Did right wing Republicans and left wing Democrats learn anything from he 2018 midterms?

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Who in their wildest dreams would have ever believed that Ted Cruz came that close to losing his seat to a liberal Democrat in Beto O'rourke in red state Texas? Most certainly if Democrats would have put up a moderate Democrat--aka Blue dog Democrat--Ted Cruz would have been looking for a new job this morning. The only state that went wild and elected a liberal Governor was Colorado. Jared Polis won the Governor in this state, but that was due "only" to the Trump effect. Trump is toxic in this state. 2 years ago, or prior to Trump, Polis wouldn't have stood a chance at winning in a state wide election here. Of course when Anderson Cooper asked Bernie Sanders about the loss in Texas he denied that was the reason. Anderson should have asked Sanders about him getting his ass kicked by Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a whopping 3,775,437 Democrat popular primary votes but didn't do it.
RealClearPolitics - 2016 Democratic Popular Vote

What we witnessed in a great economy was the war between the Republican Suburbanites, and the Republican Rualities. Along with Independents coming out, along with Democrats--made for the year of WOMEN winning everywhere. Latino's came out, blacks came out, everyone was voting. Women voters went 67% to the Democrats--literally kicking ass. The Tea Party was crushed by their own--Republican suburbanites. Independents remain the largest voting block in this country, then Democrats, and now the Republican party who has supposedly lost 10 to 15 million members since Trump was elected.

And the win for Democrats this year was yuuuuuge--and it continues to grow as not all votes haven't been counted yet. The one to watch right now is the Senate race in Arizona, where the Democrat, Sinema is currently leading Republican McSally who whollly embraced Trump's immigration policies. Here is a great article on this. Was it a blue wave?
Analysis | Democrats pinned their hopes on a ‘blue wave’ in the midterms. Is that what happened?

 

[BluesLegend]

Bro Ted Cruz is BORING, possibly the most boring speaking style in all of politics. I'm not surprised he had to fight to keep his seat.

 

[rightwinger]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Who in their wildest dreams would have ever believed that Ted Cruz came that close to losing his seat to a liberal Democrat in Beto O'rourke in red state Texas? Most certainly if Democrats would have put up a moderate Democrat--aka Blue dog Democrat--Ted Cruz would have been looking for a new job this morning. The only state that went wild and elected a liberal Governor was Colorado. Jared Polis won the Governor in this state, but that was due "only" to the Trump effect. Trump is toxic in this state. 2 years ago, or prior to Trump, Polis wouldn't have stood a chance at winning in a state wide election here. Of course when Anderson Cooper asked Bernie Sanders about the loss in Texas he denied that was the reason. Anderson should have asked Sanders about him getting his ass kicked by Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a whopping 3,775,437 Democrat popular primary votes but didn't do it.
RealClearPolitics - 2016 Democratic Popular Vote

What we witnessed in a great economy was the war between the Republican Suburbanites, and the Republican Rualities. Along with Independents coming out, along with Democrats--made for the year of WOMEN winning everywhere. Women voters went 67% to the Democrats--literally kicking ass. The Tea Party was crushed by their own--Republican suburbanites. Independents remain the largest voting block in this country, then Democrats, and now the Republican party who has supposedly lost 10 to 15 million members since Trump was elected.

And the win for Democrats this year was yuuuuuge--and it continues to grow as not all votes haven't been counted yet. Here is a great article on this. Was it a blue wave?
Analysis | Democrats pinned their hopes on a ‘blue wave’ in the midterms. Is that what happened?

Ted Cruz is universally disliked by both parties

Beto ran as himself. He avoided the gutter politics and came off as a young and refreshing political voice

Not the last we will have heard of him

 

[Mac1958]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

 

[candycorn]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

 

[oreo]

Bro Ted Cruz is BORING, possibly the most boring speaking style in all of politics. I'm not surprised he had to fight to keep his seat.

Senate & House Republicans can't stand Ted Cruz. But Texans supposedly love him. Ted Cruz is the Tea Party's hero. Meaning the Tea Party got steamed rolled down in Texas.
Why Senate Republicans hate Ted Cruz

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

The voters came out this year--estimates are 100 million cast a vote in this midterm, and the results show exactly what happens when they vote.

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

Exactly but I think we're seeing the rise of the Blue dog Democrats--the JFK's of the party that may set a standard for getting back to middle ground where once long ago Democrats and Republicans could actually work together to get things done for the American public.

Moderates are the majorities of both party's, and they certainly rang a bell on Tuesday night.

 

[candycorn]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

The voters came out this year--estimates are 100 million cast a vote in this midterm, and the results show exactly what happens when they vote.

Yes…and that is Vast ambiguity. Candidates do matter. But if you don’t win, you can’t govern. It’s much easier to excite the ends than convince a non-believer in the middle. So that is what the parties are doing.

Moderate Dems and Moderate Republicans were shown the door by and large.

I don’t agree with it by the way; I think the winning position is slightly left of center but this is the political reality.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Who in their wildest dreams would have ever believed that Ted Cruz came that close to losing his seat to a liberal Democrat in Beto O'rourke in red state Texas? Most certainly if Democrats would have put up a moderate Democrat--aka Blue dog Democrat--Ted Cruz would have been looking for a new job this morning. The only state that went wild and elected a liberal Governor was Colorado. Jared Polis won the Governor in this state, but that was due "only" to the Trump effect. Trump is toxic in this state. 2 years ago, or prior to Trump, Polis wouldn't have stood a chance at winning in a state wide election here. Of course when Anderson Cooper asked Bernie Sanders about the loss in Texas he denied that was the reason. Anderson should have asked Sanders about him getting his ass kicked by Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a whopping 3,775,437 Democrat popular primary votes but didn't do it.
RealClearPolitics - 2016 Democratic Popular Vote

What we witnessed in a great economy was the war between the Republican Suburbanites, and the Republican Rualities. Along with Independents coming out, along with Democrats--made for the year of WOMEN winning everywhere. Latino's came out, blacks came out, everyone was voting. Women voters went 67% to the Democrats--literally kicking ass. The Tea Party was crushed by their own--Republican suburbanites. Independents remain the largest voting block in this country, then Democrats, and now the Republican party who has supposedly lost 10 to 15 million members since Trump was elected.

And the win for Democrats this year was yuuuuuge--and it continues to grow as not all votes haven't been counted yet. The one to watch right now is the Senate race in Arizona, where the Democrat, Sinema is currently leading Republican McSally who whollly embraced Trump's immigration policies. Here is a great article on this. Was it a blue wave?
Analysis | Democrats pinned their hopes on a ‘blue wave’ in the midterms. Is that what happened?

The Midterm Election was confirmation rather than revelation.

Confirmed: there is a great and likely irreparable dissonance between urban and rural.

Confirmed: the political landscape has become so toxic and hyper partisan that compromise and consensus have been rendered impossible.

Confirmed: women and minorities have entered the political process overwhelmingly as Democrats.

Confirmed: Republican control of state and local governments affords them a significant political advantage.

Confirmed: gridlock, stalemate, inaction, and political paralysis will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

[Kondor3]

Ted Cruz nearly lost because Trump cut off Ted's balls and keep them in his pocket.

Imagine, a US Senator, after seeing his wife mortally insulted, bootlicking the Insulter like that.

Jesus-H-Tap-Dancing-Christ-on-a-Crutch... and Texans actually sent that guy back to the Senate?

My respect for Texans just dropped a couple of points.

Sheeesh !

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

The voters came out this year--estimates are 100 million cast a vote in this midterm, and the results show exactly what happens when they vote.

Yes…and that is Vast ambiguity. Candidates do matter. But if you don’t win, you can’t govern. It’s much easier to excite the ends than convince a non-believer in the middle. So that is what the parties are doing.

Moderate Dems and Moderate Republicans were shown the door by and large.

I don’t agree with it by the way; I think the winning position is slightly left of center but this is the political reality.

Moderates in the Republican party have been attacked by many in the right wing media. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others.Even being called names such as Rhino's & Establishment Republicans often.

Moderates in the Democrat party have been referred to the left wing as too conservative.

But again moderates are the majority of both Party's & they made a statement on Tuesday night as evidenced by the results. Liberal Democrats can't win in Republican districts, but moderate Democrats can. That's exactly what happened & is currently happening as the votes haven't all been counted and there are still 5 where Democrats are leading.

The lesson for moderate Republicans is you can't trust the right wing to choose your candidates for you. This includes local races also. Donald Trump is the reason for Tuesday night. We now have a Democrat woman as Governor of KANSAS, (of all places!)-because the prior Republican governor kept talking about all the illegals that voted, how our elections are rigged--& KANSAS republicans kicked his Ass to the curb, and that's the POWER of moderate Republicans when you piss them off.

Moderate Democrats were winning all of the special elections prior to the midterm also.

 

[candycorn]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

The voters came out this year--estimates are 100 million cast a vote in this midterm, and the results show exactly what happens when they vote.

Yes…and that is Vast ambiguity. Candidates do matter. But if you don’t win, you can’t govern. It’s much easier to excite the ends than convince a non-believer in the middle. So that is what the parties are doing.

Moderate Dems and Moderate Republicans were shown the door by and large.

I don’t agree with it by the way; I think the winning position is slightly left of center but this is the political reality.

Moderates in the Republican party have been attacked by many in the right wing media. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others.Even being called names such as Rhino's & Establishment Republicans often.

Moderates in the Democrat party have been referred to the left wing as too conservative.

But again moderates are the majority of both Party's they made a statement on Tuesday night as evidenced by the results. Liberal Democrats can't win in Republican districts, but moderate Democrats can. That's exactly what happened & is currently happening as the votes haven't all been counted and there are still 5 where Democrats are leading.

The lesson for Republicans is you can't trust the right wing to choose your candidates for you. Donald Trump is the reason for Tuesday night. We now have a Democrat woman as Governor of KANSAS--because the prior Republican governor kept talking about all the illegals that voted, how our elections are rigged--& KANSAS republicans kicked his Ass to the curb, and that's the POWER of moderate Republicans when you piss them off.

Moderate Democrats were winning all of the special elections prior to the midterm also.

You make a good point. However the fact remains that if you can appeal to the middle great. It’s easier to rally the non-voting base than it is to rally the disinterested middle. Like when you have iced tea and put in a sweetener. Some of it sinks to the bottom despite how much you stir. When you want sweeter tea, you can stir up the parts at the bottom or add more sweetener (if you have it). It’s easier and cheaper to stir the tea.

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center. It's not a place where you can run a liberal Democrat in a Republican district and expect to win, or a right wing Republican can hold a seat with Trump at the helm & or fighting a battle with a good moderate Democrat.

Seems that the inverse is true for the major parties.

It’s easier to energize the hard left/hard right than it is to energize someone who doesn’t feel strongly about what your party believes in.

That being said, candidates matter but what matters more is getting out your voters.

The voters came out this year--estimates are 100 million cast a vote in this midterm, and the results show exactly what happens when they vote.

Yes…and that is Vast ambiguity. Candidates do matter. But if you don’t win, you can’t govern. It’s much easier to excite the ends than convince a non-believer in the middle. So that is what the parties are doing.

Moderate Dems and Moderate Republicans were shown the door by and large.

I don’t agree with it by the way; I think the winning position is slightly left of center but this is the political reality.

Moderates in the Republican party have been attacked by many in the right wing media. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others.Even being called names such as Rhino's & Establishment Republicans often.

Moderates in the Democrat party have been referred to the left wing as too conservative.

But again moderates are the majority of both Party's they made a statement on Tuesday night as evidenced by the results. Liberal Democrats can't win in Republican districts, but moderate Democrats can. That's exactly what happened & is currently happening as the votes haven't all been counted and there are still 5 where Democrats are leading.

The lesson for Republicans is you can't trust the right wing to choose your candidates for you. Donald Trump is the reason for Tuesday night. We now have a Democrat woman as Governor of KANSAS--because the prior Republican governor kept talking about all the illegals that voted, how our elections are rigged--& KANSAS republicans kicked his Ass to the curb, and that's the POWER of moderate Republicans when you piss them off.

Moderate Democrats were winning all of the special elections prior to the midterm also.

You make a good point. However the fact remains that if you can appeal to the middle great. It’s easier to rally the non-voting base than it is to rally the disinterested middle. Like when you have iced tea and put in a sweetener. Some of it sinks to the bottom despite how much you stir. When you want sweeter tea, you can stir up the parts at the bottom or add more sweetener (if you have it). It’s easier and cheaper to stir the tea.

Trump attracted a lot of people who had never voted in their lives. We know that for a fact. But at the same time he woke up a sleeping giant in this country. Hopefully the ones who voted in this midterm are now interested and realize how much their votes can make a difference, and will be active members of the voting booths in the future.

The 2018 midterm beat the participation in the 2014 midterm by 3 times. They're estimating that 100 million people voted this year--which for a midterm is fantastic. Some areas like Georgia were getting Presidential turnouts.

 

[Sun Devil 92]

Good discussion.

Not sure how this group will be judged. They won't get much done, given the split in congress.

 

[Mac1958]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

Exactly but I think we're seeing the rise of the Blue dog Democrats--the JFK's of the party that may set a standard for getting back to middle ground where once long ago Democrats and Republicans could actually work together to get things done for the American public.

Moderates are the majorities of both party's, and they certainly rang a bell on Tuesday night.

Oh, holy hell, I hope you're right about the Blue Dogs.
.

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

Exactly but I think we're seeing the rise of the Blue dog Democrats--the JFK's of the party that may set a standard for getting back to middle ground where once long ago Democrats and Republicans could actually work together to get things done for the American public.

Moderates are the majorities of both party's, and they certainly rang a bell on Tuesday night.

Oh, holy hell, I hope you're right about the Blue Dogs.
.

Just judging from the special elections over the last two years, and this midterm it's evident that the Blue Dog's (moderate Democrats) are the ones that are winning and the ones who can appeal to both sides, which is making them winners, even in predominately Republican districts.

 

[Mac1958]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

Exactly but I think we're seeing the rise of the Blue dog Democrats--the JFK's of the party that may set a standard for getting back to middle ground where once long ago Democrats and Republicans could actually work together to get things done for the American public.

Moderates are the majorities of both party's, and they certainly rang a bell on Tuesday night.

Oh, holy hell, I hope you're right about the Blue Dogs.
.

Just judging from the special elections over the last two years, and this midterm it's evident that the Blue Dog's (moderate Democrats) are the ones that are winning and the ones who can appeal to both sides, which is making them winners, even in predominately Republican districts.

That would be great. My concern right now is that we'll once again swing too far in the opposite direction.
.

 

[oreo]

We can only hope that a lesson was learned from Tuesday night. That this country is center and it will remain center.

Yep. And isn't it ironic that, at the same time, both parties are controlled by their fundamentalists?

Both ends want to think that moderate Americans are the exception, that they're flawed, and they attack them as they would an enemy.

The fundies are NARCISSISTIC and DELUSIONAL. They are THE PROBLEM.
.

Exactly but I think we're seeing the rise of the Blue dog Democrats--the JFK's of the party that may set a standard for getting back to middle ground where once long ago Democrats and Republicans could actually work together to get things done for the American public.

Moderates are the majorities of both party's, and they certainly rang a bell on Tuesday night.

Oh, holy hell, I hope you're right about the Blue Dogs.
.

Just judging from the special elections over the last two years, and this midterm it's evident that the Blue Dog's (moderate Democrats) are the ones that are winning and the ones who can appeal to both sides, which is making them winners, even in predominately Republican districts.

That would be great. My concern right now is that we'll once again swing too far in the opposite direction.
.

That's always a concern, but so far we haven't seen that happen. I think moderates have realized they have to take this country back from the right & left wings of both parties.

 

[Slade3200]

Bro Ted Cruz is BORING, possibly the most boring speaking style in all of politics. I'm not surprised he had to fight to keep his seat.

Bro, Ted Cruz was the runner up in the Republican Primary! He very well could of been the Republican nominee if Trump didn’t run. That’s a little bit of crazy, scary, and sad. I agree with the OP. You wingnuts need to go