So does that mean there will be more federal, state and local buildings getting new drapes and makeovers? just a joke
I'm not suprised that more gay candidates won. I'm suprised about where they won. Oklahom(o)a, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama, Florida, and Iowa all elected openly gay candidates. That's pretty amazing in itself.
I hope everyone maintains a sense of just how great a victory this has been. Against all odds... against the most sophisticated gerrymandering effort in our history, done even when it was a capricious event out of the cycle of the US census, against nearly every prognosticator, the Democratic Party has pulled off a stunning repudiation of the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress. Regardless of how Virginia and Montana ultimately go, and I think Webb and Tester will emerge victorious, this has been a shout from the American people to the Republican Party... We've had enough of your bankrupt government. We've had enough of your reckless foreign policy. We've had enough of your largess for the rich at the expense of the Middle Class and the working men and women of this country. We've had enough of your attempt to dismantle hard-won environmental controls. We've had enough of lip service to the poor, the elderly, and the disadvantaged. And we've had enough of your use of our armed forces without regard for how they'll be treated when they come home wounded, and how their families fair while they fight overseas. We've had enough, and we just made that crystal clear. A new era has begun in the political life of the United States. And we aren't finished. Come join the Party! D&D... Civilization Won!
Ten key victories noted in the press release: # 10 Key Victories in 2006: -- Patricia Todd, who will represent District 54 in the Alabama State House. Todd is the first openly gay person ever elected to any office in the state. -- Kathy Webb, who will represent District 37 in the Arkansas State House. Webb is the first openly gay person ever elected to any office in the state. -- Henry Fernandez, who won a seat on the Lawrence Township School Board, making him the first openly gay person ever elected to any office in Indiana. -- Al McAffrey, who will represent District 88 in the Oklahoma State House. McAffrey is the first openly gay person ever elected to the Oklahoma state legislature. -- Jolie Justus, who will represent District 10 in the Missouri State Senate. Justus is the first openly gay state senator in Missouri history. -- Ed Murray, who will represent District 43 in the Washington State Senate. Murray, a former state representative, is the first openly gay state senator in Washington history. -- Matt McCoy, who becomes the first openly gay candidate ever elected to the Iowa legislature. McCoy, a sitting state senator, came out during his last term. -- Ken Keechl, who won a seat on the Broward County Commission in Florida, beating an appointee of Gov. Jeb Bush. -- Jamie Pedersen, who becomes the third consecutive openly gay person to be elected to represent District 43 in the Washington State House. -- Judge Virginia Linder will join Rives Kistler on the Oregon Supreme Court, making it the first state ever to have two openly gay Supreme Court Justices, according to preliminary results. The full list http://www.victoryfund.org/index.php?src=news&prid=183&category=News Releases
Did anyone else get the feeling it was going to be a rough night for the Republicans when they projected Democrats winning in Indiana and Kentucky about half an hour after the polls closed? I mean if the Republicans are losing in Indiana and Kentucky you know things are going downhill. If its any solace for the Republicans Democrat MN governor candidate Mike Hatch just conceded to Republican incumbent Tim Pawlenty. Of course it took an awesome effort on the part of Hatch's Lt. Governor candidate not knowing what E85 was and Hatch coming to her defense by calling a reporter a "Republican w****" all in the last week to pull out a close defeat from what was certain victory.
I was also glad to see: Gay Marriage ban fail in Arizona Abortion ban fail in South Dakota Stem Cell Research to pass in Missouri
Recounts in Virginia and Montana? Too bad those conservative states have Republican governers! It is called the Jeb Bush effect.
I get the sarcasm, but big difference. George W. Bush led in Florida. Jeb and Harris just didn't overturn that. The recounts in Virginia and Montana would have to overturn these results.
Today is a good day. In many ways the test for the Democrats is just starting, however, (and since we currently have a right wing government in Canada our left wing is in a state of transition as well and will undoubtedly have one eye on how the American left reforms itself). My big question is this, and I’ll try out a couple of terms here. Will the progressive left win out over the conservative left? Will the left construct a vision that is inclusive and that listens to the concerns of all Americans, or will they remain as some kind of closed tribe that has sees itself as being at war with the other half of the population, like so many right wingers do? There are a number of key issues that Democrats, and left leaning parities in western countries in general, are going to have to become progressive on if they want to become parities with a broad base of support, imo.
i am in a state of shock, i am so freaking HAPPY i feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders!!!
Democrats winning: * VA: 50-49 * RI: 53-47 * PA: 59-41 * OH: 56-44 * NJ: 53-45 * MT: 49-48 * MO: 50-47 * MD: 54-44 Republicans winning: * TN: 51-48 * AZ: 53-44 Exit polls made the right calls, have been vindicated, and have been made relevant once again.
sorry to rain on your parade but i think you give the dems way too much credit. it was the american people who have spoken. my faith in our government has been restored because our nation has spoken with a common voice for a desperately needed regime change here at home. now the hard work begins. let's get it done.
thegary, you couldn't possibly rain on my parade today. The sun is shining in Austin, and across America the people have spoken. I think the national leadership of the Democratic Party deserves an enormous amount of credit. Howard Dean, Rahm Emanual, Chuck Schumer... Dean was determined to make this a national contest, and build for the future of the Party, and he succeeded. Emanual and Schumer were tireless working to get good candidates on the ballot that could win, and then getting them support. They succeeded. thegary, the American people speak through their political parties. It's how the system works. I'm glad Americans woke up and smelled the coffee, but it was tireless efforts on every level by the Democratic Party that made this possible. They gave the American people a vehicle with which to express their voice, and they did... loud and clear. Now it's up to the ones elected, and their party leadership, to show America that they made the good choice. Hard work is ahead. I look forward to it. This is a great day for the United States of America. Keep D&D Civil.
