Election Thread

[HankB]

Texas has improved - Gov. Rick Perry (he of coyote-shooting fame) won re-election handily, numerous state offices flipped from D to R, including my new state-representative-elect A-rated Paul Workman who defeated incumbent C-rated Valinda Bolton. 

Sadly, "my" incumbent U.S. congressman, F-rated Lloyd Doggett (TX25) defeated a challenge from a good woman, A-rated Donna Campbell.     Too many parasites from central Austin voting in his district for those of us stuck on the edge of his district to oust him. 

Sadly too, Reid survived.    Polls said he'd lose by 4%, he actually won by 5%. So much for the 3% margin of error claimed by pollsters.

U.S. House turned out about as expected - looks like around a 60 seat gain, give or take, with several more still too close to call. A pickup of 6 in the Senate, but we might get another one or two if we're lucky. (I thought we had 41 before? They're projecting 46 now - that's +5. Did I miss a special election going to a D- or something?)

Wonder if Murkowski will actually win AK with her write-in campaign . . . "Write in" is leading Joe Miller.

Overall, a good night, even if it wasn't quite the earthquake Dick Morris predicted.

[Monkeyleg]

Illinois Guv race looking like the Chicago Dem is gonna edge out our good pro gun downstate repub candidate.

As of about midnight last night, that race was very close. It must have been hard for the Chicago poll workers to read the headstones in the dark.

[AJ Dual]

Honestly, if we weren't going to capture the Senate Reid surviving isn't the worst thing in the world. I would have dearly liked to see everyone central to Obamacare go down, sure. However...

Who here likes the sound of "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer"? 

And even if we attained 51 seats in the Senate, it wouldn't be enough to get veto overrides, stop fillibusters etc. The only big loss is the ability to block judicial appointments, and the Republicans being more "principled" about NOT applying the ideology litmus test, it does not matter that much anyway.

And not having both chambers of Congress means it's difficult to blame-shift back on Republicans come 2012.

[Ben]

Very good points AJ.

It will be interesting though, to see what Obama does (or doesn't do) with the veto pen. When the local Dem congresscritter was giving her victory speech, she was telling her supporters not to worry about the Republican majority because Obama will use his veto powers.

I wonder if he will, at least in the next two years. Doing so could easily get him labeled an obstructionist (you know, that term used against Republicans the last two years) and very much hurt his re-election chances. If he does get elected to a second term, I could see him using the veto pen a lot.

[makattak]

Very good points AJ.

It will be interesting though, to see what Obama does (or doesn't do) with the veto pen. When the local Dem congresscritter was giving her victory speech, she was telling her supporters not to worry about the Republican majority because Obama will use his veto powers.

I wonder if he will, at least in the next two years. Doing so could easily get him labeled an obstructionist (you know, that term used against Republicans the last two years) and very much hurt his re-election chances. If he does get elected to a second term, I could see him using the veto pen a lot.

I think the Dems still believe they can control the narrative and blame the Republicans. He's spent two years blaming Bush, so I don't see him realizing the blame game doesn't work for him.

[roo_ster]

Though I am still trying to figure out HOW IN THE HELL GREENE GOT 27% in the senate race.

All the second and some of the first standard deviation on the left hand side of the bell curve?

[RevDisk]

Honestly, if we weren't going to capture the Senate Reid surviving isn't the worst thing in the world. I would have dearly liked to see everyone central to Obamacare go down, sure. However...

Who here likes the sound of "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer"? 

And even if we attained 51 seats in the Senate, it wouldn't be enough to get veto overrides, stop fillibusters etc. The only big loss is the ability to block judicial appointments, and the Republicans being more "principled" about NOT applying the ideology litmus test, it does not matter that much anyway.

And not having both chambers of Congress means it's difficult to blame-shift back on Republicans come 2012.

I concur with AJ.  As the Dems retained control of the Senate, Reid is extremely pro-2A.  His other concerns are still concerns.  But he is relatively sane (compared to the alternative), and his staff have been very good on keeping pro-2A groups up to date on legislation. 

If the Republicans has the moral courage to put forth pro-2A legislation, Reid will most likely assist it as much or more than any Republican majority leader would. 

At the moment, we have beautiful, beautiful gridlock.  This is the optimal situation.  Both parties, when they held exclusive majority of both houses and the Presidency, proved themselves thoroughly incompetent and corrupt.  Having the politicians spending their days screaming at each other unable to accomplish relatively mundane work will keep both parties in check.

I'm quite pleased.

[White Horseradish]

And Minnesota once again has electile dysfunction. We are heading for a recount in the governor's race because my county reported more votes than there were voters. Looks like we're on the way to replace Florida as the butt of election jokes...

In other news, Republicans are surprised at wiping out Democrats in the state legislature.

[HankB]

. . .  We are heading for a recount in the governor's race because my county reported more votes than there were voters . . .

Wasn't that how Al Franken got elected?

I used to live in MN . . . is Mark Dayton your new governor-elect? Wasn't there a story some years back (when he was running for senator) that he needed some sort of prescription happy pills to stay functional?

[Racehorse]

At the moment, we have beautiful, beautiful gridlock.  This is the optimal situation.  Both parties, when they held exclusive majority of both houses and the Presidency, proved themselves thoroughly incompetent and corrupt.  Having the politicians spending their days screaming at each other unable to accomplish relatively mundane work will keep both parties in check.

While I would normally be in total agreement with the deliciousness of gridlock, I can't feel too great about it until Obamacare is repealed. Gridlock means that piece of trash legislation will still go into effect. Gridlock also means that the Bush tax cuts will expire, further weakening an already shaky economy.

If we can get a few key issues resolved, then I'm completely in favor of gridlock thereafter.

[AJ Dual]

While I would normally be in total agreement with the deliciousness of gridlock, I can't feel too great about it until Obamacare is repealed. Gridlock means that piece of trash legislation will still go into effect. Gridlock also means that the Bush tax cuts will expire, further weakening an already shaky economy.

If we can get a few key issues resolved, then I'm completely in favor of gridlock thereafter.

Obamacare would not get repealed until after 2012 when he's gone anyway. Even if the GOP had 51 seats in the Senate. So even if they'd taken the Senate, it would still have to be killed via clever de-funding in the House, and in the courts. 2/3rds veto-proof super-majorities were never in play here.

The fact that the 2000-odd page bill failed to include a severability clause is nice when it finally works it's way up to the SCOTUS.  for them, and  for us.

[White Horseradish]

Wasn't that how Al Franken got elected?

And that's why I said "again"...

I used to live in MN . . . is Mark Dayton your new governor-elect?

That's just it. We don't know. The first count has him  ahead by only 9000 or so votes, and that could be a mistake.

Wasn't there a story some years back (when he was running for senator) that he needed some sort of prescription happy pills to stay functional?

I know he is an alcoholic. Dunno about other stuff.

[Ryan in Maine]

Republicans took the House and the Senate in Maine. The Republican candidate, Paul LePage, was elected governor. Local elections were a little disappointing though.

[Lennyjoe]

Brewer stayed on as Governor. McCain won easily. Only ones that worry/piss me off is district 8 and 9. Our district (8) has the pos Giffords. Her and Jesse Miller are tied. Other one is the arsehole Grijalva who called on a boycott of his own state. Only thing keeping him in is the Hispanic vote.

[Scout26]

Here in Illinois, we give stupid a whole new meaning.

The downstater's reversed the 2008 Obama gains by R's picking up what looks like 4 seats in the House. 

Meanwhile in the senate, Kirk beat Obama's buddy to become Senator and immediately take the seat previously held by Rollie the Booh; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vlZk1ZaslA   Kirk is an anti-2A RINO who as Rep. voted for Cap and Tax along with TARP, both bailouts and the stimulus package.   

The Governor's Race is within the margin of fraud, with Quinn (D-Blago) ahead at the moment by ~16,000 votes, with more votes waiting in Chicago to be found for him depending on how many of late military ballots get counted (Yep, we held our primary in February and still couldn't get the General Election ballots to the troops in time.  )

If Quinn wins, we'll be the first state to file for bankruptcy, yes, even before California.   Will the last person out of Illinois please turn off the light. 
 

[RocketMan]

In the Oregon Governor's race, GOP nominee, and former Portland NBA Trailblazer, Chris Dudley will lose to former Governor John Kitzhaber.  While Dudley still holds a slim lead, most of the remaining uncounted votes are from heavily Democratic Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Lane counties.  The votes from Multnomah county are running 3-1 for Kitzhaber, and enough votes remain to be counted to put Kitzhaber over the top.
Kitzhaber previously served two lousy consecutive terms from 1995–2003, so of course Oregon will elect him again.

Edited to correct spelling and confirm Kitzhaber's win.  Dudley has conceded.

[Sergeant Bob]

Here in Michigan, we replaced a liberal Canafornian, failed actress/governor with Republican businessman Rick Snyder. My district replaced an Obamaphile with a Republican retread (retook the seat which was taken from him last election).

Did anyone mention LTC Allen West won in Florida?

[Scout26]

I can't find where's it's mentioned but Alvin Green pulling 28% of the vote in SC, goes to show that 28% of the American public have no business in being allowed in the same building as a voting booth.

[lupinus]

I can't find where's it's mentioned but Alvin Green pulling 28% of the vote in SC, goes to show that 28% of the American public have no business in being allowed in the same building as a voting booth.

I am still trying to figure that one out.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

the local dem "krystal ball" only got 34%

[Ben]

I am still trying to figure that one out.

I can't find the video now, but I saw one yesterday that was a clip from a local news station there. Green had a ginormous rented room with catered food. There were under ten people in it. The reporter kept trying to ask him questions and Green would keep grabbing food and putting it in his mouth so he wouldn't have to answer.

I felt kinda bad for laughing, because I still can't help but think (conspiracy hat on) that somebody was at least a little behind his campaign and somewhat set the poor guy up. Kinda like the mean kids in school that would play pranks on the short bus riders.

It still doesn't explain how over 300K people voted for him.

[Hutch]

It still doesn't explain how over 300K people voted for him.

I got one word for ya....StraightPartyLineVoting.  It doesn't matter to some voters WHO is on the ballot. If Osama Bin Laden had been the Dem candidate, he'd have gotten ~ same number of votes.

That's about as true for Republicans, I'd bet.

[Sawdust]

I'm just a few miles south of Ben's location in California, and I'm about to slit my wrists.

I cannot believe that my moronic fellow citizens just voted to change the requirement that to approve a budget the legislature now only needs a simple majority.  Previously it needed 2/3 approval.

This state is doomed. The feds better not bail California out; this state needs to go bankrupt and start all over again.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

Sawdust

[Hutch]

BTW, did anyone figure out whether Patty Murray is headed back to the Senate from WA?

[RocketMan]

BTW, did anyone figure out whether Patty Murray is headed back to the Senate from WA?

She will be.  If she doesn't get enough votes out of King County to put her over the top, they can make more.