucky.
The people have had enough.”
Amen.
50
Good news in Kentucky, hopefully Mitch is next.
21
Moscow Mitch is getting a bit depressed. Is it the winter Blue, may be?
10
As happy as I am that Kentucky has a Democrat in charge now that will pale in comparison to win Moscow Mitch loses his senate seat!
16
Waking up to this news made my day! Now on to 2020 to unseat trump, graham, mcconnell and any others that are not for We the people but for self.
13
It’s ironic, but Trump is the best thing that ever happened to the Democratic Party. If Trump stays in office long enough, he will completely destroy the Republican Party, by the time he is done there won’t be a republican left in Congress, the governorship or a state legislature. Which shows there is over a silver lining to the darkest of dark clouds.
6
While democrats rejoice, they must also be careful not to go into a myopic frenzy. They should not miss this opportunity to build in the future safeguards for a fair and just society. This means, inter alia, institutuing house and senate rules requiring a two thirds majority on all rule making to ensure bipartisan support for all major reform legislation.
346
There is no good reason to share rule making with the extremely reactionary Republican Party.
The Democrats are only marginally better, but the difference can profoundly affect people’s lives.
47
@Solomon You have to be blind to not be able to read these tea leaves. Voters, especially swing voters are rejecting Trumpism but endorsing moderate politicians. If the Dems nominate a far-left candidate they will lose in 2020. There's no progressive majority in America & never will be. The numbers are not there. There certainly is no progressive Electoral College coalition in the U.S. that could get to the needed 270 votes. This point can't be emphasized enough: almost every progressive candidate in whom Dems invested tremendous time, money, & emotional energy in 2018—Beto O’Rourke in Texas, Andrew Gillum in Florida, Stacey Abrams in Georgia— lost. Almost every progressive ballot initiative in this country was voted down. If this election is about kitchen table issues: jobs & healthcare there's no way the Democrats lose. If it's about reparations, busing, & immigration there's no way we win. Reparations are the only issue that would compel independent swing voters in say Kentucky & Virginia to hold their nose & vote for Trump again. Some state lawmakers have voted to allow illegal immigrants the right to receive scholarships & state financial aid. How are Dems supposed to tell families that adequate state aid to help afford college isn't available for them but is available for others who are in this country illegally? We've arrived at a point where only illegals have rights. It's an impossible equation. Facts are facts. A moderate gives us the best chance to win in 2020.
42
@Solomon
“Sir, this is a Wendy’s drive thru.”
Translation: no one’s in a frenzy because KY is back to dem rule as is the norm.
Bevin was up by 6 or 8 points in polls, and Trump claims he boosted him by 15 points to a 1% loss. The president should be able to add.
The real lesson here is that Trump still thinks this is a win, when dems were chastised for almost winning in ‘18. He’s delusional, and people this turned around and panicked make bad decisions.
13
“It’s a message that says our elections don’t have to be about right versus left, they are still about right versus wrong.”
Perfectly said. It’s time to choose the right candidates and not the right party. Voters need to listen to what the candidates are offering them. They need to vote for the candidates that are for clean air and water, candidates who treat all fairly, candidates that see healthcare as a human right , etc, the least thing they should worry about when voting is what party they represent.
9
This country has been through two+ years of lies and chaos since the White House has been under siege by someone who knows nothing about running this country.
Now people are saying enough is enough! And votes are proving it. Go Virginia! And Mitch - start eating your words. Your dessert will not be served to you in DC for very long.
16
Why are Republicans so slow to concede? It’s like you have to hear their nails on the floor as they are being dragged out of office.
1645
@Covfefe
Republicans follow the example of their leader.
145
@Covfefe Nails are better than nothing. And that's what Republicans have. Nothing.
111
@Covfefe Some of them are dragging their knuckles across the floor even without being dragged out of office.
167
Virginia may just be the shot in the arm Senate Republicans need now to know that 2020 is not looking good and an impeachment of Trump may be the best way to salvage their Party in some modest respect.
1298
More likely they will try and rig the election anyway they can. Today’s Republicans will abandon democracy before they abandon white power.
363
C@Covfefe Yes. And Kentucky. A red state. McConnell's state. Bevin was a disaster....despite Trump's 'support'. Republican's vying for Trump support must know by now that a Trump support is a ticket to loss.
100
@Covfefe From your comment to Republican senator ears. Get rid of Trump. Then put up Pence or someone else and try to win on a platform of "regained sanity."
23
Good news, good news. :) :) :)
7
I just pray that this is the beginning of the snowball rolling downhill, and that momentum picks up, and this evil Republican party is sent packing throughout the land.
16
Yeah, let's keep this blue wave going and save America and Americans! Well done Virginia and wow! Kentucky might just have seen the light.
13
"...enduring conservatism of the Deep South." so you're now making a distinction between the 'deep south' and just the what? ...the 'regular' south? And what exactly is the distinction you are making between the two? That Kentucky southerners are now a more evolved species than their geographically southern brethren for electing a Democrat?
Yes.
Virginia has rejoined the Union
7
I am so proud of my birth state, Virginia and also Kentucky.Today is the day the Nation takes back our Country. Let’s honor and show our gratitude for our citizens who worked so hard to make this happen. The work has just begun but we have the wind behind us now, let’s get back to work.
I will be working hard in North Carolina, where will you be, 2020 is closer than we think?
God has blessed America, the time has come for All the good people to take back and make our Country Evan better. Thank you all who voted!
11
In Kentucky and Virginia the message to Democrats is campaign on the issues: health care (or, in Kentucky, taking it away), regulation of firearms, the environment, education.
Talk to voters about the things that are central to their lives.
Ignore Trump.
11
It will now be interesting to see how Republican members of Congress who are up for reelection in 2020 interpret these results. Their loyalty to Trump will, most likely, not come at the expense of their seats.
Even more interesting, in Kentucky, will be whether Bevin’s underperformance in those counties that went strongly for Trump in 2016 is a sign that support for Trump will also weaken among the party rank-and-file in 2020, and if so, will that be a national trend? (I imagine Mitch McConnell did not sleep well last night.)
Something appeared to shift last night among the electorate. Even in my city, in one if the reddest counties in the nation, Dems scored council seats by running on a platform of GOP overreach. Maybe we will have the final say here after all. (And if the GOP or Trump have the nerve to cry foul with any of these results, that will be projection of the highest order, and will not be the smartest move they can make.)
8
Congratulations to Kentucky and Virginia on voting FOR what’s best for your state and your people! Americans are awakening to the fact the Republicans are only concerned for themselves and their power! Republicans don’t care about America.
Bevin CUT thousands of Kentuckians from Medicaid, and Kentucky sent a clear message to him and the Republican Party!
A very clear message was also sent to the Republican president and Moscow Mitch: you are on the wrong side of history!
Blue Wave 2019, thank you, America!!
17
What great news for us Democrats! I woke up at 4:20 a.m. and immediately turned my phone on to check the election results. So glad I did. A happy day dawns.
Now we must concentrate on the 2020 presidential election. Now more than ever, we need a Democrat in the White House to undo the damage inflicted on our nation by Trump and his minions. The Republican party refuses to withdraw their support for this evil man and needs to be replaced.
I hope McConnell is up for reelection next year. He is personally responsible for causing bills passed by the House to die in the Senate, then has the unmitigated gall to accuse the Dems of doing nothing. He and the rest of his Trump enablers need to go!
16
These results (if they stand in KY), together with the Siena poll published recently by the Times, should be a warning to the Democratic presidential candidates; do NOT swing too far left if you want to win the swing states necessary to defeat Trump in 2020. Why are they forgetting/ignoring what brought us victory in the 2018 midterms and this year? (That is, focusing on affordable health insurance, economic inequality, and corruption; not on reparations, free medical care for illegal immigrants, de-criminalising illegal entry into the US, and single-payer health coverage, all of which are electoral losers.)
Trump clearly has a path to victory, and it would be beyond imbecility to make it any easier for him.
4
What are Mr. Bevin’s plans to contest the results? What remedies does Kentucky ‘s election laws provide?
The story does not say. Please advise.
@Robert — There is no automatic recount in Kentucky. Bevin can request that individual counties retabulate their results, but any statewide recount has to get court approval. Not exactly a straightforward process, but that probably won’t stop Bevin.
Of course there were “irregularities.” Whenever the results don’t go the GOP’s way, something shady is always afoot. Projection.
3
Maybe now the feckless GOP house members will get the message over Trump.
7
What a delightful night. :)
13
Bevin was the most unpopular governor in America. He lost by less than 1%. It really doesn't say much about the President. 2020 will say it all.
5
Trump is the least popular President ever. He lost in 2016 by 3 million votes. He was just in Kentucky for one of his white supremacist tent revivals. And these elections say everything about his fate in 2020.
10
It's clear that if a Republican loses, then he will question the "legitimacy" of the result, whether evidence
exists or not.
This is ominous for 2020, and America should remain on guard not to fall for the scams.
11
As a lifelong Republican, I’ve been calling GOP Congress members to sound the alarm that the GOP has become the party representing the extremists- separation of children from parents, deniers of climate change, massive tax cuts for ultra wealthy, misogyny, racism, and rampant corruption. Disappointingly, most GOP Congressmen offices wouldn’t even pick up my call. For example- Devin Nunes would automatically route my calls to an answering machine. Not once did he ever take my call nor return my call. The GOP has completely lost touch with most of the American people. I congratulate the Democrats. They deserve to win.
1517
@simon simon
Same in my state. I call my Republican senator. Answering machine EVERY time. Never a return call. Same for friends who call him.
98
So you think you can just pick up the phone and call Nunes because you’re a republican?
20
@KM
They think that because they know Nunes serves them and as citizens they have every right to call and share their concerns. I'm genuinely curious about this: Did you seriously not know that you have every right to contact anyone in Congress at any time? They serve you.
Numerous studies show that even if they don't respond, they take voter feedback very seriously. Their horrific "healthcare" plan (it wasn't about health or care; it would have ushered in mass suffering) was shot down overwhelming because millions of us logged millions of calls. GOP members, themselves, conceded that it was the sheer volume of calls that convinced them to reject it.
I am a Democrat and have also called everyone on both sides of the aisle. I have received answers from a few in my party and none from anyone in the GOP.
I plan to tell Lindsey Graham today that he needs to step down or be removed. His juvenile huff about not reading any of the impeachment materials he is required to read in order to do his job signals that he is not capable of executing his sworn oath. I urge others to do the same.
302
What a profound sense of hope these elections have generated. Maybe this nightmare, at long last, will be squelched by decency....
16
Democrats can still win in Red States with a better candidate. Gov. Bevin of Kentucky does not have the math on his side. He will have to concede sooner or later. If only he was kinder and gentler he would have done better. The state does not seem to have rejected the Republican party but rejected Bevin with a better than average turn out.
8
2020 Democratic candidates, at every level, take note of these elections and the issues people voted on!
12
This proves Trump's base can be beat. For three years we have been warned about the power of Trump's base. Trump's base does strike fear in the hearts of the once Muscular Talking Republican Party. When in reality Trump's base is a minority of voters in America. Trump's base will remain solid because the number of Americans who want to maintain White Privilege is static.The disdain for Trump is so overwhelming with thinking Americans that a coalition of them can run the table in states we need to win. Impeachment will not save us from Trump but voter registration will. A year to the election we should be putting on the full court press to get out the vote.Trump's base has been an immovable object for three years not because of his deal maker skills.
10
Here's the lesson, when states are un-gerrymandered the Republicans have little chance of winning, even when the state is more conservative.
12
I don't expect Bevin to concede. He'll claim the election was stolen and see if somehow the courts or the legislature can keep him in office.
8
Living in New Mexico, I frequently heard of how unpopular Governor Bevin was inside Kentucky. Yet, he nearly matched if not, ultimately, surpassed Attorney General Beshear in votes. This tells me that a lot of dissatisfied Kentuckians held their noses and voted for Bevin rather than vote for a Democrat. When, if ever, will many people vote their conscience instead of solely on a partisan basis? The best antidote for poor performance by a candidate or political party cannot be to a return to office.
512
@Brian Hill Just as those that voted for trump regardless of how despicable he is.
41
@Brian Hill
re: 'will...people vote their conscience...?'
Don't assume they aren't. There are very real people out there who have real and fundamental differences with the other party's policies and politicians.
I try to let other people have their views. I assume that their conscience is on sound moral fitting. I do my best to have those conversations be about the policies, not the politicians. People we elect can be hard to accept sometimes, regardless of which party they are in.
I really, really, really try not to judge the people who have views opposing mine. But yes, let's vote out the ones who have failed to live up to the potential we entrusted with them, including the current tenant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
19
@Brian The poverty rate in Kentucky is 18.3% - one out of every 5.5 residents of Kentucky lives in poverty.
When, if ever, will the majority of people vote stop voting against their economic interest?
72
I am so pleased that this has happened. Sad that Mississippi cannot change too. But the intransigence now of Matt Bevin is the usual unseemly role of a person supported by Donald Trump. Five thousand votes is enough to win any election. A voice for moderation during a charged period of hate and fear brought on by the Republicans, anti-abortion stance should lose.
12
Huge defeats for Trumpism. Blue waves continue washing ashore everywhere. A harbinger for next year. Enough with the doom and gloom.
11
I voted for Beshear, not because I think he'll be better than Bevin, rather, I voted democrat to send a message to Trump that I'm sick of his divisive antics. We are one country, I do not want to fight the civil war again, patriotism is important, and so is loyalty. My daughter, Lance Corporal Latoya Smith, swore the same oath as Trump but she meant it and acts in accordance with that oath.
Finally, I may not understand the science behind Climate Change, but I understand flooding like I've never seen and fires that California never experienced. We need a president who will help the situation, not the coal companies.
73
And in my Blue district where we could have said our vote didn’t matter, I voted and convinced my husband to do so because I thought it important to put those 2 more votes in the (D) column as a message to trump.
18
@Marine Mom
Unbound gratirude from one Marine Mom to another, in helping to save and defend our democracy. Thank you to all of of Kentucky who did as well. Mitch McConnell’s the greatest threat to America, owned by Koch, Monsanto, big Pharma, China. Greed and dishonesty....
2
This is the US saying to the rest of the world: we are trying to release ourselves from this scourge on our souls and dignity. We cannot be complacent. Let us take our country back in 2020.
15
Don't get complacent!
The State of the Union - its health and constitution - is still at stake.
As is the environment we all share.
17
The lesson to me is that whereas cities and suburbs tend to vote for the democrats more than before, the rural parts of the country further support Trump and the GOP.
Put this in context with the article two days ago about Trump being able to win reelection. Remember that the electoral college strongly favors the rural parts of the country over the urban ones. Trump could very well be reelected despite losing the popular vote by an even lager share of the vote than in 2016.
42
@SJP It's not true that the EC confers a big advantage to rural areas. Yes it does somewhat magnify the vote of small states and these tend to be fairly rural.
But the main impact is from the winner-take-all approach used by 48 states. Whether you win California by one vote or three million you get the same number of EC votes. Last time Trump won a number of states by fairly small margins. That was the key to his victory in the EC.
For example he narrowly won Michigan and Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania in particular is not a rural state.
6
Agreed. And although the information was buried, the Democratic losses of assembly seats in NJ is a bad sign.
4
@SJP Pelosi's decision to make the impeachment testimony public is having the effect she intended and that's to make sure everyone understands the sheer volume of serious crimes Trump committed. Trump is dangerous, he is inexperienced, and the presidency was not designed so he could fill his hotels.
9
Fellow Kentuckians, before we break out the bourbon lets fix our eyes on 2020, roll up our sleeves, and keep this ball rolling. We have a lot of work before us.
268
Sorry, having some fine Kentucky bourbon in my coffee right now. Great job, Kentucky.
13
@J Ithel - I agree! Replacing Mitch McConnell (go Amy McGrath!) is, IMO, every bit as important as winning the presidency.
9
What isn't getting much mention is the increased Democratic support in Mississippi. While the Dems lost the governorship, as expected. the margin of victory was only 5.5% (the latest number I saw on CNN) compared to a 30% difference in 2015. That's significant and I would like to see more analysis of the vote.
226
@fundor good point!
5
It is absolute remarkable gain for Mississippi Democrats. The electoral map seems to indicate that the entire river counties voted blue and the city of Jackson showed many blue pockets. Interesting that a couple of towns in MS have voted in democratic non-white mayors, that is a major shift.
3
@fundor But the dem was an anti-abortion pro gun guy. It will not be this close in the general.
For Democrats who are dancing for joy in the wake of capturing the Governor's Mansion in Kentucky as well as both legislative chambers in Virginia, the phrase "Narrow Victory", while technically true, holds no negativity whatsoever.
Similarly, it wouldn't have dampened the outpouring of joy in Grant Park one iota, if, following Barack Obama's initial presidential victory, a headline were to have proclaimed: "The United States of America narrowly avoids not electing its first African American President, as he only carries 52.9% of the popular vote."
15
Now it becomes clear that suburbia, especially suburban women have had it with the Narcissist in he White House. This is another sign that Republicans and trump are in trouble. I expect the exodus from this failed administration to begin soon. After all, how many of these people want to say on a job application, I worked for trump.
73
Yea! On this day, when the Ambassador to the European Union has come forth before the entire world and proclaimed that Trump engaged in "Quid Pro Quo", I feel a little bit of healing. For days, weeks, months, 3 years, each day seems more and more futile and hopeless and shameful to me as an American. I grew up in First Baptist Dallas w Robt Jefffress and learned many life changing principles from my kid-days there, but now, I feel shock and despair that this church has compromised its integrity along w so many other GOP Evangelicals and become a cult. Yes, a cult. And Trump is the evil leader of this cult.
I''m so glad to see some of these Red State Americans break free from this cult. We all must heal and listen to each other. I'm proud of you Kentucky residents!
119
It looks like Bevin will contest the race and will ultimately cheat some how as a GOP member says Trump dragged him across the finish line, when he didn’t. I sure hope VA enacts some strong and durable anti corruption laws so gerrymandering and voter suppression, voter apparatus hacking, and outright criminality are forever banished from that state
43
I wonder if the rise of tribalism isn’t somewhat linked to the fact that more and more news comes from a national level and social media rather than a more local news outlet. I may be entirely off base but as local newspapers fold or consolidate, it seems that tribalism is rising. Anyway, an interesting outcome for these state elections.
393
@Darrick Williams
Rise in Tribalism? Why sugar coat what it really is? It is a rise in Racism. Tired of also hearing that it is a cultural issue.
42
@Darrick Williams
It's an interesting point. The lessening of local coverage by fewer local newspapers is directly related to a less informed electorate. While it might be entertaining to read about Trump's shenanigans, 24 /7, we need better coverage of meat and potato local issues.
35
@Steven McCain
I saw on PBS last night that the Southern Poverty Law Center has documented a 30% increase in White Supremacy in the past year. Hate crimes have been increasing each year since Trump stepped on the national stage. I'm with you; let's call it what it is: racism. Not tribalism.
28
I've had several friends leave Los Angeles because of the high housing costs. Several returned to their home states, of which Kentucky is one. They did their small but crucial part in electing AG Beshear.
I suppose some consolation to the housing-driven LA-exodus I'm experiencing in my social circle is that my friends are bringing their post-riot, post-187 LA values with them to their new states.
657
@William Fang
Just think what one hundred thousand retired Blue State Democrats moving to 'battleground states' could ultimately achieve. Is there still enough time to establish residency requirements for 2020 elections?
152
@William Fang I am thinking of moving temporarily to a ‘swing state’ next year!
114
@William Fang
Darn, I could have thought of that when I moved from California to Canada. I like my state deep blue though.
20
A good start. Vote and distance yourself from the noise. Vote for democracy. And the issues that matter for the survival of our world.
873
Mitch McConnell must be shaken tonight. The blue wave is has washed upon Kentucky’s shores.
1681
@Dabney L It's a small blue wave. More of a gentle tide. But tides increase...slowly but surely.
400
@Dabney L
Actually, he and Elaine are trying to figure out more ways to game their equally, corrupt enterprises.
193
@Dabney L
Especially since it was Mitch who recruited Bevin to run in the first place. Let's not get carried away with blue wave talk just yet. This was a governor who did himself in and it was still close. Lesson here is that we can win in some of these states but it requires a lot of work. Another factor is that there needs to be Democratic candidates ready to run against these clowns.
385
Thank you Old Dominion for new hope.
34
Will Trump be going to his friends at the Supreme Court since Virginia will now become the 38th state to pass the ERA. Now, maybe Kentucky was not about him, but he sure made like him and of course blueberry queen already said he almost pulled the governor across. It can never be his fault I wonder what does it take for his base to see he is mentally unfit to govern. Check out the Wall Street Journal two economic stories one now after yesterday imports have dropped off and they are consumer goods, second job posting are down, but will pickup for the holiday season. But, I look at other items Cummings small engine and big engine company have laid off lots of workers. A good sign that means the demand for the product is declining. Also RV lots stuffed and lots of sales and companies laying off. Oh, i hate to be negative, but the stock market is not an indicator of good times and especially today with interest rates so low they are forcing everyone into the market so of course it is going up and looks great. In addition rather than using the tax cut for machinery, tools, etc, the corporations purchased stock buy backs which drive it up. To me a final nail is see how overvalued so many companies are and think 08 when houses were overvalued it is the same. Wall Street giant Ponzi scam for the rich after all when it crashes Trump will pony up hundreds of billions to bail his friends out. SS Trump is taking on water. Watch the Republican rats start to jump overboard. Jim Trautman
21
@trautman
Thank you for your explanation.
1
In my small town, a very condescending local city councilor was bounced too. It's been a good day for decency.
79
As someone who spent eight of my formative years as a young gay man in Reagan-Bush era Virginia, it is deeply satisfying to watch the state transform from blood red to purple to a lovely shade of blue.
Thanks to its forward-looking citizenry, a great state just got greater.
199
Wonderful! It’s blue Virginia!
7
I really hope the VA results are seen nationwide next year.
52
So proud that my extended family in Virginia contributed to this victory.
64
@Susan We moved to North Carolina this fall, but I feel such pride in our former state and in my kids, who gleefully texted each other selfies with their "I Voted" stickers yesterday. All evening they filled my phone with celebratory gifs.
1
By morning Mitch McConnell will clearly understand the phrase “the numbers don’t lie.”
35
@Covfefe Her name is Amy McGraph. She is running against Mitch McConnell. She is a great woman. I have been donating to her for about four months through ActBlue. I doubled my monthly donation the moment after this election. I encourage all to help her. She can beat the guy who denied Garland a hearing for the court.
139
@jerome stoll
As someone outside America I can tell you that what has been horrifying, beyond belief, has not been ‘a Trump’. Any country could have a Trump.
What has been horrifying has been Mitch McConnell’s behaviour, statements, actions, leading the GOP tot put Trump ahead of America and the Constitution.
If McConnell and Ryan had curbed Trump’s worst excesses from day 1, America would not have suffered as it has and is.
Shame on them. Shame, shame, shame.
Please Kentucky, vote McConnell out!
12
@jerome stoll
As someone outside America I can tell you that what has been horrifying, beyond belief, has not been ‘a Trump’. Any country could have a Trump.
What has been horrifying has been Mitch McConnell’s behaviour, statements, actions, leading the GOP tot put Trump ahead of America and the Constitution.
If McConnell and Ryan had curbed Trump’s worst excesses from day 1, America would not have suffered as it has and is.
Shame on them. Shame, shame, shame.
1
Delaware County outside Philly went Democratic. That's huge. Like...huge. It was a GOP stronghold but suburban women and minorities have completely abandoned the GOP. If this is a sign of things to come, the GOP should be very, very worried.
199
@Drew And according to the election result maps, Trump and the GOP lost coal country in eastern Kentucky. That is huge.
99
Why would a Republican concede, with Trump as its standard bearer? The party doesn't have an ounce of class.
43
Great news for Kentucky and Virginia. Congratulations to all the Americans there.
64
Indeed - "Thank you Virginia!" Our hearts sing with you.
48
@Mike thank you. I’ve always been proud to be a Virginian and even more so tonight. If not for the Graft Over Patriotism party’s gerrymandering this would have happened sooner!!
6
Even if this was not unlike Jones vs. Moore 2.0, it says Trump's clout has its limits even as Trump is approaching peak desperation and everyone can see that he is.
30
Trump cannot claim the deep state conspired against him in Virginia and Kentucky. He cannot claim the voters in these states are engaging in a coup.
The reality is simple: He is an inveterate liar, a shameless hector, a deadbeat, and the list goes on. Thus, his behavior and character has alienated a significant majority of voters.
Trump can only blame himself, but he is blinded by unparalleled narcissism.
472
@Ben Trump could never accept defeat or fault in any situation or under any circumstance.
21
Why can't he make those claims? I predict that is exactly what he will do. He seeks to undermine reality at every turn, continually crafting lies and conspiracy theories to feed his fascist storm.
6
Bevin is being true to the trumpianism he’s espoused the last four years and refusing to concede. But it’s done!
57
Bevin doesn’t want to concede and is claiming irregularities... but Trump has already moved on... calling the guy a loser... by tomorrow, he will claim he has never met the guy.
They all deserve each other.
668
BLUE on BLUE, red got a hiding,
BLUE on BLUE, Mitch is in hiding,
Trump won’t get over losing too!
34
Indeed. Bobby Vinton was a political Nostradamus.
1
By, by Mitch!
34
If the Trump loses next year's election, he will be joining his former attorney Michael Cohen in jail with orange jumpsuit for Campaign Finance Violations of 2016 Presidential Elections. Feds are waiting for 45th.
87
@Trevor Diaz One can only hope.
20
@Ann Korach but Biden wants to make friends with all of them and move on. If he wins there will be zero accountability! There will also be riots in the streets if Trump and his criminal gang are not held accountable.
10
@Justice4America it is the right thing to move on. That's what was done with Nixon. Can you imagine a world where we don't have to talk about Trump? What a wonderful world that would be.
4
The governor of Kentucky has apparently been carefully studying the GOP playbook. First, try to suppress turn out using whatever underhanded method you can think of. If you lose anyhow, claim you were cheated.
83
@richard
You forgot the last step, which is to find a way to cheat in a recount.
15
@Justice4America
While supervising the very election you cooked to cheat.
Get caught cheating and hopefully go to jail.
I've been living in Virginia since 1964.
It's a new day here!!!!
Thank you Virginia!
582
Previews of coming attractions! Mitch is quaking in his boots and republicans, especially in the Senate will have to think hard about how to vote in case the Crimson King is impeached by the house! Be afraid, be very afraid.
57
A message for us Democrats - aim for the middle. I am ideologically progressive and a Warren supporter; but if Nate Cohn is right, she can’t win the battleground states.
We must face reality and go with a candidate who can win. Defeating Trump, the embodiment of venality, corruption and incompetence - and a Putin puppet, whether he knows it or not - must be our first priority.
280
@RMC You are 100% correct. I consider myself a moderate -- or rather a pragmatic progressive like Senator Amy Klobuchar. The majority of the Democratic Party is composed of such as are most Americans.
I recall in 1972 I worked my heart out for Democratic Presidential Nominee George McGovern -- a solid liberal. But President Richard Nixon -- despite being under the cloud of Watergate -- won 49 out of 50 states. Since then, only three Democrats have won the White House and they have all been moderates Carter, Clinton and Obama. We have to pay attention to history and listen to the people. Warren and Sanders are way out of step and could cost us the 2020 Election. Of the true moderates running, Biden has a ton of baggage, Mayor Pete lacks experience and Senator Klobuchar is the most qualified to be Commander in Chief.
39
@RMC No. Aim for your values and what kind of society and leadership you want. The people of Kentucky and Virginia voted for Democrats, because it is the only forward-looking option -- and more will follow. The Democratic Party is the only party with a range of ideas, from centrist to left. The Republican party is the trump party, corrupt and empty. If you support Warren, why would you encourage others to support someone else? Why base your vote on second-guessing?
41
I absolutely agree! My greatest fear is that the democratic Hopefuls are in many ways treating this as just another regular old election cycle.
Mr. Trump may be a clueless, Incompetent President who avoids taking responsibility and actually solving problems, but he is a master manipulator and campaigner.
He can make it appear as though his base of support is much stronger than it really is in fact. He seizes the narrative by constantly attacking his political opponents with false charges and accusations that have no basis In reality. He deflects any and all criticism by labeling it fake news. All too often this Strategy works, and his disciples love it.
I hope the Democrats are clever enough to attract the center, and all sign a pledge that their final presidential nominee will enjoy the full support of everyone in the party. if they fail to do this, Mr Trump may well succeed in his effort to divide and conquer.
25
Mr. Beshear, congratulations to you, sir! In the political vortex that is this modern world, the onus is on Democrats to show they can govern with integrity and honesty. Do this and you will help to restore faith in leadership and reset the scales. Best!
71
@Rust Belt Progressive The Democrats have shown that they can govern with integrity and honesty! They will do it again.
18
The election in Kentucky is about Kentucky, not about Donald Trump but that didn't stop Trump from making it a personal endorsement or GOP operatives lying about how Democrats want to sponsor everything from unfair sports competitions and transgender athletes to anything else they could make up.
Sometimes actions count, such as the the poor performance of Governor Bevin. I only hope the people there reconsider McConnell as well and pick a better representative, regardless of party.
66
@Ronn Actions always count, moreso than words. And after tonight's victory by Andy Beshear I am hopeful that former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath will clean Senator Mitch McConnoll's clock next November. She narrowly lost her race for the U.S. House of Representatives last year, but she should have a real shot at the Senate!
36
These results tell me a sensible, center-left grown up who sticks to issues that matter to people, like health care, has the best chance to defeat Trump a year from now.
Liz Warren is not that candidate right now. She is probably correct that Medicare for All is the best long term solution to controlling health care costs, but voters in key states are not ready for MFA. She needs to put forth a transition plan that calls for a public option.
If not Liz, can Biden hold up during the bruising year ahead? Mayor Pete? Amy K? We must defeat Trump. Who can do it?
56
@JB :
Today's "center-left" is yesterday's "center-right".
You know, rule of law, fiscal responsibility.
As for Sen. Warren, the other option is corrupt, has no sense of ethics, morals, the law, and does not care about half the country. If that is a choice for some people, there is nothing I can do about it.
21
@JB I aagree. I think Senator Klobuchar from Minnesota can beat Trump She has the best shot of reclaiming the Midwestern battleground states that handed the Presidency to Trump three years ago. If she can pull off a win in Iowa she should have a real shot. Of course, a lot can happen in a year and it's possible Trump will not be running for re-election.
6
@JB
Sanders!
He's barely a year older than Biden. yet people make age an issue with him, but hardly ever with Biden. Biden might look younger, but he lags far behind Sanders mentally. Sanders needs to pick Buttigieg as VP and unite the party (and clarify that his more progressive plans are ideals he wants to move toward, not things that will happen tomorrow.) I like Warren too, but I am afraid of the rampant sexism that dominates in some of the swing states.
4
Yet another Trump-endorsed candidate bites the dust. How long before we hear "I didn't know Bevin that well. I have my picture taken with many people. "
98
Virginia now could also be the last state needed to pass the ERA!
Finally?
117
Well that would be wonderful!
13
Civility begins to return to America.
94
@Richard
Civility?Not quite there yet, wait for Mr.Bevin’s reaction in the press tomorrow....in fact , he has already started his “bad sportman’s “ behavior....he is not a man who can bow out respectfully....like his supporter Failure Trump,made of the same red cloth.
9
When Kentuckians rid us of McConnell, then I’ll start to sing their praise. Not before.
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@Hub Harrington
When Kentuckians JAIL McConnell, then *I* will start to sing their praises.
40
A glimmer of hope! Thank you, Kentucky and Virginia voters! I hope GOP cowards out there are paying attention. Time to board your lifeboat perhaps?
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@Charlie Dimster I don't want them(Republicans)to pay attention, I want the Democrats to win and win BIG.
12
Can we please send a candidate that stands a chance against Mitch McConnell. Like the farmer and ex-marine Mike Broiher. I 100% guarantee Amy McGrath won’t win in a state that is this close to electing a guy like Bevin.
Best Regards,
A Kentucky Resident
39
@Matthew Girard McGrath nearly beat Andy Barr. She's pretty awesome and McConnoll is losing ground. I think she could do it!
15
Have a little faith, McGrath will win IF Kentucky votes!
2
@Matthew Girard
Is the filing deadline over? I hope y'all get a good candidate that fits your voters!
"Democrat Wins Kentucky" is a wildly unexpected headline, almost as crazy as "Trump beats Clinton" was in 2016, but not quite. I don't care how on the ropes the Republicans might seem, lets keep punching and finish this.
204
You have to be blind to not be able to read these tea leaves. Voters, especially swing voters are rejecting Trumpism but endorsing moderate politicians. If the Dems nominate a far-left candidate they will lose in 2020. There's no progressive majority in America & never will be. The numbers are not there. There certainly is no progressive Electoral College coalition in the U.S. that could get to the needed 270 votes. This point can't be emphasized enough: almost every progressive candidate in whom Dems invested tremendous time, money, & emotional energy in 2018—Beto O’Rourke in Texas, Andrew Gillum in Florida, Stacey Abrams in Georgia— lost. Almost every significant progressive ballot initiative in this country was voted down. If this election is about kitchen table issues: jobs & healthcare there's no way the Democrats lose. If it's about reparations, busing, & immigration there's no way we win. Reparations are the only issue that would compel independent swing voters in say Kentucky & Virginia to hold their nose & vote for Trump again. Some state lawmakers have voted to allow illegal immigrants the right to receive scholarships & state financial aid. How are Dems supposed to tell families that adequate state aid to help afford college isn't available for them but is available for others who are in this country illegally? We've arrived at a point where only illegals have rights. It's an impossible equation. Facts are facts. A moderate gives us the best chance to win in 2020.
95
I too favor unpaid medical bills being a major cause of bankruptcy and our youth become indentured servants to pay off college debt.
21
@Bill Brown - "Some state lawmakers have voted to allow illegal immigrants the right to receive scholarships & state financial aid." - Agree Bill, that is the definition of madness.
5
These are not tea leaves. They’re neon signs clearly lit in Times Square!
8
YES!!!
Thank you!
30
The country is moving away from trump and his politics of lies, misogyny, and racism.
148
@Carl and don’t forget to mention Trump’s corruption, climate crimes, and self serving tax cuts to ultra wealthy!
8
@Carl
We all must work very hard in each of our states to also toss the despicable Republicans in Congress who are betraying the Constitution and the rule of law.
1
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
319
@Joyceeo A sanity clause: Voting Democrat.
25
@Joyceeo
and Santa is not dressed in red!
11
@Richard Schumacher:
Inspired play on words! Thanks!
1
Kentucky recount laws mean Bevin can request a recount, but he has to pay for it. Odds are that Republicans will get ugly about conceding.
https://ballotpedia.org/Recount_laws_in_Kentucky
a candidate for Governor "who has won at least 25 percent of the votes cast for the successful candidate for the office in question can contest the election, which entails a recount. Candidates are liable for the costs associated with a recount.
18
@Vanessa Hall The Koch Bros will gladly pay the cost.
9
@GSL
Koch brother, I believe you meant.
The elections are a clear message: The G.O.P. is on the ropes. Trump has destroyed the party of Goldwater and Reagan. The Dem's will rule D.C. for the next 12 years...
70
@Ulko S Just the next 12...?
6
@Ulko S
Let’s not get cocky. There’s a lot of time between now and Nov 2020, the GOP has a lot of cash, lying and deceit are promulgated and effective, and recent polls suggest Trump could win critical battleground states.
This was a good night. Let’s celebrate and get back to the hard work ahead.
76
@Ulko S Let's not get too confident. Bevin shot himself in the foot and it was still a close race.
Over- confidence and voter complacency hurt Democrats in 2016 (not to mention a bunch of other factors as well). We can't afford to make that mistake again.
2
Merica,
Thank you for voting for decency and, coupled with last year, instilling great hope for 2020. Let’s keep it up!
87
Congratulations to Kentucky and Virginia. On the road to integrity and sanity.
543
Such a wonderful win in Virginia. Finally out of the dark ages into the light.
230
It was so refreshing to see Andy Beshear beat Matt Bevin for the governorship of Kentucky. Hopefully, this shows that America can come back from the abyss of Trump. Congratulations, Kentucky! You have done the right thing for our country - and for yourselves and your children.
370
These 2019 election results clearly indicate that the Democrats can will in 2020, but not with Elizabeth Warren as the presidential candidate. Warren simply represents mostly a white constituency which is in the left wing tail of the distribution of voters and not in the crucial centralist areas. A Democrat needs support from most white voters and also voters of color, and Elizabeth Warren simply does not supported by either bloc of voters. Warren is backed by a minority group of white voters on the left fringe of American politics in the modern era.
26
@David
As is Bernie.
15
Agree completely. Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar all would get my vote. Not so for Warren or Sanders. Unfortunately, this democrat would stay home.
2
@David I agree. And I like Warren. I also like Sanders. But in order to beat Trump we need a more moderate candidate. Like a younger Biden. Someone who knows about foreign policy. Maybe Buttigieg (but he's so young and has so little experience}....the Democrats don't have the idea candidate yet.
5
Here we go..Bevin won’t concede, citing irregularities in voting because as we all know he oversaw every machine that voted against him.
293
Bevin is done. He’s just going through the steps of mourning and the first one is denial.
128
@Covfefe And the second is anger. Then we have bargaining, depression and acceptance. Do we REALLY have to witness all these stages?
22
Here’s a win. Talk about saving our healthcare and people will vote.
197
@Diana
Good point!
This was also a factor in the 2018 mid-terms
15
We all know what Bevin means when he says "irregularities".
41
@Christian Haesemeyer
Also, his comment about registered Democrats outnumbering registered Republicans. The fact behind that particular number is that many, MANY of those "registered Democrats" are really Republicans. Because KY has closed primaries, these Republicans register as Democrats so they can vote in the Democratic primaries for the weakest candidate to go up against the Republican whom they will vote for in the general election.
How do I know this? Had to live in KY for a number of years & several individuals were quite frank in telling me this exact scenario: they were registered as Democrats, but were staunch Republicans.
"Mr. Beshear, a 41-year-old moderate whose father preceded Mr. Bevin in the governor’s mansion, sidestepped questions about Mr. Trump and impeachment while keeping his distance from national Democrats"
That's the message for all Dems. Beshear focused on issues like Medicaid cuts etc. and he won. I sensed it (and Mr.Bevin too, I think) when I saw Bernie Sanders in Louisville.
108
@Har I think it's gonna be difficult for folks running against Trump for president to "sidestep questions about Mr Trump". it will be counter-productive for a lot of congressional and state legislature candidates. So your "all Democrats" really only applies to statewide, but not national, races. In these cases it may be good advice (in Kentucky).
19
@Christian Haesemeyer
I think the important aspect of Har's comment is the Democrats need to talk about healthcare. It was a winner in the mid terms, a winner tonight and it will be a winner next November.
35
@Har - A little unfair on Bernie - seeing he built the modern platform for all democratic candidates.
9
BLUE moon of Kentucky, keep on shining...
You’re next, Mitch.
1336
@CollegeBored Yup. the tides are turning.
64
@CollegeBored Republicans won every other seat statewide. Calm down, man.
33
@CollegeBored Gosh, it would be great to get rid of Mitch!
85
Now, Puritans, aren’t we glad Ralph Northam and his lieutenant governor didn’t resign over NOTHING? Nice work Virginia!
Separately, I am so happy to see this important victory in the state that is home to Charlottesville — a city that was forced to play host to an event that rendered the GOP dead to me for all my remaining years because of its response. It highlights how far we have come, as a country, though we still have a very far to go. Stay vigilant, friends!
662
@X As a Charlottesville resident, I am more than pleased with today's voting outcome. The hatred we witnessed during the alt-right rally here in Charlottesville was truly devastating. And scary. The underbelly of hatred and racism was in full display. And unfortunately, that underbelly is more widespread than I ever imagined possible.
133
@X
I'm glad that Ralph Northam didn't resign, but what he (probably) did was not nothing, and his LtGov is accused of sexual assault which is very far from nothing. You may be thinking of the State Attorney General who also horsed around in blackface in his younger, stupider years.
35
A step back to the Highway Sanity for Kentucky and for all of us.
A happy day for one Independent.
150
These are big wins for Democrats in Kentucky and Virginia. It sends the important message that voters are fed up with the lies and corruption of Trump and his crony Republican supporters.
722
@patrick ryan
We live in hope. The blatant disregard of the POTUS and his cronies for the rule of law is breathtaking. Enough is enough. This is America.
Uphold the Constitution. Serve your country. Faithfully. Always.
What a time we live in when the only people following the basic tenets, are those that are disparaged and threatened by those in highest office who also took the same vows.
54
@patrick ryan
Given that Gov Northam remained in office leading Dems instead of committing auto-da-fe on the gibbet of political correctness as expected, I'd give him some of the credit for this victory for Virginia.
6
@patrick ryan
I congratulate the people in Virginia and Kentucky, especially the Democratic organizers. However, it is a mistake to over read Kentucky. Bevin is a very poor candidate while Beshear ran a perfect race. We are far from turning Kentucky blue. However, no mountain can be moved in a day. Let's start chipping. Unless we can bring deep red state more back to the center, polarization will still kill America in the long run.
4
In refusing to concede the governors race, it seems Republicans can neither win nor lose graciously anymore. If we are to resort to claiming “something funny is going on” every time we lose it doesnt bode much for our democracy
913
@Thomas Wright,
They are resurrecting that old trope, voter fraud, in Pennsylvania. Can the Kentucky Trumplicans be far behind in alleging "voter fraud"?
35
@Thomas Wright "Graciousness" has been long gone from our democracy. It disappeared in 2016.
24
@Thomas Wright This is nothing new. Dubya refused to shake the winner’s hand in his first outing as a candidate in Midland, Texas.
14
By daybreak, Trump will not know Bevin.
1107
You’re so right. He’ll go from campaigning the night before to who?
49
@Blue in Green hahahaha! Sadly, true.
20
@Blue in Green And at the same time, it will all be Bevin's fault somehow.
44
Sounds like there is HOPE in this country!
231
@Surya as Red told Andy in the Shawshank Redemption "Hope is a dangerous thing."
Still, we're moving in the right direction. That is, morality, ethics, and public interests.
28
It appears that the Republicans are having a come to Jesus moment.
Amen.
166
@Richard I doubt they've yet had a 'come to jesus moment'. This will all be spun tomorrow as fake news, small inconsequential state outcomes, etc. But pretty soon they will come to jesus.
26
@alabreabreal
And when they do they will have a lot of explaining to do.
9
@Richard
Hmm...a come to Jesus moment like Graham's snit yesterday where he, the spoiled brat he is, announced in a huff that he's not even reading the material his job requires him to read?
If it ain't said aloud, it ain't a moment. The GOP can never redeem itself at this point; they are on archived record for their deplorable aiding and abetting, but they can still do damage control by now heading to a podium and clearly and unequivocally renouncing the criminal in the WH.
It remains to be seen if they will. Those who continue to side with DJT may find themselves under investigation for their role in this debacle.
Is there anything more unseemly than choosing the traitor?
6
Well, since he was considered as nasty and chaotic as "trump" before Trump, no wonder he lost!! Good Riddance to people like him. Intelligent people in this country, and Kentucky DESERVE better....
133
I’m so proud of Kentucky! I actually would love to visit now💞💞💞💓💓
166
@Colleen Blinoff Me too! It's a beautiful state.
9
@Colleen Blinoff This appears to be a reaction to Bevin who is personally unpopular. Other Republicans won. And, sadly, I think old Mitch is favored to win.
10
@Colleen Blinoff It is a most beautiful state. Well worth the trip.
7
Inch by inch it’s a cinch...mike by mile it’s a trial — congrats Matt Bevin!
24