For the most part, last night’s elections basically confirmed that our country has gone nuts. The big exception was Neel Kashkari’s somewhat unexpected second-place finish in the California gubernatorial primary. Of course, the actual effect of that is probably going to be negative, at least in the short term, because it will prevent the California GOP from suffering the maximal possible losses in November.
In Mississippi, Sen. Thad Cochran was forced into a runoff that he will probably lose. If I had the slightest bit of faith that Democrat Travis Childers might win the general election, I would welcome this development. But, I think it will probably result in nut-job Chris McDaniel becoming a U.S. Senator and that will send a message to every other Republican senator that they can’t afford to be a legislator or appropriator. It’s a recipe for gridlock and nullification.
The hog-castrator Joni Ernst won the nomination for U.S. Senate in Iowa. The idea that she might replace Tom Harkin fills me with horror.
On a personal note, the district of my youth nominated a black women to represent the Democratic Party in November’s election. Bonnie Watson Coleman will be favored to win, and she’ll be the first woman from New Jersey to serve in Congress in over a decade and the first black woman from the Garden State to serve in Congress ever. It’s a very progressive district, but it is far from minority-majority, so this an interesting and welcoming development.
Finally, turnout in California was disgracefully low.
Finally, turnout in California was disgracefully low.
And it compared with Pennsylvania’s turnout a few weeks ago how?
Re Thad Cohran, I’m glad to see the Republicans Franenstein Monster eating it’s creators.
And I want to see Harkin win, of course, but the thought occurs to me that if a female hog castrater gets to the Senate, all those male Republicans better get a cup!
Harkin is retiring. The hog castrator is running against Rep. Bruce Braley.
Too bad, I’ll miss Harkin. Thanks for the update, Boo.
Still, the image of Cruz, McConnell et al, walking around holding their junk protectively won’t leave my mind.
Apart from a few moments of hysterical crying and screaming earlier today, I believe I’ve handled the defeat of Marianne Williamson in the mature adult way expected of guys in their 50s.
And in other election news, Bobby Shriver made it to the Nov finals for LA County Supe (3d dist) against Sheila Kuehl (state lege’s first openly gay/lesbian pol), who repped that area in the state senate.
Shriver and cong’l candidate Ted Lieu were all over Msnbc w ads in the final month. Shriver will need the same to overcome Kuehl.
Because of age (SK is 73), I have a slight pref for Bobby. Kuehl, iirc, was a teenage star 50+ years ago playing the smart pony-tailed student “Zelda” in the popular teevee show “Dobie Gillis”. Zelda at 16 I would have voted for.
CA’s jungle primary prevent the California GOP from suffering the maximal possible losses in November?
The race was only to determine who will be crushed by Gov. Jerry Brown (who has over $20MM already in the bank and a broad base of support). 65-35 (Brown v. Kashkari) I suppose is somewhat less than 70-30 (Brown v. Donnelly).
No, it’s the damage to the overall GOP brand that is being avoided here.
Which is that they actually nominated someone other than a pasty white guy?
They have Nikki Haley in SC and Bobby Jindal in LA. Suggests a new Southern Strategy for the GOP.
Not to mention the Latino governors of New Mexico and Nevada.
Let’s also not overlook Sen. Ted Cruz, Clarence Thomas, and the pizza guy.
They have Nikki Haley in SC and Bobby Jindal in LA.
Who act just as stupid as their white brethren? It’s not really a recipe for long term success, or to prove to non-white people that you’re concerned about issues they care about. What’s sad is that the Democrats in both states are so disorganized they can’t even take advantage of the mess that’s been made.
Or to goad the SiliconValley/Wall St. libertoons into pumping a $100 million into Kashkari’s general election campaign to confirm that Brown’s defeat of Whitman wasn’t a fluke or a function of sexism.
Kashkari is about as sane as you can be and still be a Republican. Donnelly was far more likely to make stupid and hateful statements that would make people across the country ashamed to be Republicans. However, having a dusky-hued devi-worshiper who gives seminars on Shariah finance at the top of their ticket is going to suppress Republican turnout in California, so it’s not all bad.
Final numbers aren’t in yet, but California may end up with two Republicans on the ballot for Controller, and the only explanation is that many Democrats, as usual, didn’t bother to vote. I’m threatening to personally carry people to the polls in the fall.
Kashkari was the face of the bailout. If Brown is smart, he will use this to make the Republicans own the bailout. Damage to Obama on this doesn’t matter, as Obama will not run again, and this will not be a live issue for him for the rest of his term. With Kashkari, there are no other issues. It is all he is known for. We have to move the Dem party away from Wall Street.
Brown will stomp Kashkari even if he runs no negative ads at all. Jerry can run on his record.
The “bailout” was important, and it helped prevent us from falling into another Great Depression. California was a big enough mess for a few years- I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if we would have lost hundreds of thousands of additional jobs. We STILL need Federal funds and programs restored. So, no, let’s have the Brown campaign not do that, because it would damage progressive governance, not Obama.
CA State Senate District 26 primary election results. General election candidates: Ben Allen (D) 21.82% and Sandra Fluke (D) 19.70%.
Ms. Fluke’s campaign statement on her primary victory. Outspent by at least one of her opponents by 100%.
Who’s Ben Allen?
Also nice to see Mike Honda kick that Obama troll in the primary, and hopefully will see no issues in the GE.
Don’t know. Here’s something. With a supporter like Bill Bloomfield hope Fluke wins in November.
And yeah, for Honda. These SiliconValley & VC libertoons are no less dangerous than the Kochs. Expect CA voters are going to have to deal with them during the next few election cycles and unless defeated for longer than that.