MID-TERM ELECTIONS

[Duchess]

You're always such a ray of sunshine, Pappy.

[HairOfTheDog]

I know Cruz is expected to win by about that much, but you never know Pappy.

There are more first-time voters than previous midterms. They may be under-represented in the polls.

Anyway, I don't expect O'Rourke to win, but I sure hope he does.

[pyropappy]

this is a crushing defeat for dems. O'Rourke spent like 50 mil and had another 100 mil of dark money, he should be up by 10.

[Rootilda]

Dark money. 

[HairOfTheDog]

this is a crushing defeat for dems. O'Rourke spent like 50 mil and had another 100 mil of dark money, he should be up by 10.

Even if O'Rourke loses, I don't see it like you do.

The fact that a Democrat will likely lose by under 10 points and may even win a senate seat is a big deal in Texas.

O'Rourke got millions $$$ in small individual donations, that's not dark money.  It's clean money straight from the people.  A good deal of it is reportedly from citizens who don't reside in Texas though, so that won't help him in today's election.  

In any case, I think O'Rourke has run an inspiring campaign and made a big impression.  Win or lose today, he's got a bright future in American politics, in my opinion.

[Duchess]

  Win or lose today, he's got a bright future in American politics, in my opinion.

I fully expect to vote for him in a presidential election one day. He's got "it". I like everything about him, everything. I especially like the way he has refused PAC money, I respect that a great deal.

I have a wish list in my head of who I want to win tonight & who I want to suffer defeat. I want what I want goddamnit.

Pappy, I don't know what to say to you. I like you. You have some weird thoughts. Do you have a bunker built in your backyard? Are your kids coming for Thanksgiving?

[HairOfTheDog]

I have a wish list in my head of who I want to win tonight & who I want to suffer defeat. I want what I want goddamnit.

I'm imagining you on the edge of your seat and smoking a bowl as you watch the early returns come in. Crossing my fingers that all of your wishes come true tonight!

[Fry Guy]

I am getting drunk and watching the results come in. Either way someone is going to be unhappy. I like that.

[HairOfTheDog]

With Republican Marsha Blackburn winning the Tennessee senate seat again, I think any hope of the Senate flipping is shot.

I don't think too many realistic people expected the Dems to win the Senate anyway, but it wasn't impossible.

Democrat Beto O'Rourke is beating Republican incumbent Ted Cruz for the Texas senate seat by a hair with 75% of the vote in. Much closer than some Beto skeptics expected, but too close to call.

Georgia and Florida are the big disappointments of the night SO FAR, for me. Both the governor and senate races are too early to call right now, but Democrat Stacey Abrams is trailing Republican Brian Kemp by quite a bit for Georgia governor. Democrat Andrew Gillum is trailing Republican Ron DeSantis for governor of Florida. And, Republican Rick Scott is leading incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson for Florida senate.

Dems have picked up several House seats and I still think they'll end up taking majority control from Republicans by quite a few seats.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ah well, Ted Cruz pulled ahead and was just declared the victor of the Texas senate race. Cruz won by 3% -- O'Rourke ran a hell of a race getting in striking distance in a state where Republicans usually post a 15% advantage over Dems in senate elections.

[Rootilda]

God damn it.

[HairOfTheDog]

God damn it.

Dems will still very likely take control of the House.  

That will mean uncontrolled Presidential/Executive power will come to end.

And, that will mean that Maxine Waters becomes Chair of the House Financial Services Committee.  That will surely be a check on the Executive.

Anyone who believes Trump's imbecilic branding ("low IQ Maxine Waters") is foolish, though they'd likely never admit it even when she proves them wrong.

Maxine is not only a badass (in ways with which I don't always agree), she's one very sharp and strategic bi-partisan deal maker.

[Fry Guy]

Ah well, Ted Cruz pulled ahead and was just declared the victor of the Texas senate race. Cruz won by 3% -- O'Rourke ran a hell of a race getting in striking distance in a state where Republicans usually post a 15% advantage over Dems in senate elections.

Give a candidate enough money and .... not true, look at Hillary....and now poor Beto.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, Sal, your prediction was uncharacteristically wrong this time. Gillum lost by 1% to that ass-licking DeSantis. :(

[Fry Guy]

Well, Sal, your prediction was uncharacteristically wrong this time. Gillum lost by 1% to that ass-kicking DeSantis. :(

Well said

[HairOfTheDog]

The Dems have flipped a slew of House seats in the last hour.

We don't need to wait for the California vote counts to come in to know that the House will be under Democrat majority control.

The Dems picked up some governorships as well. Unfortunately, I don't think Stacey Abrams is going to beat Brian Kemp in Georgia though. That's a fucking shame, in my opinion. She's a great and inspirational leader and he's so not. She could still pull it off, but I doubt it.

Anyway, I'm very pleased with tonight's outcome -- after two years, there will finally be some checks and balances in our government. That's a very good thing for the country and the world.

[Fry Guy]

I am still waiting for this foretold Blue Wave. Is it still coming?

[BigMark]

[HairOfTheDog]

The Democrats will take over several powerful House committees as of January 1^st, 2019.  Following are four of the most high-profile committees and their new Democratic leaders.
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The House Intelligence Committee will be led by California Representative Adam Schiff.  Schiff, 58, is a meticulous former federal prosecutor from greater Los Angeles.

Schiff, 58, will acquire subpoena power which would allow him to pursue Russia interference leads and follow-ups previously ignored by the current Republican chairman of this committee.  Republican Devin Nunes won his district re-election tonight, but he will thankfully be replaced by Schiff as Chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee. 
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The House Judiciary Committee will be led by New York  Representative Jerrold Nadler, replacing Republican Bob Goodlatte.

Nadler, 71, has pledged to start investigations into potential violations of anti-corruption clauses in the Constitution, Mr. Trump’s apparent attempts to exert undue control over the F.B.I. and Justice Department, and accusations of sexual assault and perjury against Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.  

The House Judiciary Committee also has jurisdiction over some of the Democrats’ highest policy priorities, including writing laws on guns, immigration policy and voting rights.
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The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee  will be led by Elijah Cummings, 67, from Maryland.  He is replacing Republican Trey Gowdy.

Cummings has laid out two discrete lanes of inquiry: potential fraud and abuse by the White House and federal agencies; and broader issues that cut at what he refers to as “the soul of our democracy,” such as voter suppression. 

With the second largest staff in the House, the committee could quickly initiate inquiries into issues like the hobbling of the Environmental Protection Agency, the White House’s revocation of security clearances, the 2020 census, and implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
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The House Financial Services Committee will be led by California Representative Maxine Waters, replacing Republican Jeb Hensarling.

Waters will likely move to undo the Republicans’ changes to Dodd-Frank banking regulations and put teeth back into the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  “Financial services issues are critical for all Americans and for our economy,” she said in an emailed statement, “and I am focused on making sure that our financial system is fair.”
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Ref: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/29/us/ho...aders.html

[Duchess]

WeWonTheHouseWeWonTheHouseWeWonTheHouse!