Congressional special/runoff elections

[Mori Chu]

There have been 4 of these lately. Most recently Karen Handel beat Jon Ossoff to win Georgia's 6th district, and there was another one that the Republican won in South Carolina. Some pundits were saying that this would be a mini-referendum on Trump, that some of these seats might go to the Dems due to the unpopularity of some of Trump's policies and behavior this year. But that didn't happen.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/2 ... ays-239789

[ShelC]

Dems spent $25 mil to lose another election.

[Superbone]

What a waste. How about the Dems stop saying they're anti-Trump and start saying what the ARE for. How are you going to make things better?

[Indy]

What a waste. How about the Dems stop saying they're anti-Trump and start saying what the ARE for. How are you going to make things better?

And stop running 30 year old, no experience people in districts that are +9 points to the GOP.

[Superbone]

What a waste. How about the Dems stop saying they're anti-Trump and start saying what the ARE for. How are you going to make things better?

And stop running 30 year old, no experience people in districts that are +9 points to the GOP.

<thumbs up>

[ShelC]

What does it say that after 8 years of Obama, the Democrats are in complete shambles with no direction? You'd think they'd have a dynasty going.

[Split T]

We've got a new election coming here in Utah. Jason Chaffetz stepped down, no chance a Democrat is winning in Utah county though.

[Superbone]

What does it say that after 8 years of Obama, the Democrats are in complete shambles with no direction? You'd think they'd have a dynasty going.

They got lazy and sloppy. Saw Trump and thought they could take it easy.

[Mori Chu]

What a waste. How about the Dems stop saying they're anti-Trump and start saying what the ARE for. How are you going to make things better?

The big money spent is a waste, yes. In this particular case, I don't think Ossoff lost due to running as an anti-Trump candidate. In fact, if anything he barely talked about Trump, trying hard not to upset moderate GOP voters in the district. It sounds like the main reasons he lost were that he was very young and inexperienced and didn't give the voters enough about him to vote for. As you say, you have to be for something, not just against something.

[Indy]

The more I read of it, the more I realize both candidates (Handel and Ossoff) distanced themselves from being either Anti or Pro Trump during the run off. None of the Ossoff adds mentioned Trump, and neither did Handel's. Of course once she won, she thanked Trump.

If Ossoff would have won, it likely would have signaled the DEMs to start moving to a more centrist platform (like Bill Clinton in the 90s). Now that he lost, there are some saying it is because he didn't sell himself a left enough.

[Mori Chu]

I also read that a lot of the ads run by Handel against Ossoff criticized Ossoff for being an "outsider" who lived slightly outside the district.

[Superbone]

Glad to hear it about these two. I obviously didn't know the particulars on them. I was talking about in general from what I've seen.

[Indy]

I also read that a lot of the ads run by Handel against Ossoff criticized Ossoff for being an "outsider" who lived slightly outside the district.

Yep. He couldn;t vote in his own election. His response was that he grew up there, and she just move there.

[Nodack]

What does it say that after 8 years of Obama, the Democrats are in complete shambles with no direction? You'd think they'd have a dynasty going.

I think if you look at history you will see that nothing lasts forever in politics. I call it a pendulum. It's always swinging back and forth and the grass is always greener on the other side. Bush left office and the Dems won control over everything just like the GOP has now. The GOP spent the last eight years with no direction other than aposing Obama. Obama was a very popular president. Not with Republicans of course but, to just about everybody else.

Trump convinced a lot of America that everything is corrupt and that only he can fix it. He cnvinced a lot of America that Hillary was an evil corrupt crimminal. He made a gazillion promises he won't be able to keep. He's real good at placing blame on everybody else and so far that has worked for him. I think it's total BS but, to his followers there s nothing he could say or do that would harm their belief in him.

I say give America a few years of Trump and let's see how popular he stays after millions lose their insurance and their prices go up anyway. When the wall is built and Mexico doesn't pay for it let's see what America thinks. Or if the wall isn't even built let's see what they say. His Carrier jobs he saved just went to Mexico. The Ford jobs he saved just went out of the country as well. His inauguration wasn't the biggest in the history of the world. If he starts a war let's see what happens. A serious terrorist attack like 9/11. Another bad recession and let's see how he fares. You can only insult so many people before it bites you in the ass. Why is the media attacking him? He attacked them and called them fake. Insulting the FBI isn't going to win any favors either. Saying Veterans who were shot down can't be heros is dumb. Saying you know more about ISIS than our Generals I'm sure impressed the hell out of them.

The Dems don't need a direction with Trump in office. The Cons didn't need a direction with Obama in office. Trump F'ing up is their direction. Obama and the Dems won big because Bush F'ed up so bad that America wanted to see what the grass looked like on the other side. I have no doubt in my mind Trump will continue to F U as he has been and eventually he will run out of people to throw under the bus. He can only lie so many times before somebody starts to notice that he is the one lying, not EVERYBODY else. He's already one of the least popular Presidents ever according to the polls. And yes, the polls aren't perfect and neither is the media but, they are right a lot more than Trump.

The pendulum has swung the GOP way. It will swing back the Dem way eventually. It always does. Then it will swing back the GOP way. It always does.

[Superbone]

Next time I'm in town, we're hanging out 'Dack. Whether it's at your gig or elsewhere. I like the way you think.

[Mori Chu]

'Dack is right that politics is cyclic. Voters love a "change" candidate. Obama literally made it his campaign slogan: "Hope and Change." The instinct to vote for change or to "vote those bums out" is very strong. Mostly people are upset with politicians, and the further you go up the chain (local -> state -> federal etc.) the more this holds true. So simply NOT being the current person/party is a strong draw. Trump arguably won for some similar reasons as to why Obama won: people being disappointed or fed up with how things are going and wanting to try something different.

I don't have time to do the digging on this, but I believe if you look at the history of US Presidents, it's hard to find long runs of > 3 terms in a row with the same party holding the White House. For example, you get 2 terms of Reagan followed by 1 term of George HW Bush, but even that many is a bit rare. 1-2 terms and then switching to the other party is more common.

[SDC]

What a waste. How about the Dems stop saying they're anti-Trump and start saying what the ARE for. How are you going to make things better?

because dems have no other message than being against trump.

[Nodack]

Next time I'm in town, we're hanging out 'Dack. Whether it's at your gig or elsewhere. I like the way you think.

Back at you Superbone.

[Mori Chu]

because dems have no other message than being against trump.

sdc: What do you think are the main messages/issues of the Republican party right now? What is their message, and what do they stand for?

[Cap]

because dems have no other message than being against trump.

sdc: What do you think are the main messages/issues of the Republican party right now? What is their message, and what do they stand for?

News is the enemy of the people! And schools, and scientists, and bureaucrats, and judges! And immigrants and Muslims! And anyone who doesn't worship Trump!