Big Government: Democrats won races for governor in both New Jersey and Virginia on Tuesday evening, even as President Donald Trump’s supporters prepared to mark the first anniversary of their historic win.
It is not exactly a shock: both states voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and the Democratic candidates were favored in both. On the other hand, Republicans won both states in 2009, which kicked off the Tea Party wave that won back the U.S. House in 2010.
Pundits are calling Tuesday’s results a repudiation of Trump. That is more than a stretch: it is flatly contradicted by some of the data. Republican Jill Vogel, running for Lieutenant Governor in Virginia, hitched herself to Trump and out-performed the GOP establishment candidate at the top of the ticket, Ed Gillespie, by tens of thousands of votes.
It would be more accurate to point out that, once again, the Republican establishment came up short. Someone in the Gillespie campaign actually thought it would be a good idea to campaign with Condoleezza Rice — who, for all her merits, is a relic of the George W. Bush administration. Gillespie belatedly embraced Trump supporters, but it seems clear from local results that there were more than a few conservatives who were reluctant to be seduced. A late conversion might have been possible for another candidate, but not one who had already run and lost statewide.
Democrats, exuberant from their first important win in the past year, are selling their hot takes all over social media. Their favorite theme seems to be that voters rejected “hate.” The only real hate on display was in the Latino Victory Fund ad that portrayed Gillespie supporters as racists. It neatly captured Democrats’ contempt for the other half of America. The more they stick to that message, the easier they will make it for Republicans to retain power in 2018. read more
So in VA, you have a Dem incumbent plus a Republican squish and it goes Dem again.
In NJ, you have a famously unpopular Republican squish in poor man”s New York.
The GOPe can’t find its ass with both hands, GPS coordinates, a cadaver dog, a flashlight, and a pirate treasure map that says ‘x’ marks the booty.
I think that hearing Bush say that he didn’t vote for the nominee days before played a role. I voted against the dems but I can’t ssy that I support Gillespie. He was the lesser of two evils.
This is a precursor to the Left taking back Congress, and taking vengeance against Trump, and against us. It will all be because of the traitorous GOP. I now have a part time job on top of my full time just to pay for my insurance and meds that go up at the start of ext year, and I’m very mad about it. Think I’m alone? Wait.
There is something wrong with Virginians.
Definitely a warning to lazy azz Republicans to get out and vote.
Here come draconian laws, and free stuff for people who don’t deserve what they get.
“Definitely a warning to lazy azz Republicans to get out and vote.”
Vote for whom? Obamacare has not been, and will not be repealed. COULD be, won’t be.
Vote for whom?
I’m so sad! Liberals and so called conservatives NeverTrump are celebrating so much. I read tweets saying “We’re ‘AMAGA’ – Actually Making Great Again.”
I can only hope that this is a wake up call for Republicans. Conservatives aren’t happy with them.
the establishment republicans, with their swamp critter candidates are throwing in the towel to their anti-trump agenda and now will let the democrats win the house and senate so they can mount a more successful opposition to trump.
they couldn’t muster enough votes to repeal obamacare and they can’t get rid of trump.
establishment republicans are good for nothing !
Grool –
14+ house seats lost, a Tranny, and an anti-gun jerkoff added to the list. Really?
It wasn’t a question of “whom”, it’s a question of “what” anyone registered to vote should have done. Vote, and if not your candidate, your conscience. Voting for the lesser of two evils is sometimes the only choice.
Virginia is a red state. It was important to prove it.
If Republicans don’t do something about Obamacare, democrats are likely to take over Congress. If they pass some form of amnesty and don’t start supporting deportation and the wall, it’s even more likely democrats will take over Congress.
It isn’t voters being lazy, it’s voters sick of being lied to and made fools of. It’s great and all lowering taxes, but that’s not what all those people who had not voted in years before Trump voted for. They voted for no amnesty and an end to illegal immigration and to end Obamacare.
Voters are pissed again if these dumbasses would get out into middle America and talk to regular folks they’d get that. Actually though I think the shit that floats around D.C. knows they’re pissed but are willing to lose power because it furthers their agenda.
Remember all the references to Ayn Rand and going Galt??
Deep State and the entire entitled government employee class will never willingly give back their golden goose.
We’re going down.
The Dems are in a multi-decade long march to remake Virginia into Mexifornia East.
Import massive illegals, on welfare, and find ways (absentee ballots, motor voter, “helpful” poll workers) for them to vote Dem regardless of ID laws.
The endless nonstop Federal hiring sends D.C. workers sprawling 60-90 minutes out from D.C. In all directions. They think, and vote, like Northeasterners. They are delighted to see exurban/rural VA transformed into Newark as they “do their 20” before retiring to some sunbelt high rise.
I vented at length in the other thread about how and why VA stayed Dem last night.
I’m surprised how disappointed I am. I’m usually more cynical than this. MAGA got my hopes up and I really thought the Trump Effect might carry VA last night despite Gillespie’s inadequacies.
God knows the Dem alternative was stark enough.
The Democraps not only elected Democraps last night they elected insane, retarded, and totally sick Democraps across the board! Evil triumphs once again in the increasingly less free, moral and smart America!
Virginia was coming off of electing Terry McAuliffe. His only prior qualification was being Hillary’s bag man.
How high are these expectations supposed to get?
They ran the most offensive ads since the NAACP James Byrd Texas dragging case in 2000 and still won because the GOPe can’t close the deal.
I predicted the Hurst guy two years ago and it’s pathetic that he has been able to parlay his fiancee’ s on air execution into a cynical power play by the gungrabbers who ignored what happened in his case.
Truck,
ORWW is right, there’s nothing BUT evil to vote for now. We usually don’t even have a lesser evil anymore. Watch…the GOP will soon be daring us to stay home next year. They don’t believe enough people are truly mad enough to let it burn by handing it back to Dems. They’re wrong.
Oh, and when it happens, will the Rs care? No. Then they will just go back to playing loyal but useless opposition, making lying promises at campaign time. Win/win for the uniparty swamp. They can’t lose. Trump’s inability to prevail against them proves it.
NJ has more than its quota of idiots and morons. I held my nose as I voted for the lesser of two evils.
Grool and ORWW,
I do get how you feel. I’m simply one of those who believe inaction is worse than reaction. Maybe it’s the soldier in me.
I came to VA from CT before Sandy Hook but did endure the ban of 1994. A buddy of mine up there would have had to register 1000s of magazines, and but for his FFL would have to register hundreds of semiautos. Not even sure that helped him. I don’t want VA to go that way.
With my level of training, education and intelligence I will NOT be told I cannot be part of the “Standing Army”, or the “Militia” by some petulant elitist. That is who was just elected.
Despite my distaste for Mr. Gillespie, if there was a chance I could maintain the fragile status quo we have had despite Red Herring and McCoughingfit, or even better it by placing a Republican trio in the State House, I did everything I could to help that. I will accept no less from anyone. That’s just me. 🙂 To me not voting is the equivalent of resignation. That is how “they” win.