Election 2009 roundup

[Cail]

So both New Jersey and Virginia (both states who helped elect Obama) now have Republican governors. In order to mitigate these victories, the GOP decided to go completely insane in upstate New York, and a Democrat won a seat held by Republicans since the time of Methuselah. And the people of Maine voted to strike down gay marriage. , but also voted to legalize medical ganja.

Thoughts?

[Orlion]

IMO, serves the republicans right that they lost the election in New York. I mean, seriously Palin? You think that what you think matters? Sucks about Maine, but on the bright side, soon they'll be casinos in Ohio!

[Cybrweez]

In NY, there was no Republican running, so not surprising they lost. None was running b/c they backed a Democrat in disguise. So I don't know what that says about much.

In VA, it was a bloodbath. In NJ, a bit closer, but when you consider Corzine spent a lot more (altho spending it on ads attacking Christie's weight probably not money wisely spent) and had Obama here twice in week leading up and still lost, in a heavily Dem state, might be signs of things to come.

[Orlion]

It could also mean that we (the voters) don't like being told who to vote for, be it by Palin or Obama

[DukkhaWaynhim]

All this could also mean that the best candidate might still win, regardless of political affiliation, party pandering, party politics/hijinks, and other partisan distraction-fest from allowing the best candidate to simply win.

So, the fact that a Republican got Virginia... does this somehow validate Palin's 'sway' as bearer of more political mojo than Obama? Hmmm... I wonder if Fox News has an opinion?

dw

dw

[Cail]

I don't think it's got any more to do with Palin than the New York vote was a repudiation of Palin.

I'd like to think that the best candidates won, but after listening to 3 months of really nasty Virginia campaign ads, I'm just glad it's over.

[Avatar]

And the people of Maine voted to strike down gay marriage. , but also voted to legalize medical ganja.

Are they wanna be conservatives, or wannabe liberals?

--A

[DukkhaWaynhim]

And the people of Maine voted to strike down gay marriage. , but also voted to legalize medical ganja.

Are they wanna be conservatives, or wannabe liberals?

--A

Definitely a right-wing conspiracy to ban gay marriage and prevent the hippies from attending future elections by letting them toke themselves silly.

dw

[Zarathustra]

When you look at the numbers of the NY race, more people voted for either a Republican (well, RINO) or a conservative, than voted for a Democrat. If the RINO in question (who took $900,000 from the Republican Party, then quit "for the benefit of the party," and then endorsed another party) hadn't still been on the ballot, it's quite possible that those votes would have gone to the Conservative Party (Hoffman). Likewise, if they had actually had a Republican primary, the RINO clearly would have never been selected, and the Republican Party would have gotten behind Hoffman, and he would have won. This was a botched campaign, not a defeat for conservativism.

[Tjol]

So far anyways, Obama's influence in campaigning for the two governors, and not for the seat in New York, probably has any dems up for re-election running away from Obama's help, much like Gore was running away from Clinton's help during Gore's presidential campaign.

Palin, Thompson, etc. 's influence can mostly be seen in the New York race, not that the Democrat won, but that the GOP establishment candidate was not only exposed, but essentially forced out. Which is to say, the big government members of the GOP establishment (ala McCain, Powell, Snowe, Spectre...j/k) are not selling something that American conservatives want.

Maine was interesting enough, a lot of the comments I'm seeing suggest that civil unions, and the expansion of the civil union rights after that, is the best course to pursue for the legitimisation of same sex monogamy. Most people aren't interested in equivocating heterosexual and homosexual monogamy, nor equivocating the sexes for that matter with 'partner A' and 'partner B' revisions to marriage contracts.

[Rawedge Rim]

I'm hoping that the average voter in both Virginia and New Jersey were actually becoming concerned about a federal government about to spend them into the poor house, but I doubt it.

In New Jersey at least, the Democratic Governor held office while the state lost jobs, etc., while raising taxes like no tomorrow.

Virginia has always been a relatively Conservative state, and frankly I believe they were re-adjusting after an experiment with a Democratic Governor.

As for the Same-Sex Marriage referendum in Maine, I think this was more of a backlash against the "balls to the wall" push by those who support the legalization of Same-Sex marriage.

[Rawedge Rim]

on the subject of New York...

Jeez, let's see, Democratic candidate Owens runs against Repulican Scozzafava and conservative Hoffman.

Scozzafava withdraws and throws in with Owens and the Democrats win with a 49% to 46% edge. Scozzafava takes 6% of the vote. Take that 6% and give it to Hoffman, and all of the sudden its a 52% to 49% (not sure how you get to 101% of the votes, but I'm quoting figure from www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9BOGT ... _article=1)

[Cail]

Yup. I think there's certainly merit to the idea that some of those Scozzafava voters didn't realize their candidate had left the building.

I think the larger story here with all 3 races is that the voters tossed out the incumbent (or the incumbent party).

That makes me happy.

[Tjol]

Yup. I think there's certainly merit to the idea that some of those Scozzafava voters didn't realize their candidate had left the building.

I think the larger story here with all 3 races is that the voters tossed out the incumbent (or the incumbent party).

That makes me happy.

I fully agree. We have a local election happening in a couple weeks, and based on which candidates are endorsed by which incumbents, I'm even more of the conviction that incumbents have to go.

I don't expect people to cross party lines to remove incumbents, but they need to be involved in the primaries.

If your local politician has been in office for six years, and things have gotten worse, I'm prone to saying they carry some responsability, even if they made the right votes. Politicians are not only responsible for voting right, but for convincing their peers to vote right, in representing their constituents.

[sindatur]

In NY, there was no Republican running, so not surprising they lost. None was running b/c they backed a Democrat in disguise. So I don't know what that says about much.

In VA, it was a bloodbath. In NJ, a bit closer, but when you consider Corzine spent a lot more (altho spending it on ads attacking Christie's weight probably not money wisely spent) and had Obama here twice in week leading up and still lost, in a heavily Dem state, might be signs of things to come.

Strange that he had the time to spare to stump for a Governor, but, couldn't find the time to honor the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

[Cail]

Not to totally derail this, but it would appear that campaigning is an Obama strength. Actual leading, not so much.

[sindatur]

And the people of Maine voted to strike down gay marriage. , but also voted to legalize medical ganja.

Are they wanna be conservatives, or wannabe liberals?

--A

Conservatives as a group (not neccessarily Republicans) actually seem to be moving further towards acceptance of legalizing marijuana (and not just for medical use, but, also for private use to be taxed)

[Cybrweez]

Just read that in NY, the Reps first attacked Hoffman, along w/the Dem as well, until their horse dropped, at which time they supported Hoffman. I'm sure that botch job had something to do w/it too, to bad for Hoffman.

Remember there was a story about the town voting to remove party affliation from ballots? I see the importance now, as people voted for Republican even tho she had dropped out! And yes, I know the same would happen if it was a Democrat. That to me is very sad.

[Cail]

Remember there was a story about the town voting to remove party affliation from ballots? I see the importance now, as people voted for Republican even tho she had dropped out! And yes, I know the same would happen if it was a Democrat. That to me is very sad.

Yes, and if you recall, the Parties threw a fit over that (claimed racism I believe).

[kevinswatch]

I'm always pleased when people toss out incumbents.

I've gotten pretty tired of the amount of national coverage these three tiny races have gotten... Annoying talking heads on TV...

I'm mostly saddened by the Maine gay marriage vote... Oh well... Give it time...

-jay