2022 Midterm Elections

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I know. I know. We just had an inauguration last week. But believe it or not, the 2022 midterms are officially underway. Sarah Huckabee-Sanders is running for Governor of Arkansas. (insert Tim Gunn grossed out gif)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1353674788099780609

Already kind of looking forward to her flaming out in the 2028 Republican Primaries (if we make it that far)

Not only that but we have a handful of US House special elections this year and gubernatorial elections in New Jersey & Virginia.

Can the Democrats gain momentum from 2018-20 or will the evil empire strike back? Discuss ITT

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Can the Democrats gain momentum from 2018-20 or will the evil empire strike back? Discuss ITT

That depends on whether or not establishment Dems understand that building the party around centrists was a bad gameplan and helped make the Overton window swing so far right that we literally just had four years of an unqualified buffoon in office who egged his supporters on to commit acts of violence at the Capitol while those loyal to him aided in the planning and sharing of information about the whereabouts of targets. "Reaching across the aisle" at all costs, which is what Pelosi and Schumer and others have been focused on for years, doesn't work when there be crocodiles on the other side.

I'm not saying the Dems should go full-blown LibSoc, but the continued public support for Bernie, AOC, Omar, Pressley, and others who lean further left than establishment Dems should be a sign. Support the fucking Squad. Let some young blood with further leftist ideas start getting some attention. There's a cultural war going on every second of the day, but some of the policies that seem to garner the most public support are surprisingly far left (single payer, end of drug prohibition, etc.), and we have a better chance at winning it if we focus our efforts on expanding the base and trying to link the urban intellectuals with the rural working class in actual solidarity.

 

[geniusMoment]

I'm sure pretty much everyone knows that usually the opposition party takes back either the House or Senate from a president (no one wants any party to have all the power).

But, I really don't think you can compare this current climate to any other period. The single biggest problem for Republicans would be if Trump really does start some type of 3rd party (Patriot Party). I just don't see how that wouldn't kill the traditional Republican party all over the country.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

‘Survivor-style’ campaigning comes to New York’s race for mayor

A top tier of about 10 candidates has started to emerge out of dozens who have declared a run, with no one leading the pack.

www.politico.com

Apologies to @Brooklyn Zoo and @Winter Epicland for not mentioning the NYC Mayoral race in the OP.

Whoever it is, can't end up more popular than DeBlasio, surely?

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Lines are being drawn in the next election for Maine governor

No other Republicans are stepping forward as former two-term Gov. Paul Lepage lobs shots at Democratic incumbent Janet Mills.

www.pressherald.com

I cannot fucking believe we are (probably) going to get Janet Mills 2nd term Vs Paul LePage 3rd Term next November. Janet Mills has done of the least worst jobs of Governors RE: COVID (although I still can complain and do) but I'm going to wrack myself with anxiety for the next 20 months thinking about LePage coming even close to getting reelected AGAIN.

(Ugh. I just looked it up and Mills is at 47% approval rating. FML)

 

[Baby Shoes]

Lines are being drawn in the next election for Maine governor

No other Republicans are stepping forward as former two-term Gov. Paul Lepage lobs shots at Democratic incumbent Janet Mills.

www.pressherald.com

I cannot fucking believe we are (probably) going to get Janet Mills 2nd term Vs Paul LePage 3rd Term next November. Janet Mills has done of the least worst jobs of Governors RE: COVID (although I still can complain and do) but I'm going to wrack myself with anxiety for the next 20 months thinking about LePage coming even close to getting reelected AGAIN.

(Ugh. I just looked it up and Mills is at 47% approval rating. FML)

Obviously the only solution is to parlay your multi-time Comedian of the Year award winning status into being governor.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Well hot dog. I am old enough to qualify for the ballot.

Hopefully the Portland Press Herald or Bangor Daily News don't find that GOAT of GOATS thread!

 

[Hawk 34]

Well hot dog. I am old enough to qualify for the ballot.

Hopefully the Portland Press Herald or Bangor Daily News don't find that GOAT of GOATS thread!

It’s okay. Groupbuilder has DEEP pockets.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Paul LePage would probably be mad Bob Cousy isn't an option in the poll.

 

[snuffbox]

Ron "fucking idiot" Johnson just got himself a real opponent for next year. 33 year old Milwaukee Bucks scion/executive Alex Lasry has joined the race.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1362206741237280771

 

[snuffbox]

That so many Republicans are afraid for their seats should give confidence to actual human beings. If they thought they had a chance, they wouldn't keep doing this. They're looking at another big loss this coming cycle.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Democrats Beat Trump in 2020. Now They’re Asking: What Went Wrong? (Published 2021)

Disappointed by down-ballot losses, Democratic interest groups are joining forces to conduct an autopsy of the election results. Republicans do not yet seem willing to reckon with the G.O.P.’s major defeats.

www.nytimes.com

Democrats are doing the most significant post election reassessment since the GOP in 2012.

GOOD. That's best way to prevent them from losing ground in midterms. You can't just look at November's results and say "YAY! Trump lost! Oh well about the other stuff..." Lot of questions to be answered and needs to be addressed.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Democrats Beat Trump in 2020. Now They’re Asking: What Went Wrong? (Published 2021)

Disappointed by down-ballot losses, Democratic interest groups are joining forces to conduct an autopsy of the election results. Republicans do not yet seem willing to reckon with the G.O.P.’s major defeats.

www.nytimes.com

Democrats are doing the most significant post election reassessment since the GOP in 2012.

GOOD. That's best way to prevent them from losing ground in midterms. You can't just look at November's results and say "YAY! Trump lost! Oh well about the other stuff..." Lot of questions to be answered and needs to be addressed.

This is nothing but good news and I hope it pulls them further left. Even settling at center-left would be fine with me. I'll never register as part of their party, mind you, but actively listening to the majority of views shared by people aged 18-40 might be a good start.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Potentially medium-hot take...if AOC isn't considering primarying Daddy Cuomo for the Democratic nominee for Governor of New York then I honestly think she should. I think even if Daddy squeaks out a win, I think she gains a lot of respect for going against the least popular person in Democratic Party currently.

 

[snuffbox]

I suspect she's at least considering that and the senate (Schumer's seat). But I also think she's already been so effective in the House that she may be able to try for the presidency from there in the relatively near future.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Schumer has been pulling strings behind the scene to make sure AOC won’t run or at least will be severely kneecapped if she does basically since AOC upset Joe Crowley in 2018. I think if AOC does primary someone for a Senate Seat, it will be against Gillenbrand (sp?) in 2024 since they never got out of the shit pile since they went so hard after Al Franken.

but by that point, AOC might as well just run for POTUS.

 

[snuffbox]

I think her biggest affect on Schumer will be to move him leftward as Majority Leader.

I don't think she'll go for potus that soon. But I think, depending on whether '24 is Biden or Harris, a 2028 or '32 run is possible if not likely. The Dem bench is looking strong and the nazis are transparently afraid.

I've been enjoying the right's failed efforts to try to gin up hate for her like with Clinton and Pelosi. The younger generation doesn't seem susceptible to that like ours and our parents were.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Yeah, I think she's probably smartest staying put since I think she has only a mild to moderate at best chance of beating either. Plus if she ran against party boss Schumer then she risks alienating the DNC and dooming her POTUS runs. By the time there's a winnable race at the next level, it's 2024 and she might as well wait four more years to run for POTUS.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

I've been enjoying the right's failed efforts to try to gin up hate for her like with Clinton and Pelosi. The younger generation doesn't seem susceptible to that like ours and our parents were.

It certainly helps that AOC couldn't be construed as anything but a middle class proponent of lower-income households, whereas Pelosi and Clinton both had their share of controversy prior to being major targets by the GOP.

If the worst that the Republican party can muster against her is that she participated in a dance video while in college (where she earned a BA in Economics and International Relations)? Or that she actually WORKED during the housing crisis so that her mother's home wouldn't get foreclosed? She's the train to get behind. Takes no shit, understands the plight of lower income households, and she motivates the base like few others.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

AOC's base =/= the base of the Democratic Party. Just sayin'.

If she wants to motivate the DNC's base to support a bid for the presidency, then she needs to learn from Bernie's mistakes, and spend the next few years investing in building relationships with southern Black voters. Otherwise, the same thing will happen to her that happened to him (twice), and her supporters will probably cry, "Rigged!", just like his did.

 

[snuffbox]

That's gotta be like @Mr. S£im Citrus 's 500th great post in current events over the past year or so. Sanders, for all his good ideals, has never been able to rise above the level of town crier for comfortable white people with good ideals. There's nothing wrong with being a comfortable white person with good ideals (says a less comfortable white guy with what he hopes are good ideals). And there's a always a place for a town crier. But, yes, she will absolutely need to build relationships with Black voters, in southern states like Georgia (and purpling places like Texas via Houston's demos) as well as in northern places like Baltimore and Milwaukee. Obviously, racist Republicans aren't going to do this. Nor did Sanders and obviously not a fair sized chunk of his privileged followers. AOC might be working on this with her recent fundraising efforts for those suffering in Texas. It will probably be critical for her national chances to keep her focus on that rather than trying too hard to kowtow to the folks who have only been able to make excuses for Sanders' shortcomings on the national stage.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Slim's been nailing it since Election Night in here.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1365367393812373509

 

[Dandy]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1366358480714612742

Everyone start sending any spare money you have to this man.

 

[snuffbox]

I will definitely donate to him.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1368942932947070977

Potentially very good news. 4 out of 5 states are eminently winnable (and even Alabama has a recent history of picking dumbfuck unelectable Republican nominees...)

 

[snuffbox]

A Jones-Moore rematch would be cool.

Claire McCaskill said she won't run for Blunt's seat. That's probably a good thing.

 

[Baby Shoes]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1368942932947070977

Potentially very good news. 4 out of 5 states are eminently winnable (and even Alabama has a recent history of picking dumbfuck unelectable Republican nominees...)

hope this clears a path in Alabama for Conrad Thompson

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

He already has a lot of experience getting flustered and upset by the rantings of loud mouthed, aging conservatives but ultimately not really doing anything except encourage their behavior. He'd be a perfect Democratic US Senator.