We will see if this is the foreshadowing of 2018 when Democrats and many independent are motivated to vote against Trump and by association the GOP.
Not surprised. Northam was supposed to win all along. Virginia isn't a Trump stronghold. Gill actually scored a higher percent in this election than Trump did in the general election. The map almost looks identical. People on here making fun of Trumps tweet, but it's correct. Gill didn't embrace Trump, he was totally down with any support offered by him, but he didn't want to be associated with him. Before the election all the republicans thought it was the smartest thing to do considering Trump isn't known to be very popular in Virginia. In hindsight, who knows-- it's my belief he would have lost either way. This election is really insignificant and gives no insight as being portrayed. Vice-versa all the other elections that were hyped up in the last several months being portrayed at the time as 'significant' and in which democrats were obliterated in.. were also just as insignificant to giving any insight as this Virginia election. That's right I said it. "Democrats spent 30 MILLION" the most expensive midterm in history by them to try to take a win in the Georgia special election, just to lose. Not significant.
Please please please keep on believing this! Trenchant analysis Everything is fine for you and yours! No danger in 2018 or 2020. Go back to worrying about NFL player protests - it's working!
Positive outcomes for the Democrats. However, it's important that they don't rest on their laurels. They will need to work even harder to make real advances in 2018.
Yes, some might start to distance themselves after the primaries but not now. Trump has completely destroyed any Republican who's dared to question him. His transformation of the party in 9 short months has been spectacular. While not all Republicans are Trumpkins, all fear the consequences of crossing the POTUS (piece of trash). Those that start distancing too soon will be Bannonized, LOL!
Virginia isn't a Trump stronghold. It's right up the middle and a pretty accurate reflection of the country especially when the Democrats candidate pretty much ran on a 'anti-Trump' campaign and the Republican was mimicking all of Trump's policy agendas only a bit more tactfully.
A couple of points: 1) Congressional Repubs will abandon Trump as soon as the tax bill passes or not. Since Health Care went down in flames and they stole the SC seat, that tax bill sig is all they need from him. 2) That said, there's still the base that is loyal, thus creating a "can't live with him, can't live without him" dynamic.
Shouldn't point one be irellevent if the GOP assumes that Pence would take his place and obviously rubber stamp whatever the GOP Congress passes? If they just need a rubber stamper, Pence would be perfect. I guess that's assuming that Pence is totally not complicit in whatever Muller is investigating of course.
One thing I've learned in American politics...Elections are never 'irrelevant' especially governorships. I mean it wasn't that long ago I heard Republicans bragging about how they also had more governors than Democrats and controlled more state legislative bodies and Democrats did a lot of work yesterday in turning that around. If you think that is meaningless then really...you need to look a bit deeper into how our political system works. What it means to the national landscape, it's pretty hard to tell. I think the Alabama Senator race will tell you a lot more about Trumpism and if Roy Moore barely wins in a deep red state it will be troubling...and if he loses? Yeah, that's not going to be good at all for the GOP. But what it means to those states? It means a lot going forward...like redistricting...
Democrats won a state that they were supposed to by beating an establishment candidate that we don't support. Does this mean Democrats will stop shooting at us for a little a while?
LOL. Explain the Virginia House, which was basically gerrymandered so that the GOP could never lose control.
One of the most Gerrymandered states in the Union. Absolutely god awful weather. And the turnout was still insane, and beyond that, insanely blue. 2018 is an uphill fight, but damn if it doesn't look much more achievable now.
au contrare. Gillespie, a establishment conservative Rep, ran against Warner for the US Senator seat ~ 2 yrs ago. Gillespie lost a close race for this election, he tried to thread the needle. in the rural area, Trump country, he campaigned on Trumpism (anti-immigrant, etc) in the urban area, he distanced himself from Trump Urbanites were alarmed by / too smart for his campaign rhetoric; urban voter turn-out was way higher than normal. anti-Trumpers were energized. Gillespie did worse than Trump in 2016. in fact, in Loundon County in N Virginia, where Gillespie had won ~ 2 yrs ago, when he ran for the US Senate, he got his azz kicked by Northam. Trumpism begets higher voter turn-out, particularly in urban area, which bodes well for anti-Trumpers
It's the same miscalculation Dems made in 2009 with the Tea Party. Look at those young voters turning out this year. Won't be surprised if the GOP tries to raise the age limit.
Was that a miscalculation, or just an inevitable response to the communist muslim nazi negro stealing the white house and taking over everyone's healthcare?
So...Trump doesn't stand for being tough on crime, supporting vets, upholding the Second Amendment, improving the Virginia economy, and cracking down on MS-13?
Who is "shooting" at you, RussianLegend? The outcome in Virginia is staggering. No one, including Democrats, thought there would be such an overwhelming win for my party. Your attempt at spin is pathetic. The results in Virginia and New Jersey have GOP leaders quivering in their boots. This was a wake up call for the Republican Party. Mr. trump is an anchor that will drag that party down come 2018, and I am rubbing my hands with glee in anticipation.
As nice as it is to see Trump candidates go down in flames, Clinton won Virginia and New Jersey so I'm not going to get too excited about Dems winning in those states.
