Virginia Governor's Race: Referendum on Trump, or not so much?

Just a west coast brag before I drool with excitement over what happened elsewhere. The Washington State Senate looks to have flipped to blue, so Dems will control the governor's mansion and both houses of the legislature. The decisive race was in Bellevue, the uber-wealthy Seattle suburb (which is now more a city unto itself). The candidates were a Chinese-American woman, Jinyoung Lee Englund, and an Indian-American woman, Manka Dhingra. Money poured in from outside the state for both candidates, and as of this weekend, pundits were predicting the R would edge out the win, but Dhingra has a double digit lead. We are an all-mail-in ballot state so I guess they're not declaring her victory until the late ballots are counted, but everyone is assuming.

Seattle also elected it's first woman mayor in 91 years, and a woman is leading to become our county sheriff (that one is a little too close to call, yet.) If she wins she will unseat an established, up-to-now respected guy, who has some sexual harassment allegations hovering over him. People are (rightly) NOT in the mood to give that a pass.

As for Virginia, WOW! I don't care what anyone says, those results speak volumes. Danica Roem's win has to be right up there with the sweetest political ironies I have ever seen. (And her reply about Marshall, *snerk*!) Last night I saw an exit poll stat on CNN or MSNBC (I can't find it at the moment) that showed something in excess of 70% of "young" voters going for Northam. I keep telling my kids the future is with them and they MUST vote and get their friends voting. The millennials will be the numerically biggest voting block in 2018 if they'll get out there.

It's pretty clear the #Resist movement and organizations like Move On and Flippable had a big impact in getting boots on the ground, and of course, black women once again carried the weight in Virginia, voting in huge numbers for the D candidates. One of the biggest pluses I see in the VA situation is Dems will have the ability to limit gerrymandering through either veto or legislative numbers. The consequences of Northam's coattails cannot be overstated.

I'm so excited for all the diversity of last night's election, including, since it hasn't been mentioned upthread yet, Charlotte, NC electing its first-ever black woman mayor. That's the country I want, and it's so pleasing to know--and see--I'm not alone. After a year of utter demoralization, last night felt like rainbows and unicorns and I refuse to feel bad taking a day to revel in that. There's still a lot of work ahead.

*okay, breathes again*

Just,

That is all.

OK, one more. I'm sorry...

But this! I remember the story when it happened.

New Jersey politician who joked about women's march defeated

A New Jersey politician who shared a meme on Facebook during January's Women's March in Washington asking whether the protest would be "over in time for them to cook dinner" is eating his words.

A woman who was angered by Republican John Carman's remarks defeated him Tuesday as he tried to win a second term as an Atlantic County freeholder.

Democrat Ashley Bennett is a first-time candidate. The 32-year-old Egg Harbor Township resident works as a psychiatric emergency screener at a hospital.

Carman said the meme was "a bad choice," but that the women in his life were "strong and confident" enough to not be offended by his joke. He apologized a few days later.

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ElaineA said:

OK, one more. I'm sorry...

But this! I remember the story when it happened.

New Jersey politician who joked about women's march defeated

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Another awesome story. I am just thrilled over yesterday's results...everywhere!

RichardGarfinkle said:

That is unutterably beautiful.

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It is. I really admired her before. I admire her even more now.

Trump's reaction to the Virginia governor's race was classic pathetic Trump: Gillespie (R) lost because "he didn't embrace me."

I bet there are a lot of Republican officeholders around the nation who will think pretty hard about whether they want to "embrace" Donald Trump in the runup to next year's Congressional and Senate elections.

caw

blacbird said:

Trump's reaction to the Virginia governor's race was classic pathetic Trump: Gillespie (R) lost because "he didn't embrace me."

I bet there are a lot of Republican officeholders around the nation who will think pretty hard about whether they want to "embrace" Donald Trump in the runup to next year's Congressional and Senate elections.

caw

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Yes. Trump's tweet reminds me of Littlefinger whispering in Ned Stark's ear "I told you not to trust me."

Sunflowerrei said:

Hoboken elected Ravi Bhalla, New Jersey's first Sikh mayor

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Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)



And the Indian-American lady who flipped the Washington State Senate to blue is also a Sikh.

She says, modestly.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

CWatts said:

Yes. Trump's tweet reminds me of Littlefinger whispering in Ned Stark's ear "I told you not to trust me."

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LOL

It's certain that we have a lot of problems: a white supremacist problem, a cis-heteronormative dominance problem, a misogyny problem, a xenophobia problem, a gun problem, a healthcare problem, a financial class problem, a leadership vacuum problem, and a voting problem.

Addressing the last one opens doors to addressing all the rest.

We have to continue to encourage and empower people to solve our voting problem. Rain or shine.


This is the beginning of the 2018 race - persist in your resistance!

blacbird said:

Trump's reaction to the Virginia governor's race was classic pathetic Trump: Gillespie (R) lost because "he didn't embrace me."

I bet there are a lot of Republican officeholders around the nation who will think pretty hard about whether they want to "embrace" Donald Trump in the runup to next year's Congressional and Senate elections.

caw

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Huh. What happened to "In Trump We Trust"?

-cb

regdog said:

I wonder if he will be home making dinner once he's out of his job.

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A friend on Facebook asked if crow was on the menu...

I think most if not all of the biggest triumphs (for the left) are in this thread, but if we missed any, they are probably in this Twitter thread. I knew most of them, but seeing them in list form, one after the other, was exhilarating. There are pictures! So many smiling faces.

And a personal favorite related tweet from Bess Kalb:

Thoughts and prayers to all the Republican politicians who lost their seats today. We won't do anything to prevent it from happening again.

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(Iseewhatshedidthere)

cbenoi1 said:

Huh. What happened to "In Trump We Trust"?

-cb

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I love the positivity of this thread, but I read this incredibly sobering Politico article yesterday. I tend to stay away from the "Let's Understand Trump Voters" articles, but the intro to this one intrigued me. The reporter followed up with people he had interviewed before the election, people somewhat wary of Trump, willing to vote for him but expecting action. Now, they love him harder, and have happily given up all expectations of him. He is the stand-in for their hate/bigotry, "all the things we could do and be, if only..." and feelings of "We wuz robbed," and that's all they need from him.

“Everybody I talk to,” he said, “realizes it’s not Trump who’s dragging his feet. Trump’s probably the most diligent, hardest-working president we’ve ever had in our lifetimes. It’s not like he sleeps in till noon and goes golfing every weekend, like the last president did.”

I stopped him, informing him that, yes, Barack Obama liked to golf, but Trump in fact does golf a lot, too—more, in fact.

Del Signore was surprised to hear this.

“Does he?” he said.

“Yes,” I said.

He did not linger on this topic, smiling and changing the subject with a quip. “If I was married to his wife,” Del Signore said, “I don’t think I’d go anywhere.”

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I post it here only as incentive to keep mobilizing. That segment of voters will never give up on him. They have to be out-numbered, and the left has the numbers to do it if we turn out in force.

Absolutely, ElaineA. Thank you for that reminder. I had come from sign-holding election night and crashed for a couple of hours, so I got to wake up to good results. Jumped on social media to follow and celebrate. I belong to several local activism groups, and have one especially effective group of friends who initially formed a message group so we could curse and be opinionated. By ten PM, all groups were already focused and organizing our next efforts. We have got to keep this going, because too often we don't.

From ElaineA's article:

A Catholic whose wife goes to church every Sunday, whereas he, “shame on me,” does not, Del Signore told me toward the end of our lunch that some people at church told his wife that Obama is the antichrist. “She comes home and tells me these things that they tell you in church,” he said. I asked him whether that’s what he thinks. “I don’t know,” he said. “Some people say that.”

If Obama, I asked, is the antichrist—whose arrival is said to precede the second coming of Christ—what would that make Trump?
“The savior?” Del Signore suggested.

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That is terrifying.

And the end bit about the NFL players really makes me seeth.

“As far as I’m concerned,” Frear told me, “if I was the boss of these teams, I would tell ’em, ‘You get your asses out there and you play, or you’re not here anymore.’ They’re paying their salaries, for God’s sake.”
“Shame on them,” Del Signore said over his alfredo. “These clowns are out there, making millions of dollars a year, and they’re using some stupid excuse that they want equality—so I’ll kneel against the flag and the national anthem?”

“You’re not a fan of equality?” I asked.

“For people who deserve it and earn it,” he said. “All my ancestors, Italian, 100 percent Italian, the Irish, Germans, Polish, whatever—they all came over here, settled in places like this, they worked hard and they earned the respect. They earned the success that they got. Some people don’t want to do that. They just want it handed to them.”

“Like NFL players?” I said.

“Well,” Del Signore responded, “I hate to say what the majority of them are …” He stopped himself short of what I thought he was about to say.

Schilling and her husband, however, did not restrain themselves.

“The thing that irritates me to no end is this NFL shit,” Schilling told me in her living room. “I’m about ready to go over the top with this shit. We do not watch no NFL now.” They’re Dallas Cowboys fans. “We banned ’em. We don’t watch it.”
Schilling looked at her husband, Dave McCabe, who’s 67 and a retired high school basketball coach. She nodded at me. “Tell him,” she said to McCabe, “what you said the NFL is …”

McCabe looked momentarily wary. He laughed a little. “I don’t remember saying that,” he said unconvincingly.

Schilling was having none of it. “You’re the one that told me, liar,” she said.

She looked at me.

The NFL?

“Niggers for life,” Schilling said.

“For life,” McCabe added.

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I mean...wow. The hatred! The players haven't earned their living? What standard are these a-holes using? And of course, the blatant racism...I'm just infuriated all over again. I understand that the people portrayed in this small town have gone through a lot. They haven't had easy lives. But they don't know anything about anyone else and refuse to see outside their narrow town boundaries. I just...I can't have any sympathy for them. Not with those attitudes. Not for being so dumb as to play around with the idea that Obama is the Antichrist and Trump is the savior. I just don't have anything left for people like this except anger and disgust.

Sorry for the derail. The article was indeed sobering.

So what? He'll be gone. I'm sick of trying to reach out to these people. Looks like I'm not the only one--s6

One interesting number I heard on TV the other day was that the last time the Virginia House of Delegates election was held, Democrats only challenged in 29 seats. They didn't even have anyone on the other 71 ballots! This year, they had 90 challengers.

This, to me, is what's needed. I don't have to understand the Trump voter. I know who and what the hard core are, and they're never going to vote D. As for the wobblers, they need another name on the ballot. That's where the effort has to lie. Getting people to run for office with a message of "You wanted the swamp drained? I'm your neighbor. Give me a try." If people who can't stomach Trump are given another option, we up our odds. Make 'em tick a box, and don't let them off the hook by allowing them the excuse of "I didn't have any choice."

ElaineA said:

One interesting number I heard on TV the other day was that the last time the Virginia House of Delegates election was held, Democrats only challenged in 29 seats. They didn't even have anyone on the other 71 ballots! This year, they had 90 challengers.

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It's always frustrated me how many delegates run unopposed. It is no way to have a functioning democracy. Hopefully we will undo some Republican gerrymandering, but I don't want to see it replaced with Democratic gerrymandering. Of course that generosity depends on the GOP becoming a sane party again.

Alpha Echo said:

From ElaineA's article:



That is terrifying.

And the end bit about the NFL players really makes me seeth.



I mean...wow. The hatred! The players haven't earned their living? What standard are these a-holes using? And of course, the blatant racism...I'm just infuriated all over again. I understand that the people portrayed in this small town have gone through a lot. They haven't had easy lives. But they don't know anything about anyone else and refuse to see outside their narrow town boundaries. I just...I can't have any sympathy for them. Not with those attitudes. Not for being so dumb as to play around with the idea that Obama is the Antichrist and Trump is the savior. I just don't have anything left for people like this except anger and disgust.

Sorry for the derail. The article was indeed sobering.

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Remember when Hillary Clinton called half of Trump's supporters a "basket of deplorables"? That was, like, so mean, I can't believe she said that...