SMH- A denizen of this board said the Handel election means seven more years of Trump

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Anything is possible. The Orlando Magic might be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy next June. But not everything is likely.

The GOP has held that seat since 1979. In the GOP's last defense of that seat before yesterday Doc Price won it by twenty four points. We lost it yesterday by four. Math isn't my forte but I can add and subtract, especially small numbers. We improved our performance by twenty points. I am not suggesting we can improve our performance by twenty points across the board but if we make similar marked improvements we will do well in 018 and 020.

NJ and VA have gubernatorial races in November. The former is held by a Republican. Let's see how they do.

The best advice ever given to me is when you get knocked down you get back up and brush yourself off.

Saving democracy ain't easy.

[LonePirate]

1. I don't know about 7 more years of 45; but it does almost guarantee passage of the AHCA.

Handel's election proved they can do whatever they want because they will still win their elections. They have nothing to fear from their horrible voting record because Dems threw everything they had into the race and still lost. Without fear of voter reprisal, Republicans can pass horrible bills like the health care destruction bill known as the AHCA.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. The bill has to be scored by the CBO and then passed in the Senate.

Then it has be reconciled in committee and voted for in the House. The reconciled bill must then be voted for in the Senate. It is a long way from the lip to the cup.

[LonePirate]

3. The CBO score will have zero impact on its passage. McConnell will get his 50 votes and Pence.

The House bill proved the CBO is now impotent so long as Republicans are in charge. Handel's victory will only embolden wavering Republicans because they now have proof they can still win with horrible records against a full force attack from Democrats.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. You could be right.

I don't want to see vulnerable folk hurt but at least we'll have the issue.

The end result might be the GOP blowing up the entire health system and making it worse than it was before the ACA. Most folk get their insurance through their employer. I can see that market shook up as an unintended consequence.

[PubliusEnigma]

7. That wasn't a Senate race, was it? Your correlation is fatally flawed.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. He could be right. The GOP is a heartless and soulless organization.

Their raison d'etre is to hurt people who aren't like them.

[Voltaire2]

34. If the district had flipped some republicans senators

might have decided to back away. Now they are less likely to do that.

[Orrex]

15. I'm sure that we can rely on three Republicans

to be sensible enough to act like they're voting against it, with one of them seeing the light at the last moment and voting in favor, allowing Veep Pence to cast the smirking tie-breaker yet again.

[Voltaire2]

35. Why?

I see no reason we can rely on Republicans to act responsibly about anything.

Which three?

[Orrex]

37. Does it matter?

They usually run through the pantomime of voting against it, knowing that they don't need their votes to pass.

[Demsrule86]

23. I am not sure about that...Senators are not in gerrymandered districts...and while

the map favors the GOP ...throw a really bad bill into the mix and anything can happen...keep calling. I live in Ohio...and have called Portman's office.

[mcar]

4. SMH indeed

[kcr]

5. It's hard to lose after we had hope but this will settle down.

This will give the GOP a brief shot of adrenaline because the media is spinning this as a huge win for Trump when in reality the fact it was so close is a red flag for them. As others have said I think the biggest worry is how it affects the AHCA vote.

[geek tragedy]

8. the good news and bad news is that Ossoff roughly tracked Clinton's %.

Good news is that anti-Trump voters will become anti-Republican voters.

Bad news is that Clinton lost the electoral college.

[octoberlib]

9. Unmitigated bs. From Harry Enten on SC-O5 , the race that everybody in America ignored:

Democrats should be paying attention to what happened in South Carolina. In the lead up to the election, FiveThirtyEight’s Harry Enten put it this way:The closer Norman comes to beating Parnell by 19 points (or more) — the default partisan lean of the district — the better for the Republican Party. A Parnell loss in the low double digits, by contrast, would be consistent with a national shift big enough for Democrats to win the House.


Democratic contender Archie Parnell lost by only 3.2 points, in a surprisingly close race. By contrast, in 2016, Mulvaney carried the district by 20 points and Trump beat Hillary Clinton by 18.5 points.


https://www.vox.com/2017/6/21/15844370/south-carolina-election-republican-ralph-norman

[Pacifist Patriot]

14. I completely agree.

I can sympathize with the disappointment in a loss, and I understand the ramifications of not gaining two seats for Democrats. But yesterday was something of a pyrrhic victory in terms of how much money it took them to win by slim margins. It's a numerical nightmare for the GOP who are undoubtedly shitting bricks at the thought of how many seats they hold in districts not nearly so historically red.

[former9thward]

27. You are forgetting both sides spent a ton of money.

There is no way that type of money can be raised in the average Congressional election.

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. Fair enough

But I have no illusion that amount of money can be spent by either party in an average mid-term Congressional election when the entire house is running.

However, the Democratic investment saw an impressive numerical gain and the Republican investment saw a whopper of a drop. I think that will still be the case when the amounts spent are lower.

[Madam45for2923]

10. We got many demoraliserS in DU! Because it is such a genius idea!

That kind of talk just makes me more determined.


Thanks for your post.


DemocratSinceBirth
0. SMH- A denizen of this board said the Handel election means seven more years of Trump

Anything is possible. The Orlando Magic might be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy next June. But not everything is likely.

The GOP has held that seat since 1979. In the GOP's last defense of that seat before yesterday Doc Price won it by twenty four points. We lost it yesterday by six. Math isn't my forte but I can add and subtract, especially small numbers. We improved our performance by eighteen points. I am not suggesting we can improve our performance by eighteen points across the board but if we make similar marked improvements we will do well in 018 and 020.

NJ and VA have gubernatorial races in November. The former is held by a Republican. Let's see how they do.

The best advice ever given to me is when you get knocked down you get back up and brush yourself off.

Saving democracy ain't easy.

[SaschaHM]

12. If we're coming up 3-4 points short in traditional Republican districts...

that went for Rs 8-19 points beforehand, then all swing district republicans are quaking in their boots.

No Republican is looking at this and saying "I'm insulated and can do what I want".

[Pacifist Patriot]

16. Yep

I have no doubt whatsoever that GOP Reps in closer districts are sweating it big time this morning. The bluster from party leaders and the eye rolling commentary from pundits is meaningless. They know they're in danger despite these two "wins."

[customerserviceguy]

13. NJ governorship will not be a bellwether

Christie damaged the GOP brand very badly in NJ. Not even Eisenhower could win NJ this year.

Lets just hope we can win Virginia, Trump can go to coal country and make things pretty lopsided for the GOP in the western half of the state.

[Demsrule86]

24. It is looking good in Virginia.

[customerserviceguy]

39. That's great, but

I drove through VA today, and I don't see any campaign signs for any governor candidate. Maybe things start late in VA, but there are only a bit more than five months before the election, and I don't see a lot of enthusiasm on either side. We should have a monopoly on that quality.

[Demsrule86]

40. No, there is a great deal of enthusiasm on the GOP side...and history is with us.

In all except one year, Virginia has voted against the party in power...the only exception was Pres. Obama.

[ashredux]

17. Trump won't last his first term

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Yes, the perfect is the enemy of the good. Since Ossoff didn't win, they are shitting on him. . nt

[nini]

19. Hysteria has always been a part of DU

I haven't figured out if it's intentional bait to get everyone wound up, or some simply don't understand how all this political stuff works even if it is frustrating as heck.

[Fait Accompli]

20. Our prospects don't look so good if the DNC keeps backing candidates like Ossoff.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. Thank you for your concern. Welcome to DU. Ossoff did the best in decades.

But very good is not good enough for you because it wasn't perfect.

[Demsrule86]

26. Or if Sen. Sanders continues to back candidates like Mello, Quist, and Thompson

What was he thinking?



We always back candidates with a 'D' next to their name...whom should we back Republicans?

[nini]

30. LOL

You have no clue about those deep red areas do you?

[Ligyron]

31. People didn't vote for Handled because they liked or even knew her views.

They voted for her because she wasn't a Democrat. Even though Republicans in that affluent populous were presumably well-educated, 30 years of RW attacks on hate radio and Fox have damaged our brand badly.

I don't know what the answer is other than keep trying.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. Words from Ossoff after election

Message from Jon Ossoff to Ga 6 voters

For months, this community in Georgia has been a beacon of hope for people across the country. At a time when American politics is dominated by fear and deception, this community stood up for politics based on shared values, shared interests, civility, and respect. We showed the world that in places no one even thought it was possible to fight, we can fight, and we will fight. It's extraordinary what this community has achieved, mounting an unprecedented grassroots effort powered by more than twelve thousand volunteers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. - Jon

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029231844

[IronLionZion]

25. I'm not sure Dolt 45 will make it through this year

and now that we are proven to be competitive in a red district in a southern red state, we can fight them everywhere. We should pursue a 50 state strategy again. Demographics have shifted in a lot of districts as people move, and some areas have gotten more diverse and liberal.

Our side is energized while their side has a lot of people wondering when they'll get the jobs they were promised.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. No more judicial confirmations. This is the last year of the Republican tRump Presidency. . . . nt

[Demsrule86]

29. I wish...we had the Senate ...if we do take the Senate...no judges for Drumpt if he survives. nt

[erpowers]

32. You Are Right

Last edited Wed Jun 21, 2017, 03:52 PM - Edit history (1)

There is no need for Democrats to panic over this loss. For me this is like a professional sports team that was built to win a championship in a sweep finally winning the championship after being forced to a game 7. When you needed seven games to win a championship that you were supposed to win in 4 games it is likely that you are the one that has the problem.

This was a district that was supposedly created to give the Republican Party a 9 point advantage. Karen Handel was supposed to win this district by 9 points easily. Yet, she had to spend millions in order to win the election by 3 points. I think Jon Ossoff lost the election by less than 10,000 votes. Yes, Ossoff and the Democrats spent more than $20 million on the race, but Karen Handel and the Republicans also spent more than $20 million dollars. The Republican Party had to spend more than $20 million dollars to win a district, they were supposed to win by at least 9 points, by 3 points.

Maybe I am being too optimistic. However, this does not seem to be the right time for Democrats to panic. So far, Democrats have not lost any races they were not supposed to lose. In fact, Democrats have kept it close in districts where they were supposed to be blown out.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Precisely. That is why I didn't get overly emotionally invested in that race.

Much more hospitable turf to make our stand.

[JSup]

38. Sounds like a sick 'Groundhog Day' tradition...

...or some pessimistic tea leaf reader. Did Ossoff see his shadow or something?

With no optimism, what's the point? The optimism should be realistic, mind you; the only outlook worse than blind optimism is doom and gloom pessimism.

If you lose an election, you try again; you don't run around proclaiming that the world is over each and every time you lose.