General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Here is the remarkable reporting by Lawrence O'Donnell on the 2016 election [View all]Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)1. More RED states up for reelection where Democrats won by riding on Obama's coattails in 2008. They were probably expected to lose precisely because it was a midterm election and in a RED state.
2. Voter turnout lower than it has been in a very long time. I've heard that turnout was lower than it had been in over 70 years! That may have been due to a combination of apathy, anger, and voter suppression.
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However, I DID know that 22 Republican Senate seats are up for reelection in 2016 in traditionally BLUE states, and even if those BLUE states are really an off-BLUE, trending BLUE or deep PURPLE-BLUE, Republicans will still face a competitive race due to the changing demographics AND in a presidential year where turnout is typically much higher.
As much as I don't care for Hillary, if she is on the ticket, she will excite women and Latinos--maybe a good number of African Americans so long as she/her husband/their surrogates don't resort to race rhetoric and/or Obama bashing.