2020 Election Results

[lpetrich]

Biden's win hides a dire warning for Democrats in rural U.S. - falling behind there

Opinion | Why did Democrats bleed House seats? A top analyst offers surprising answers. - The Washington Post

Greg Sargent: Why did these losses happen?

David Wasserman: Republicans did a complete 180 on recruitment. This year all 12 Republicans who picked up Democratic seats so far were women or minorities. Republicans nominated candidates who looked like their districts, and didn’t necessarily sound like [President] Trump.

Let's see what comes of this.

Sargent: Wasn’t it in some respects inevitable that turnout would be higher on the Republican side, relative to 2018? In 2018 Democratic turnout was lopsidedly high. And in 2020 it wasn’t, because Republicans also turned out. Right?

Wasserman: That’s true. Trump helped Republicans down-ballot in two ways. He drove out millions of low-propensity conservatives who would never vote for their average Republican Joe in a midterm. But he also allowed Republican candidates to pick up voters who could not stomach Trump.

In 2018, when he wasn’t on the ballot, the only opportunity for independent voters, especially suburban women, to vent their anger at Trump was by voting against a Republican congressional candidate. This time around, those voters could do so directly, but vote for a more conventional Republican down-ballot.

Interesting. I'm not surprised that Trump brought out a lot of Republicans. His followers *adore* him.

Sargent: It’s not just bio, right? Biden tried to articulate a somewhat more populist line than one would have expected from someone with his centrist past, talking about reshoring jobs and industrial policy, and even moving toward Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren populism in some respects. That had to have played some role.

Wasserman: Definitely. Instead of running a campaign entirely about Trump and his temperament, Biden ran a campaign focused on populist themes. That is marginally more effective in blue-collar America.

...
Sargent: It sounds like the key distinction here is between blaming the losses on the existence of the left and “defund the police” on the one hand, and not rebutting Republican attacks on the other. The first is less of an explanation, and the second is more of one.

Wasserman: This is not a situation where “the Squad” bears responsibility. It’s that Democrats in swing districts didn’t do enough to communicate where they actually stood. And I would put Biden in that category.

 

[lpetrich]

Some of the responses are interesting.

After WW2, Truman's healthcare plan had overwhelming public support -- until the Amarican Medical Association spent millions on marketers who invented the scary idea of "socialized medicine!"

I'd compare it to "socialized protection".

Any article must begin with the FACT that almost all of the house districts have been heavily gerrymandered to favor Republicans for a decade. The fact that Democrats took back the house and had a large majority despite ridiculously unfair districts is amazing. The majority of seats lost were ones in Trump country anyways. Absent gerrymandering, the current GOP wouldn’t come close to a majority.

Since the districts are due to be redrawn, the Republicans will have another chance to put in some more of their gerrymandering.

The GOP long term strategy: gerrymandering, voter suppression, court packing, wreck the economy - then scream for austerity when a Democrat inevitably wins. Wash, rinse repeat.

The inevitable Democrat tries to “play fair” with these miscreants (they do not play fair - and they’re really good at it), basically conceding before anything is discussed.The Democratic establishment corporate leadership side with Republicans.

Identity politics? I don’t get it. Fighting for humanity/equality I get. Not all Americans are treated equally - clearly. I think that’s wrong. Rev Dr. King, Rev Dr. Barber fought/fight inequity, not categorization. I agree with both of them.

Bottom line: Democrats succ at offense politics (not mean, dirty pool stuff, just advocacy). Taking over the news cycle. In courtrooms every day there are two sides. One needn’t be rude to be a strong advocate. Democrats continually fail. They have let Republicans label them and... crickets. Well, not entirely crickets - they simply go along. It’s so disturbing.

I like that. They deficit spend like crazy when in power, but when a Democrat is in power, they wring their hands about how terrible deficit spending is.

About who Republican-leaning voters voted for in 2018 and 2020:

This makes a lot of sense, but I would add one important point. Republican-leaning voters who were disgusted at Trump did more than "vent their anger" in 2018 by voting against Republican congressional candidates. They showed they wanted a check on Trump, which the supine Republicans in Congress refused to provide.

And then the Dems blew it in 2020 by not hammering home the notion that the Republicans in Congress weren't actually supine, they liked - even LOVED - what Trump was doing.

I can't help but marvel at how adoring many Republican politicians are of Trump -- even those who strongly criticized him when he started to run.

I'm in Abigail Spanberger's district, and she just barely won reelection. I'm happy with her, but this is still a very close district (though I think things are changing). Republican ads flooded this area with anti-Pelosi-Spanberger ads. Socialism, anti-police, etc. Predictable stuff. That said, for every 10 R ads, there was one D ad. I guess the good news is that despite this onslaught, she was still able to prevail. But the national D effort needs to realize that one-size doesn't fit all districts. There are moderate democrats and independents. More than you think. Quit ignoring them or you'll continue to overpromise and underdeliver.

Yes, one should look at the sort of ads that they run. Like picture Nancy Pelosi as the Democrats' Mitch McConnell.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

President Poopy Pants losing votes after spending 3 million dollars of his admirers' money

Biden Gains Votes In Recount Of Milwaukee County Requested By Trump

President Trump's push to overturn the election results suffered another in a series of defeats on Friday — this time in Wisconsin, where officials in the state's most populous county announced that a recount had added to President-elect Joe Biden's lead. Albeit slightly: Out of the roughly 460,000 ballots cast in Milwaukee County, Biden made a net gain of 132 votes on review.

Maybe there really is such a thing as Karma.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The point was to delay certification and work on the fraud narrative, seeing if other states would bite.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

How will the GOP treat mail-in voting in four years? Hard to know.

Although Republicans are slow to learn Democrat tactics, they do learn them. Eventually. I think they learned this time around. That will make the next election particularly interesting.

 

[Elixir]

How will the GOP treat mail-in voting in four years? Hard to know.

Although Republicans are slow to learn Democrat tactics, they do learn them. Eventually. I think they learned this time around. That will make the next election particularly interesting.

Mail-in voting is a "Democrat tactic"?


Republicans have historically been using mail-in voting more than Democrats, at least in the South.

Trump shot himself in the foot by telling his idiots not to vote by mail. So maybe, yeah, they'll learn to not do that.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

How will the GOP treat mail-in voting in four years? Hard to know.

Although Republicans are slow to learn Democrat tactics, they do learn them. Eventually. I think they learned this time around. That will make the next election particularly interesting.

Mail-in voting is a "Democrat tactic"?

Not that.

 

[Elixir]

Mail-in voting is a "Democrat tactic"?

Not that.

Then what?
Getting 80 million votes for your candidate is quite a "tactic". Maybe the Republicans (or better yet, the Libertarians) should try it.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Mail-in voting is a "Democrat tactic"?

Not that.

Then what?
Getting 80 million votes for your candidate is quite a "tactic". Maybe the Republicans (or better yet, the Libertarians) should try it.

Go ask Mayor Daley about how to get more votes.

For years the Republicans have tried to limit the franchise to those only eligible for it, while Democrats have tried to open it to everyone, including those clearly not eligible, including those who are in the oppressed group of Deceased American, including some who don't even exist. And the Republican were called racist for oppressing those who otherwise wouldn't be able to vote, especially the last two groups.

If in the next major election we have a 120% turnout, I will laugh my ass off. Then the Democrats will suddenly become interested in ensuring only eligible voter can vote, which I will see as a sudden turnaround and very funny.

In the meanwhile, whichever clown does eventually win I will find it funny. No matter which one wins, half the country will no longer have faith in our electoral process and see the election as stolen. If Trump manages to pull it off, the collective aneurysm of the never-Trump neocons in both parties will be a spectacle. If Biden continues to lead up until inauguration day, it will be even funnier.

 

[TomC]

Mail-in voting is a "Democrat tactic"?

Not that.

Proposing policies that result in the American electorate voting for you?
Is that the "tactic" you're referring to?

Trump and his tactics lost two elections. That's all the elections he's ever run in.

If Trump hadn't inherited a pile of money, enough to hire lawyers like Guliani, he'd probably be selling used cars in Hoboken.
Tom

 

[lpetrich]

For years the Republicans have tried to limit the franchise to those only eligible for it, while Democrats have tried to open it to everyone, including those clearly not eligible, including those who are in the oppressed group of Deceased American, including some who don't even exist. And the Republican were called racist for oppressing those who otherwise wouldn't be able to vote, especially the last two groups.

Right-wing talking points. We're good and our targets are bad. We only lose because our opponents cheat.

Seriously, Jason Harvestdancer, this is what some zealous Republican would say.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Right-wing talking points.

Nice non-rebuttal. [removed]

We only lose because our opponents cheat.

If Libertarians cheated as much as Democrats and Republicans (who cheat in different ways which was my point) perhaps we'd be in office too.

Seriously, Jason Harvestdancer, this is what some zealous Republican would say.

Zealous Republicans say that Republicans and Democrats cheat in different ways?

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

For years the Republicans have tried to limit the franchise to those only eligible for it, while Democrats have tried to open it to everyone, including those clearly not eligible, including those who are in the oppressed group of Deceased American, including some who don't even exist.

Fake News!

 

[Elixir]

Go ask Mayor Daley about how to get more votes.

Why? He got busted, didn't he? Oh wait ...
Here's a voter fraud myth: Richard Daley ‘stole’ Illinois for John Kennedy in the 1960 election

For years the Republicans have tried to limit the franchise to those white people eligible for it

FIFY

while Democrats have tried to open it to everyone, including those clearly not eligible

Spoken like a true "I'm not a trumpsucker".
Is that part and parcel of the libberpublican "platform"?
There is NO evidence of widespread - or even narrow-spread - "illegal voters" voting in national elections. EVER.
It's straight up bullshit, and I think you know it.

whichever clown does eventually win

STILL at the trough, slurping down Trumpsucker propaganda,eh?
Just FYI - Biden WON the election. By a LOT - over 8 million actual votes, and for all the millions Rethugs have spend trying to find even a literal handful of "illegal" votes, they have failed, utterly and completely,
It is OVER.

If in the next major election we have a 120% turnout, I will laugh my ass off.

Don't hold your breath. Or.... on second thought ... what could it hurt?

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

For years the Republicans Democrats have tried to limit the franchise to those white people eligible for it

FIFY

I see.

whichever clown does eventually win

STILL at the trough, slurping down Trumpsucker propaganda,eh?

According to Elixir, "Trumpsuckers" refer to Trump as a clown.

Elixir refers to Trump as a clown. Hmmmm......



By the way, your article about myths leaves out one particular claim. A very particular claim. I wonder why it leaves that claim out. Nah, I don't wonder. Both parties cheat in their own way, but pointing that out always means you belong to "the other" party.

I recently posted "both parties cheat in their own way" on a right wing board. They called me a Biden supporter.

 

[Keith&Co.]

According to Elixir, "Trumpsuckers" refer to Trump as a clown.

Elixir refers to Trump as a clown. Hmmmm.....

Ah, so Jason never did 'sets' in math class.
That whole circles within circles, circles beside circles, overlapping circles, thing.

Much is explained.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

According to Elixir, "Trumpsuckers" refer to Trump as a clown.

Elixir refers to Trump as a clown. Hmmmm.....

Ah, so Jason never did 'sets' in math class.
That whole circles within circles, circles beside circles, overlapping circles, thing.

Much is explained.

You didn't catch the contradiction of equating those who insult Trump with those who support Trump.

Here's a hint - if you are insulting someone, odds are you don't support him.

 

[lpetrich]

Biden adds to vote margin over Trump after Milwaukee County recount | TheHill
noting
Milwaukee County recount wraps up with Biden adding to his margin

ilwaukee County's recount of the presidential election vote tally came to an end Friday, with Democratic President-elect Joe Biden adding 132 votes to his margin of victory over President Donald Trump in Milwaukee County.

In all, Biden gained 257 votes and Trump added 125. The results came Friday evening, seven days after the effort to recount nearly 460,000 ballots cast in the county began at the downtown Wisconsin Center. The final tally totaled 459,723.

Before the recount, Biden had 317,270 votes in Milwaukee County to Trump's 134,357. The recount boosted the totals to 317,527 for Biden and 134,482 for Trump.

...
The Dane County recount was expected to continue into the weekend, after a day off for Thanksgiving. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell tweeted Friday morning that the recount was about 65% done and he expected to finish Sunday.

The recounts have to be completed by Tuesday, in time for the state Elections Commission to certify the results by a deadline for that day set in state law.

Dane County is where Madison is, the state's second largest city.

The Trump campaign keeps on scoring own goals.

 

[Elixir]

According to Elixir, "Trumpsuckers" refer to Trump as a clown.

Stop flattering yourself, Jason. An "I'm not a trumpsucker" refers to Trump as a clown.
Sure, an actual trumpsucker would also refer to "whoever wins", as if there was some question about that. But you do it because you are an "I'm not a trumpsucker".
You lack the honesty to be an actual trumpsucker.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

In the meanwhile, whichever clown does eventually win I will find it funny. No matter which one wins, half the country will no longer have faith in our electoral process and see the election as stolen. If Trump manages to pull it off, the collective aneurysm of the never-Trump neocons in both parties will be a spectacle. If Biden continues to lead up until inauguration day, it will be even funnier.

You obviously do not appreciate how delusional that sounds. I hope you are okay.