Democrats didn't win a long held republican seat in Georgia... why is this a big deal?

[realmirage]

Trump only won the district by a point, but Trump wasn't running this time and this is Georgia, and a Republican area.. I think people are going too far down the rabbit hole thinking that somehow irrational ideas are perfectly rational because we've analyzed them to death - ideas like it's the end of the world that we aren't suddenly sweeping long republican districts in the south. You can analyze ANY possibility and find some logic for why it should or could happen, but reality has its own way of operating. I didn't see any referendum on EITHER party here. I saw business as usual. I have family who don't like every republican candidate but guess what, they still vote for them.

I think our emotions have driven us into a period of overanalyzying to the point we forget basic aspects of reality. Try going to your republican relative who has voted republican for 40 years and who may not be a huge fan of Trump and tell them to vote for a democrat and see how much traction you get. They might listen but they're still going to go vote republican. And when they did, you wouldn't be surprised and you wouldn't see it as some political earthquake, or a sign that the democratic party is in shambles..

And no, the democratic party isn't in shambles. In 2003 republicans controlled congress and the white house. In 2010 the democrats controlled Congress and the White House. 2017 it has flipped back. THAT is how society works. It's a pendulum. Progress is slow. It moves forward and then back a little. Human societies hate rapid change.

Democrats will regain control again, and in the meantime I'm not sure all this hysteria and second guessing is doing much good. The democratic party is grappling with its image in rural america, and that does need to be resolved. Beyond that, let's not act like not taking Georgia means we should start burying the democratic party. The media is getting a lot of traction with all this shit, creating all this drama and expectation and getting high ratings, but reality is just plugging along, business as usual.

"But we darn near closed the gap in Georgia!" No, we spent a record sum and didn't do as well as Hillary did against Trump there. And all it means is what we ALREADY KNEW. It's a republican district that voted for someone that will run their district in line with their political views. The end.

[J0D]

1. There is a huge democratic base in Georgia, that's why..

And the biggest reason as to why this is a big deal?

Trump. His disapproval rating, the R budget plan / American Health Care Act.

We should have won by ten percent! We feel exasperated like "Really? What will it take!?"

[Kaleva]

3. There isn't a huge Dem base in that district.

[realmirage]

5. Sure but none of those reasons

would make me expect to flip a solidly republican district blue. If it had happened, THAT would have been the surprise. What happened was not at all a surprise, and it doesn't change anything. It's media driven hysteria.

[LBM20]

21. There is not a huge Dem base in that district. It is a deep red district. Good showing.

[realmirage]

32. decent showing but ultimately an anomaly

They aren't thrilled about Trump but Georgia is still a republican state. I expect future races to not be this close. It will swing back to big, easy wins for the GOP in the future. That's not pessimism, just reality.

[Wiseman32218]

2. I keep seeing references from the L$M (Lame $tream Media) about the money spent by dems.

They also refer to the money Hillary spent versus Trump.

[WinkyDink]

6. I'd call close to $30 million significant.

[realmirage]

9. money and ads don't make people flip their political beliefs

[WinkyDink]

12. Bwahahahaha! Yep, that's why nobody spends any campaign money or makes ads!

[realmirage]

16. Do you think liberal districts in Vermont would start flipping republican if they only spent enough?

I think ads, in CLOSE races, can make a difference in turnout. But people don't see an ad and then switch all their beliefs.

[WinkyDink]

20. You keep using only variations of a theme; that Liberals can't be flipped by $$ or ads. But perhaps

OTHERS CAN.

[stevenleser]

26. So how much would it take for you to vote Republican?

Since you keep pushing the point that this will work to flip solidly Republican and Democratic voters.

[realmirage]

28. That's absurd. Are you saying liberal humans are different from non liberal humans?

[WinkyDink]

4. $$$$$$$$$ spent, hopes held.

[realmirage]

7. how much money would republicans have to spend to make you vote republican?

Ask yourself that question, and then realize that Georgia was never in reach.

[WinkyDink]

10. What? You asked why it was a big deal. Ossoff's CAMPAIGN MONEY made it a big deal. Maybe you

should have told HIM to "realize that Georgia was never in reach."

Yeah, ask yourself THAT.

[realmirage]

13. Money and ads don't make people flip their political beliefs.

Just like republicans couldn't hit your district with a barrage of million dollar ads and make you suddenly start voting republican. This is all just fantasy. If he had won, THAT would have been unexpected. What happened was not surprising at all.

[WinkyDink]

17. Allow me:

"Though only aired once (by the campaign), it is considered to be an important factor in Johnson's landslide victory over Barry Goldwater and an important turning point in political and advertising history."

You were saying?

[realmirage]

24. you went back to 1964 to find one exception?

Tell me how much money republicans would have to spend to flip vermont and then we'll talk.

[stevenleser]

27. You beat me to it, but good question given that persons comments. nt

[realmirage]

29. just trying to help people be more realistic and less stressed

Expectations can get people into all sorts of problems. You try, but at the end of the day you keep a grip on reality

[Thinkingabout]

8. It would have been nice to pick this seat up, it did not happen, I understand the facts behind this

election, hopefully Georgia will soon return to the Democratic side.

[realmirage]

11. Georgia will not soon flip

It's been republican a long time and things don't just flip overnight

[oberliner]

14. Why was there a "Good Vibes for Jon Ossoff" thread on DU

With almost a hundred responses?

Obviously, this election was a big deal, and obviously we hoped we had a chance to win.

[realmirage]

18. You're using DU as your sample, but this is not Georgia.

My point was that this outcome should not have been surprising AT ALL. And the outcome really changes nothing. It's just business as usual

[oberliner]

23. In response to the question, why is this a big deal

Which I thought was at least partially directed to the DU community itself.

[WinkyDink]

15. Too bad you didn't inform Jon Ossoff. He could simply not have run!

[realmirage]

19. Not the point. Of course we try, but we don't expect miracles

And when the miracle doesn't happen we shouldn't be shocked

[WinkyDink]

22. Specious argument: who was "expecting" as opposed to "hoping for"? Where is the "hysteria"?

[realmirage]

25. why all the media hype if there was no expectation?

And I heard talking heads on MSNBC today saying this was devastating to the democratic party. I see many posts here of people who are crushed and depressed over this.. They should not have been surprised by the outcome

[bluestarone]

30. i guess some think

shame on us for trying I say hell why not!!!! We did get 100,000 votes and MAYBE 2018 we can get her out? kinda like a lottery if yoy don't play you don't win FOR CHRIST SAKE YOU GOTTA TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO DEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[realmirage]

33. definitely worth trying, agree with you there

[Not Ruth]

31. Money

You would have to dig deep on Twitter to find more than a couple people who care that Ralph Norman won in SC by roughly the same margin that Handel did. DCCC put in a whopping $275k. That is one dinner seating at a fundraiser.


"The South Carolina race garnered far less national attention than Tuesday's other special election — Georgia's 6th District, the most expensive U.S. House contest to date. However, national surrogates found time to stump for both candidates, as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint campaigned with Norman. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez made the rounds for Parnell, a former Goldman Sachs tax adviser.

As they have in other special election contests across the country this year, Democrats recruited a field of candidates to make a play for the GOP-held seat. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee plunked only $275,000 into the South Carolina race, compared with a $5 million investment in the Georgia special election."

[realmirage]

34. Excellent point. Money doesn't change much

People vote their party, that's just the way it is.