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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats rebuilt their 'blue wall' in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisc. It's a big deal for 2020
CNN) President Donald Trump demolished the "blue wall" in the Great Lakes region two years ago. On Tuesday night, Democrats rebuilt it.
The party's candidates won races for governor and the Senate in the three states that delivered Trump the presidency -- Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Democrats padded their new House majority in the suburbs of Philadelphia and Detroit, while Milwaukee delivered the surge they needed to finally, on their fourth try, beat Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
The Democratic victories set the stage for a 2020 battle royale in the three states that could decide the presidency. ...... (more)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/07/politics/democrats-rebuild-blue-wall-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin/index.html
Cha
(295,517 posts)about that.. Thanks for your OP, marmar!
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Looking ahead, three crazy important states.
Awsi Dooger
(14,565 posts)Every one had a gap of 9% or less in exit poll depiction of self-identified conservatives and liberals. That is a blue state by definition. Until 2016, I had never seen a state at 9% or less in that category vote Republican.
It was a short term blip and caused primarily by neglect and poor messaging and an unpopular candidate. I wasn't worried about them.
However, that can't be said about Ohio, which suddenly went to 39% conservatives and only 20% liberals in 2016. That state is essentially gone, at least in the short term, especially since it is 80% white. Nobody should be surprised at tonight's governorship outcome in Ohio.
Iowa is even more white at 90% but also troubling in the 2016 exit poll at 40% conservatives and 23% liberals. At least that 23% liberals indicates a pulse and not abandonment. The national number in 2016 was 36% conservatives and 27% liberals.
JI7
(89,150 posts)about a decade ago .
regnaD kciN
(26,033 posts)...one needs to explain how Walker managed to win THREE governors races (including the one recall attempt), including two after demonstrating to constituents his radical union-busting agenda. Im glad he finally wore out his welcome this year (as well as Baldwin remaining in the Senate), but I still have to consider Wisconsin a huge question mark at this time...and one we need to figure out by 2020 if were going to unseat 45.
(And, yes, Ohio seeems quite dire at the moment. But I dont think Id consign it to the Indiana category completely; if it were, Sherrod Brown would have met the same fate as Joe Donnely last night.)
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)be changed. Many, many votes in Wisc. were not counted during Walker's elections. We need more secure elections. Since Ivanka tRump now has a patent on VOTING MACHINES, I am sure this will all be cleared up (yeah, right) Made in China voting machines. The tRump family, making lots of $$$$ on the WH.
IronLionZion
(45,162 posts)liberals are the type who would relocate to another area to pursue career opportunities. We've seen southern and western states become more blue because of this migration.
joshcryer
(62,265 posts)And waited three months to endorse the rightful winner.
delisen
(6,036 posts)Scott Walker was trying for his THIRD term this year. Private sector enabled Walker and were willing participants in going after public sector unions. Walker could not have done the damage he did without them.
The false narrative about 2016 and the "unpopular" candidate serves some agenda but it is essentially false and serves to kick sand in our faces when we need to focus clearly.
For 8-10 years prior to 2016 Dems fiddled while party fell apart and Republicans pushed through massive voter suppression. Voting machine irregularities, voter counting irregularities? That stated in 2000-so its taken almost 1 years for us to get a handle on it. Massive fake news and Russia interference? Too many not wanting to believe what was really happening in 2016.
The Republic party spent a decade building in state legislatures in secretary of states offices, and democrats focused on the savior model of politics-come out and rev up excitement to vote for a "charismatic" presidential candidate every four years.
Was John Kerry an unpopular candidate? He lost. Al Gore. He lost--both lost when the Democratic party was much stronger that it was in 2016-at which point it had become a shadow of its former self.
Way back, women were the backbone of the party. The unsung and unacknowledged workers who kept things going while the "menfolk"soaked up the spotlight running for office. Remember the "boiler room girls" of the Kennedy campaign. What happened ???? Like those black-robed nuns of yore they fought for opportunity for themselves and got paid employment and now they are moving into the spotlight.
I and my family cannot afford to indulge in false narratives.
Freddie
(9,225 posts)I think he would be an awesome running mate in 2020. Since were stuck with the EC, that would absolutely guarantee PA. Hes that rare Dem that almost everybody likes.
Or maybe top of the ticket...?
RobinA
(9,862 posts)a not bad choice for 2020 if he has those aspirations. If that campaign turns out to be in any way reality-based - not at all a foregone conclusion in my book. He may be a bit Third Wave for many liberals, myself included. When he ran originally I didn't vote for him because I felt that he was, like Obama, a centrist Repub looking Dem because the other side was falling off the right side of the earth. I still feel that way, but I'm from the "I'll take the Democrat we've got" school. I've been generally happy with him, although he needs to see the cards on the table when it comes to recreational MJ. Not sure how he'd be in a knife fight with Trump. He's kinda normal, and while he seems a decent politician, he's not Bill Clinton caliber, which I think is the LEAST it will take to send Trump packing back to NYC where they know how to deal with him.
OnDoutside
(19,890 posts)Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)+1...winters coming for Michigan too...for real...it's Nov and it gets cold up there.
GoCubsGo
(32,053 posts)Their republican governors and statehouses did. They had been rigging the system and gerrymandering the shit out of those states for years. Trump was just the beneficiary of their rotten handiwork.
RobinA
(9,862 posts)the last time I looked last night my newly de-gerrymandered "worst gerrrymander in the country" district, new PA-4 went bluer than I ever imagined. I doubt it will stay quite that blue, but hey, times change. I think the Trumpers coming out of the woodwork two years ago in the Philadelphia 'burbs got Dems to the polls this time. I certainly never expected my polling place to be overrun by "lock her up" t-shirts when I went to vote for President. Scary!
MichMan
(11,671 posts)Not sure there is any big trend or message here in Michigan
We tend to change parties cyclically for governor every 8 years as they are term limited out, so it was Whitmer's turn this year. As far as the Senate goes, Stabenow has been the incumbent for quite a number of years, and retained her seat.
watoos
(7,142 posts)because we challenged the rigged gerrymandering. Our districts were redrawn by an impartial judge. Democrats in Pa. have outvoted Repugs for years but won less seats because of the gerrymandering.
MichMan
(11,671 posts)Gerrymandering may play a role in Congressional races & State legislatures, but not statewide elected offices
MrGrieves
(315 posts)Call it coattails or momentum but yes gerrymandering can effect state races. Gerrymandering also can suppress votes when people don't turn out because they feel like their vote doesn't carry much weight.
catbyte
(34,122 posts)Don't make everything sound like it was a given because it wasn't. People worked their asses off to sweep the state like we did last night. Don't sell them short.
DetroitLegalBeagle
(1,901 posts)We still need to work hard in Michigan for 2020. Whitmer winning was par for the course in Michigan, which typically cycles between governors. The GOP still controls the state legislature. And Stabenow, went from a 20pt margin for reelection down to a 6 point margin this year. We cannot let our guard down here.
Demovictory9
(32,297 posts)N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,550 posts)We voted to try to put an end to gerrymandering. We really have to see how this will flesh out it could be a huge difference maker in 2020.
And we got legal cannabis probably take till 2020 to get it fully implemented.
2naSalit
(85,635 posts)I lived in Wisconsin a long time ago when it was truly progressive and I hope to see a return to that, Walker has done a lot of damage and that will need to be addressed.
Michigan has been reamed since the Rs took over several election cycles ago, resulting in the Flint water debacle among other atrocities against the People of the state. There's a lot of fixing of stupid, vapid, mean-spirited policies ram-rodded through the legislature right after they took over in an attempt to make themselves a permanent home in the state. I'm glad to see that the battle for legitimacy has been won and now healing and infrastructure revival can take place.
BumRushDaShow
(126,616 posts)from all 3 states combined. I.e., by 1% or less in each state.
Yet the stupid M$M falsely concluded that these states were "Trump Country" and other bullshit to try to fit their idiot "blue collar midwest" narrative.
It was to the point where they even made a midwest state out of PA despite the fact that our eastern border is 60 miles from the fucking Atlantic Ocean.
RobinA
(9,862 posts)of Trump Country in PA. It's just that the population is in the blue areas. And the western part of the state is more Midwest than east coast. I will always consider PA purple, because who votes can have a big effect. Plus, the Democratic Party has often been week here in my opinion.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)I think the democratic House needs to focus its energy towards 2020 so we can defeat the traitor Trump and remove his stain from the White House!
The Liberal Lion
(1,414 posts)Rebuilding the blue wall proves to me without a doubt that trump DID NOT win the 2016 election, but rather that vote totals were INDEED altered in WI, MI, PA for sure, and probably as well in NC, FL, and perhaps even in GA. I'm sure of it now. That orange fuck IS NOT the president, the Russians altered the vote totals. donald j trump knew about it and blessed the operation.
Rebuilding the blue wall means that those states are going to put extreme security in place to protect the integrity of the vote and those governors will do everything possible and legal to make sure voter suppression tactics will be eliminated. Winning in KS as well means the integrity of the vote and the enfranchisement of every voter will occur there.
Finally, although it's not a given, it means more than likely, should he make it that far, trump WILL NOT win in 2020.
Everyone here knows I am a fucking Debbie Downer. But seeing that Blue Wall made me feel joy. Sure as a Florida progressive I am sad about Gillum and am heartbroken about Nelson, and not seeing Beto kick Cruz's ass also brought out the sads in me, but the blue wall is back baby. And in this I find once again a reason to be optimistic, cautiously, but optimism is back in this old soul.
DinahMoeHum
(21,704 posts)Now we have a real Democratic majority in the state senate, and Andrea Stewart-Cousins will be the first AA state senate majority leader.
Big ups as well for Letitia (Tish) James as the first AA Attorney-General. and you can bet your ass she's going after Trump & Co. like a duck on a June bug.