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[Diablos]

Scott walker

Walker, Chrisite, Haley, Bush, Kasich, Rubio, Martinez.
They have a lot of people.

Democrats have Hillary and no one else.

If the GOP keeps gaining traction and Obama's poll numbers keep falling, Dems are in trouble.

Fuck the DNC for apparently jumping into a time warp that goes to pre-2006, pissing away all the sensible shit they did to gain votes in the past 8 years.

 

[Ecotic]

She's too ambitious to give up. I think we'll see a revival of centrist Clintonite candidates unfortunately, waiting to ride her coat tails.

The party is in shambles, the Obama era is over. Get ready for DAemocrat Leadership Council type bullshit again, fellas.

This is precisely what I'm afraid of. Democrats don't have the House, Senate, the majority of the Governorships or the State Legislatures, and so they'll take away from tonight that they have go back to Clinton triangulation.

Diablos nailed it, Democrats underperformed tonight due to a Prisoner's Dilemma. They didn't stick together even though it was in their rational interests to do so. Had they all acted proud to be Democrats and stuck up for their party's record maybe more of the country would've believed them. Instead they all ran around like headless chickens until they all fell dead.

If Democrats want to win in 2016 they need to rekindle the excitement to be a Democrat again. Warren can do that. Hillary is just a talentless gaffe machine whose ground down the American populace over 25 years into accepting that she's not going away.

 

[neurosisxeno]

Can a mod go ahead and change the title?

I'm thinking

PoliGAF 2014 |OT2| You are already Kay Hagan

PoliGAF 2014 |OT2| The Red Wedding

 

[Opiate]

The notion that this is some calamitous disaster for the Democratic party seems overblown to me.

On the other hand, I think the forecast of the impending demise of the Republican party looks very tenuous right now. I'm not saying it could never happen; I'm just saying it's like inflation. You can keep forecasting forever -- even in times when inflation is tiny, or when the Republican party has a huge win -- and eventually you'll be right, because at some point the Republican party will have huge losses, and at some point there will be enormous inflation.

I am no longer remotely confident that time is imminent.

 

[B-Dubs]

PoliGAF 2014 |OT2| The Red Election

I like it, but I think it was too on the nose. Maybe this?

 

[Diablos]

This is precisely what I'm afraid of. Democrats don't have the House, Senate, the majority of the Governorships or the State Legislatures, and so they'll take away from tonight that they have go back to Clinton triangulation.

Diablos nailed it, Democrats underperformed tonight due to a Prisoner's Dilemma. They didn't stick together even though it was in their rational interests to do so. Had they all acted proud to be Democrats and stuck up for their party's record maybe more of the country would've believed them. Instead they all ran around like headless chickens until they all fell dead.

If Democrats want to win in 2016 they need to rekindle the excitement to be a Democrat again. Warren can do that. Hillary is just a talentless gaffe machine whose ground down the American populace over 25 years into accepting that she's not going away.

I agree with everything except the Warren part. Love or hate her, Hillary is the only Democrat who can win. I love Warren but she would not be able to do it, not with what we just saw happen. The Clintons are probably wondering where the fuck they go from here in terms of campaigning.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Does that even matter? Look at what happened tonight.

Yeah, it does. See 1996.

 

[benjipwns]

Democrats have Hillary and no one else.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

PoliGAF 2014 |OT2| Red October

Spoiler

Which took place in November just like the real Red October.

 

[benjipwns]

The Clintons are probably wondering where the fuck they go from here in terms of campaigning.

They already know. They were co-President during 1994.

 

[Diablos]

Yeah, it does. See 1996.

What about it?

Any election where you lose Mass. and MD, possibly CO and even if it's held, that the margins are so close (likewise for VA Senate, NH too), tells me the Democratic voter base is turned off and I don't know how we crawl out of this hole in a short two years.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Man democrats would be in so much better shape if Hillary had won in 2008. She'd be swamped today too, but the party wouldn't be completely imploding. And more importantly Srnator Obama would be poised for 2016 with an "I told you so" campaign, and some actual experience.

 

[Black Mamba]

Walker, Chrisite, Haley, Bush, Kasich, Rubio, Martinez.
They have a lot of people.

Democrats have Hillary and no one else.

If the GOP keeps gaining traction and Obama's poll numbers keep falling, Dems are in trouble.

Fuck the DNC for apparently jumping into a time warp pre-2006, pissing away all the sensible shit you did to gain votes in the past 8 years.

Ah, this is the Diablos I need.

No, because Dems turnout in the Presidential election. And the white vote will recover enough.

Turnout is the issue. Look at NC. Roughly 8% increase in turnout from 2010. Factor in population increase and increased number in voting eligible population (more people turning 18 than dying) and the turnout gains are garbage.

In 2012 it was 4.5 million.


Dems don't vote unless they're excited to vote. They're always excited for a President.

The pendulum will swing back in 2016. I guarantee it.

 

[benjipwns]

What about it?

Any election where you lose Mass. and MD, possibly CO and even if it's held, that the margins are so close (likewise for VA Senate, NH too), tells me the Democratic voter base is turned off and I don't know how we crawl out of this hole in a short two years.

2006.

Are we already forgetting the Permanent Republican Majority that was elected in 2004?

 

[ivysaur12]

At least Aaron Schock responded to my direct message on Instagram congratulating him on a win, and yes that's correct.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Walker, Chrisite, Haley, Bush, Kasich, Rubio, Martinez.
They have a lot of people.

And none of those people are Obama.

 

[Diablos]

Man democrats would be in so much better shape if Hillary had won in 2008. She'd be swamped today too, but the party wouldn't be completely imploding . And more importantly Srnator Obama would be poised for 2016 with an "I told you so" campaign, and some actual experience.

Obama would have got bogged down in Senate nuance and dirty IL politics... 2008 was the right time.

And none of those people are Obama.

Obama won't run in 2016. Some of these people could prove to be formidable candidates, even against the Clintons.

 

[stonesak]

Ah, this is the Diablos I need.

No, because Dems turnout in the Presidential election. And the white vote will recover enough.

Turnout is the issue. Look at NC. Roughly 8% increase in turnout from 2010. Factor in population increase and increased number in voting eligible population (more people turning 18 than dying) and the turnout gains are garbage.

In 2012 it was 4.5 million.


Dems don't vote unless they're excited to vote. They're always excited for a President.

The pendulum will swing back in 2016. I guarantee it.

Were democrats really that excited for Gore or Kerry?

 

[Aaron Strife]

Democrats hold MN-8

 

[JesseEwiak]

2006.

Are we already forgetting the Permanent Republican Majority that was elected in 2004?

For once, me and the crazy libertarian agree.

This was a bad midterm. But, every President who doesn't get impeached while having the best economy in 40 years has a bad midterm.

We just have to come to a fundamental truth - there are two different electorates. A midterm and a Presidential electorate. At least for the time being.

 

[B-Dubs]

I'm gonna miss him when he's gone.

Apparently he told a story on the radio about how when he was a kid he broke into the science lab where they had fermented brains in jars. I hear this and all I can think is, "yea, sounds like Biden."

 

[benjipwns]

At least Aaron Schock responded to my direct message on Instagram congratulating him on a win, and yes that's correct.

Was the response anything like this?

 

[Black Mamba]

Man democrats would be in so much better shape if Hillary had won in 2008. She'd be swamped today too, but the party wouldn't be completely imploding. And more importantly Srnator Obama would be poised for 2016 with an "I told you so" campaign, and some actual experience.

The party isn't imploding. It's a 6th year midterm. The GOP managed to successfully fuck the recovery up which will always go against the President.

It would have happened to Hillary, too. We'd be in the same exact spot.

I've said it before and I will repeat it. The GOP is unelectable in Presidential elections but as an actual party it will bleed slowly unless it decides to reform or split from itself.


This isn't all roses for the GOP in the Senate. The GOP now has full control of the Congress. If it can't pass any bills other than Obamacare repeals, it will be looked upon poorly. The one issue is Boehner has more leiway now with more GOPers in the House but McConnell has a slim majority and to beat the filibuster he needs Democrat votes.


The truth is that the problem doesn't like as much with the party as it does with the electorate. The majority of people are not smart enough to give an informed vote and so you end up with people who believe the President controls gas prices and the economy casting votes.

Were democrats really that excited for Gore or Kerry?

Not Obama excited but I mean they do turn out to vote. And since then there are more Democrats than Republicans. But they don't care about off-years unless the GOP President is a colossal fuckup (Bush and Iraq).

 

[ivysaur12]

Was the response anything like this?

Life doesn't have airbrushing, benji.

 

[neurosisxeno]

Walker, Chrisite, Haley, Bush, Kasich, Rubio, Martinez.
They have a lot of people.

Democrats have Hillary and no one else.

Warren, Sanders, Gillibrand, Uncle Joe, Cuomo, Warner, and various former Senators and Governors could all be poised to make a solid run. I don't even want to hear they don't stand a chance, because if you insinuate the general public would vote for Chris Christie or fucking Marco Rubio over Hillary Clinton but they wouldn't give someone like Bernie Sanders a shot, you're insane.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Man democrats would be in so much better shape if Hillary had won in 2008. She'd be swamped today too, but the party wouldn't be completely imploding. And more importantly Srnator Obama would be poised for 2016 with an "I told you so" campaign, and some actual experience.

He'd have experience being a Senator, but I'm not convinced that's good experience to be a President. A governorship much more so.

At any rate, in Oregon Dems increased their margins in both the state House and Senate, swept state wide offices, and we legalized pot. I expected the national results so I'm actually pretty happy right now since I wasn't sure how things would go here. The state level stuff will actually impact me more so than the national, which was already in gridlock anyways. I'm feeling kinda selfish/sheltered from tonight's fallout, thank goodness.

 

[Averon]

Minimum wage was one of the easiest issues Dems could have run on. A bunch of minimum wage ballots passed even in this bloody red electorate tonight. It is an issue that cross party lines as seen tonight. It is easy to campaign on and frame.

But the Dems did nothing with it. It may not have saved them the Senate, but it could have helped in some close races like in MA, FL, and IL.

Bloody frustrating.

 

[benjipwns]

The Democrats had an unfavorable map with an unfavorable President and an unfavorable Congress, of course they were going to lose seats.

The more shocking thing is that the Republicans almost swept the Governorships.

Warren, Sanders, Gillibrand, Uncle Joe, Cuomo, Warner, and various former Senators and Governors could all be poised to make a solid run. I don't even want to hear they don't stand a chance, because if you insinuate the general public would vote for Chris Christie or fucking Marco Rubio over Hillary Clinton but they wouldn't give someone like Bernie Sanders a shot, you're insane.

It's not the general election that's the problem.

 

[Black Mamba]

Minimum wage was one of the easiest issues Dems could have run on. A bunch of minimum wage ballots passed even in this bloody red electorate tonight. It is an issue that cross party lines as seen tonight. It is easy to campaign on and frame.

But the Dems did nothing with it. It may not have saved them the Senate, but it could have helped in some close races like in MA, FL, and IL.

Bloody frustrating.

Yup, I agree. The American people at large support the overall Democrat policy agenda. Why they always run away from it is infuriating.

Run on lower sales taxes and higher income taxes on the wealthy. Run on minimum wage. run on medicaid expansion and earlier medicare and SS expansion and all of that.

Also lol @ those idiot Senators that voted down gun control like Pryor. All the good it did him. Vote with your convictions and if that isn't good then sobeit. Stand for something. That's how you win elections.

The more shocking thing is that the Republicans almost swept the Governorships.

Yeah, only Hagan's seat surprised me a bit.

But the Governor thing was annoying. A few should have been Dem pickups. Sigh. Kansas would have been sweet.

 

[B-Dubs]

Warren, Sanders, Gillibrand, Uncle Joe, Cuomo, Warner, and various former Senators and Governors could all be poised to make a solid run. I don't even want to hear they don't stand a chance, because if you insinuate the general public would vote for Chris Christie or fucking Marco Rubio over Hillary Clinton but they wouldn't give someone like Bernie Sanders a shot, you're insane.

Gillibrand could make a pretty good run. I was down on her at first, but if she ran I think I could vote for her without a second thought.

That said Dems easily win the policy battle, why they run away from their own policies, which we are shown time and again are popular, is beyond me. It's like an ice cream truck deciding to sell dogshit and wondering where all the customers went.

 

[thepotatoman]

Like other's have said, Democrats can't rely on the youth and minority vote if they keep running away from everything minorities and young people care about. They started talking about minimum wage and immigration, but they like completely dropped it in the last couple months. They gave Ferguson a grand total of one wishy washy speech and then pretend it never happened. And they wont even say a single word about the war on drugs or single payer health care.

Guess what, that "both sides are the same" stuff isn't just something that's happening on Neogaf and Reddit. That's happening absolutely everywhere and it's a huge problem for the democrats, at least in the midterms.

Democrats do have a lot of good bills put on the senate floor, but they're all so freaking small that they are easy to ignore. You're basically voting on something that has no chance of passing, and all you can point to is the bill that raises the statute of limitations on equal-pay lawsuits? I mean that's a damn good thing, and I wish no offense to anyone that would be greatly helped by that act. But lets be honest here, it's still fixing a relatively minor problem compared to the huge problems facing the country.

You can't reasonably counter someone thinking both sides are legitimately evil and corrupt with legislation that does make common sense but doesn't really change a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

Right now the ball's probably mostly in the Republican's court, and they need to prove they can pass popular legislation that people actually care about. That's obviously not obamacare repeals (unpopular when looking at both repeal approval ratings and republican healthcare approval ratings) or keystone pipeline (which nobody actually cares about). I think we all know that Republicans are going to fall flat on their face and prove they can't govern.

The question is what will democrats do once the ball is back in their court, or are we going to keep going back and forth every 2 damn years about the lesser of two evils until the end of time?

CNN has had some pundits blame the dem's lack of focus on things like inequality and imigration and furguson, and some pundits blame Ebola and ISIS. One of those groups of things correlates to the demographic that Dems keep losing in the midterms, and one of those groups of things correlates to the demographic that watches a news network with a median age over 60. I wonder which side Democrats choose to focus on as there's time to digest this unexpected event.

 

[ivysaur12]

The Democrats had an unfavorable map with an unfavorable President and an unfavorable Congress, of course they were going to lose seats.

The more shocking thing is that the Republicans almost swept the Governorships

Yup. The Senate isn't really that surprising and winning it doesn't really seem like it would be a referendum on Democrats since it's a shitty map.

The governorships, though? Oh boy.

 

[Ecotic]

The Clintons are probably wondering where the fuck they go from here in terms of campaigning.

Wherever they go in terms of campaigning I'm sure they'll be heading in the wrong direction. Hillary thought the best use of her time up until the last minute was a 15th or so trip to stump for always doomed candidate Allison Grimes. If she had spent as much time with Kay Hagan as she did with Grimes then Hagan might have squeaked by.

I'm sure her 2016 strategy will be as brilliant as her 2008 idea to focus on proportional big 10 States and to hell with all the rest. Maybe she'll talk up her economic expertise by telling everyone about how she went from dead broke to making $250,000 a speech.

 

[Diablos]

We just have to come to a fundamental truth - there are two different electorates. A midterm and a Presidential electorate. At least for the time being.

We have to HOPE that is the case and tonight doesn't really mean there is a growing hunger for GOP everything out of the electorate. Because...

The more shocking thing is that the Republicans almost swept the Governorships.

This was completely unexpected. This should not have happened.

 

[ivysaur12]

The question is what will democrats do once the ball is back in their court, or are we going to keep going back and forth every 2 damn years about the lesser of two evils until the end of time?

Honestly? Probably.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

We have to HOPE that is the case and tonight doesn't really mean there is a growing hunger for GOP everything out of the electorate. Because...


This was completely unexpected. This should not have happened.

Well has there been any sign that's not the case? Is turnout any higher? Is the electorate any less old and white?

It's not exactly surprising a lot of these candidates were winning the RV polls but losing the LV polls.

 

[B-Dubs]

We have to HOPE that is the case and tonight doesn't really mean there is a growing hunger for GOP everything out of the electorate. Because...


This was completely unexpected. This should not have happened.

We saw a very low turnout tonight, we know that low turnout only benefits the GOP. Combine that with the Dems running the worst campaigns ever, for real who runs away from popular policies, and it's no wonder what happened. Plus you've got shit like ebola and ISIS getting everyone all panicked and the GOP pouncing on those fears.

 

[JesseEwiak]

He'd have experience being a Senator, but I'm not convinced that's good experience to be a President. A governorship much more so.

At any rate, in Oregon Dems increased their margins in both the state House and Senate, swept state wide offices, and we legalized pot. I expected the national results so I'm actually pretty happy right now since I wasn't sure how things would go here. The state level stuff will actually impact me more so than the national, which was already in gridlock anyways. I'm feeling kinda selfish/sheltered from tonight's fallout, thank goodness.

Yup. Here in Seattle, we passed background checks, universal pre-K, and expanded bus service. GOP still hold the State Senate, but it's still not too terrible.

So, Cascadia time? Maybe ask for permission to join Canada?

 

[thepotatoman]

Honestly? Probably.

And watch as turnout creeps down to below 10% as all the people that do still vote die of old age?

 

[neurosisxeno]

The Democrats had an unfavorable map with an unfavorable President and an unfavorable Congress, of course they were going to lose seats.

The more shocking thing is that the Republicans almost swept the Governorships.

It's not the general election that's the problem.

That is pretty much all true. Even in my home state, Shumlin was polling like 10 points ahead of Milne with easily 50%+ of the vote, and is now sitting 2% up waiting on the legislature to tell him he won.

Gillibrand could make a pretty good run. I was down on her at first, but if she ran I think I could vote for her without a second thought.

That said Dems easily win the policy battle, why they run away from their own policies, which we are shown time and again are popular, is beyond me. It's like an ice cream truck deciding to sell dogshit and wondering where all the customers went.

I think Gillibrand is enough of a Blue Dog with streaks of Progressive aspirations to capture the necessary votes, and people really want to get a woman in office now. Most of the Republicans people consider top tier candidates are pretty shit if you try and put them on the National Stage, it's the reason Mitt Romney was clearly going to win last time around. Also, omitting Paul from the list but including people like Haley and Rubio is borderline criminal.

I can't quite figure out why Dem's keep back tracking on their policy achievements. It's not even like people generally vocally dislike their core beliefs, they just seem to not give a shit about their core and would rather for some reason try and convert Conservatives who are displeased with the Republicans. That won't work. Looking at exit poll data and the provisions across various states, a majority of the country is alright with -- Lowering Drug-related Sentences, Decriminalizing Marijuana (at least for medical purposes), Sensible tax increases, Denying life at conception, Approving a pathway to citizenship over deportation, and several other key things that Democrats could sink their teeth into. Instead, they decide to spend the entire campaign pretending they hate Obama and that he really is the devil in a suit.

 

[wsoxfan1214]

Great. Rauner is going to be so fucking shit.

Fuck off, Illinois.

 

[neurosisxeno]

Great. Rauner is going to be so fucking shit.

Fuck off, Illinois.

Didn't their Governor get voted out, marking it the first time in 10 years someone wasn't literally thrown out of the position by the Police?

 

[Black Mamba]

We have to HOPE that is the case and tonight doesn't really mean there is a growing hunger for GOP everything out of the electorate. Because...


This was completely unexpected. This should not have happened.

Growing hunger for GOP where? The GOP candidate in NC got less votes than in 2010.

In Iowa, Ernst will have over 100k less votes than Grassley in 2010.

Same goes for Georgia 2014 vs 2012.

Same in Kansas!


I know people are going to talk about a "GOP Wave" and shit but the truth is it's not a GOP wave. It's a Democrat void.

Turnout is higher because more Dems voted but not enough more. GOP could lose votes and still win. The country is voting less for the GOP today than 4 years ago. But Democrats are not turning out to vote in numbers needed. This doesn't happen in 2016.

 

[benjipwns]

We saw a very low turnout tonight, we know that low turnout only benefits the GOP. Combine that with the Dems running the worst campaigns ever, for real who runs away from popular policies, and it's no wonder what happened. Plus you've got shit like ebola and ISIS getting everyone all panicked and the GOP pouncing on those fears.

But this doesn't help to explain the Governorships as well.

I mean Kasich and Walker were thought to be dead two years ago, Kasich vaporized Fitzgerald and Walker won by the same amount as his previous two elections. Walker even got more votes than he had in 2010.

Rick Scott did better this year than he did in 2010. Nikki Haley's rematch was a landslide. LePage and Baker both improved their performances over 2010. Abbott outdid Perry.

 

[neurosisxeno]

I imagine any Democrat using this mid-term election as a playbook for 2016 and running entirely on decriminalizing Marijuana and raising the Minimum Wage. Those two things were overwhelmingly supported this election. Take note Democrats, stop playing the "I'm not Obama" card and grow a pair.

 

[Black Mamba]

But this doesn't help to explain the Governorships as well.

I mean Kasich and Walker were thought to be dead two years ago, Kasich vaporized Fitzgerald and Walker won by the same amount as his previous two elections. Walker even got more votes than he had in 2010.

Rick Scott did better this year than he did in 2010. Nikki Haley's rematch was a landslide. LePage and Baker both improved their performances over 2010. Abbott outdid Perry.

Kasich was the first to embrace the ACA, he's real popular there. Also he embraced the auto-bailout. In terms of policy people actually understand, he's the most moderate GOP guy out there.

Governor elections will have more turnout than a Senate election always.


Florida has actually had a large population boom since 2010 so their turnout, in terms of percentage, may actually be down.

Honestly, Abbott outdoing Perry probably has to do with it being seen as a "close" election. When your guy wins in a landslide no one thinks is in play, less people vote. For example, I bet Jerry Brown's vote totals go down this year compared to 2010. No one even knows who ran against him this year compared to Meg Whitman back then.

Etc.

The truth is, when you break down the numbers, in most cases turnout for the GOP wasn't up and the Dems simply didn't come out enough. Again.

 

[B-Dubs]

The truth is, when you break down the numbers, in most cases turnout for the GOP wasn't up and the Dems simply didn't come out enough. Again.

Shocker. Maybe if Dems didn't run from winning positions like a bunch of morons it would turn out differently.

 

[Wall]

But this doesn't help to explain the Governorships as well.

I mean Kasich and Walker were thought to be dead two years ago, Kasich vaporized Fitzgerald and Walker won by the same amount as his previous two elections. Walker even got more votes than he had in 2010.

Rick Scott did better this year than he did in 2010. Nikki Haley's rematch was a landslide. LePage and Baker both improved their performances over 2010. Abbott outdid Perry.

Well, I think the Democratic candidate in Ohio was either caught drunk driving or without his license in the back seat of car with a car with a woman who was not his wife ..... so yeah. His campaign has been dead in the water for awhile. Plus, Kaisch was smart enough to make gestures towards moderation after he got slapped down over some issues.

Wisconsin I get the feeling is always going to be tough to win for Democrats. I get the feeling that Democratic fatigue and Burke not being a very inspiring candidate hurt them.

I'm not sure about the about the other states. I know that Pennsylvania just declined to reelect a governor for the first time in I think a century (not sure the exact length). I've said here in the past: Tom Wolf ran a superb campaign from the primaries onward. He presented himself as a progressive business owner in the primaries and attacked Corbett over education cuts, property tax increases, and failures to tax natural gas drillers. Wolf put forward a consistent position of himself both as a person and a candidate, and it paid off.

l would contrast the Wolf campaign with the rudderless messaging and direction of the rest of the Democratic party. Of course, the honeymoon will be short because the Republicans still control both houses of the state legislature, so he won't be able to get his agenda passed, but that is a matter for another day.

Edit: Thepotatoman expresses my greatest fear regarding Hillary below. I am afraid that she, and other Democratic leaders, will take from this election the need to triangulate. I'm really afraid that that, in running after the elderly white person vote that her husband tailored his message to in the 1990's and she tailored her message to in the primary campaign, she will alienate young people and other groups that Obama brought to the table over issues like majarijuna legalization, prison reform, and general hawkishness over foreign policy.

Even if she doesn't so these things, I am not sold on her ability as a campaigner, or, frankly, as a leader. Her husband was basically able to govern on easy mode in the 1990's because of the tech boom and the fed retaining the ability to stimulate the economy through interest rates cuts. Economic conditions will likely remain poor because the political will does not exist to take measures to actually fix the economy, so she'll be governing in conditions that her husband never faced.

 

[thepotatoman]

Growing hunger for GOP where? The GOP candidate in NC got less votes than in 2010.

In Iowa, Ernst will have over 100k less votes than Grassley in 2010.

Same goes for Georgia 2014 vs 2012.

Same in Kansas!


I know people are going to talk about a "GOP Wave" and shit but the truth is it's not a GOP wave. It's a Democrat void.

Turnout is higher because more Dems voted but not enough more. GOP could lose votes and still win. The country is voting less for the GOP today than 4 years ago. But Democrats are not turning out to vote in numbers needed. This doesn't happen in 2016.

Well, we can't completely discount the possibility of a democrat void in 2016. In many ways Hilary is a much worse candidate than Obama is. She has a history of taking centrist platforms and making really dumb statements, and her very long history in the established government and the inevitability around her nomination doesn't really inspire hope and change like Obama does.

Not saying we should panic about it or expect it, but we do need to be aware of it as a very real possibility. Sure Hillary is doing great in the polls now, but 2014 had the dems doing great in polls too, until the likely voter screens started really coming into effect.

Personally I find more hope for 2016 in the likelihood of a republican screw ups with their new found power and clown car of candidates, than I do in the increased turnout.

 

[Black Mamba]

Shocker. Maybe if Dems didn't run from winning positions like a bunch of morons it would turn out differently.

Looks like Maryland will have another 100k less votes than 2010, too.

Maybe 200k in Mass. And in Illinois.

Wisconsin seems to be one that went up, but not significantly so with population gains factored in.

There truly aren't more GOP voters than 2010.

What's sad is that governor election are so predominantly not on Presidential years...

Well, we can't completely discount the possibility of a democrat void in 2016. In many ways Hilary is a much worse candidate than Obama is. She has a history of taking centrist platforms and making really dumb statements, and her very long history in the established government and the inevitability around her nomination doesn't really inspire hope and change like Obama does.

Not saying we should panic about it or expect it, but we do need to be aware of it as a very real possibility. Sure Hillary is doing great in the polls now, but 2014 had the dems doing great in polls too, until the likely voter screens started really coming into effect.

Personally I find more hope for 2016 in the likelihood of a republican screw ups with their new found power and clown car of candidates, than I do in the increased turnout.

Gore won the popular vote in 2000 with a far far less favorable map. I'm not worried.

It's about turnout and nothing else. There are a lot more democrats than republicans in the US. More people vote, the more democrats win. It's that simple.