2022 U.S. Congressional (and Other) Elections

[N.E. Brigand]

John Fetterman struggled with some words tonight -- as he said would happen right at the top of the debate -- but he never said anything as ridiculous as Mehmet Oz's statement that the decision to have an abortion should be made by a woman, her doctor, and "local political leaders."

Republicans have been arguing that Oz really just meant what the Supreme Court ruled: that each states should have the ability to legislate the status of abortion.

But setting aside how that allows states to decide that, for example, there should be no exception for rape or incest (something which Oz apparently believes but would never dare say directly), that's not what Oz said. He said:

"As a physician, I've been in the room when there's some difficult conversations happening. I don't want the federal government involved with that at all. I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, putting the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves."

He's talking about "difficult conversations" for which he, as a doctor, has been "in the room." He says that women and doctors should be part of that conversation. This is clearly in a medical setting, not in a legislative setting. So yes, the plain meaning of his words is that your mayor should be with you when you decide whether or not to terminate a pregnancy.

[N.E. Brigand]

Opening paragraphs of a new story in the New York Times:



Funny thing: Republicans lead in none of these four swing district races polls conducted by the Times.

Would that have been your guess based on the tone of those two paragraphs?

Also the article interviews eight voters: two Democrats and six Republicans.

None of this isn't to say that Republicans might not do very well in two weeks. But a lot of news articles seems to be going out of their way to help that happen.

[N.E. Brigand]

Funny thing: Republicans lead in none of these four swing district races polls conducted by the Times.

One of them, however, is tied, apparently because Democrats chose to redistrict one safe Democratic seat into two Democratic-leaning swing districts. So I just made a small donation to the incumbent Democratic Congresswoman, Dina Titus, of Nevada's first district.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Both polls conducted since the Pennsylvania senate debate have Oz up over Fetterman, one by 2 points and the other by 3 points. The previous 8 polls all had Fetterman ahead. Of the new polls, one of the polling services (Wick) previously had Oz ahead, but the other one, Insider Advantage, had Fetterman up in their previous poll. Too soon to panic, but not a good sign for this pivotal race.

[N.E. Brigand]

This image can be seen in a campaign ad for Kris Kobach, the Republican running to be Kansas's attorney general:



Why does Kobach want Tiger Woods put to death for driving under the influence?

[N.E. Brigand]

Video of RNC chair Ronna McDaniel at a rally for J.D. Vance this afternoon in which she said "Are you ready to fire Nancy Pelosi?"

Just hours after the attack on Pelosi's husband.

Why are so many Republicans so awful?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Pretty soon, 538 will have the GOP favored to win the Senate (it is currently 51-49 for the Dems).

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Maybe it will go the other way in the last week. Back to 52-48.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I'm just gonna leave this here.

[N.E. Brigand]

Fascinating profile in Slate of J.D. Vance, who in that reporter's analysis is going through a phase.

[Sunsilver]

Voronwë, who is that guy? I'd vote for him (thought he doesn't say if he's running, and that's a church pulpit, not a political rally.)

Edit: okay, found his name, he's Jamal Bryant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Harrison_Bryant He studied Political Science before he got his master's in theology, so obviously has a strong interest in politics.

Normally I'm against mixing politics and religion, but Walker and his party certainly deserves what he's saying.
Just finished watching the PBS special about music and the civil rights movement of the '60s - what those Freedom Marchers went through in the name of equality was heartbreaking!

I don't doubt some of Walker's friends want a return to those days!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Sunny, yes that is Rev. Jamal Bryant, a colleague of Rev. Raphael Warnock, the incumbent senator running against Hershel Walker.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

50/50 in the Senate now.

[Snowdog]

I kind of backed off following the lead-up to the mid-terms, but I take one look at what is going on now and one conversation with my little brother in Seattle, and I can confidently say that I think the USA is going to fvck themselves once again in 2022. I mean, the big fvck was 2016, and I seriously don't think the USA will ever recover from that. If these maga-esque election-denying clowns that are in serious contention for governerships and congressional and senate seats actually win, then it proves my point. Meanwhile, a heavily progressive-thinking guy like my brother is telling me he won't vote for any 'corporate' democrats because of what they did with Bernie Sanders in 2020 tells me that too many will put internal party politics ahead of what is good for the nation.

That said, I have voted in Washington State and my ballot has been verified. Being in a 'safe' blue congressional district has me doing all I can. Hopefully Patty Murry wins the senate but who the hell knows... guess we wait for the 8th to see the fallout.

[RoseMorninStar]

I find it all too depressing.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Hopefully Patty Murry wins the senate but who the hell knows... guess we wait for the 8th to see the fallout.

I don't think you have too much to worry about there.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Pretty soon, 538 will have the GOP favored to win the Senate (it is currently 51-49 for the Dems).

And now it has happened (49/51, in favor of the GOP).

[N.E. Brigand]

I kind of backed off following the lead-up to the mid-terms, but I take one look at what is going on now and one conversation with my little brother in Seattle, and I can confidently say that I think the USA is going to fvck themselves once again in 2022. I mean, the big fvck was 2016, and I seriously don't think the USA will ever recover from that. If these maga-esque election-denying clowns that are in serious contention for governerships and congressional and senate seats actually win, then it proves my point. Meanwhile, a heavily progressive-thinking guy like my brother is telling me he won't vote for any 'corporate' democrats because of what they did with Bernie Sanders in 2020 tells me that too many will put internal party politics ahead of what is good for the nation.

That said, I have voted in Washington State and my ballot has been verified. Being in a 'safe' blue congressional district has me doing all I can. Hopefully Patty Murry wins the senate but who the hell knows... guess we wait for the 8th to see the fallout.

Bernie Sanders very much wants those corporate Democrats to win.

[N.E. Brigand]

Oh look it's an Ohio state supreme court justice promoting (by retweeting) an insane right-wing conspiracy theory about the Pelosi attack:



Pat DeWine is also the son of Ohio's governor but has declined to recuse himself from cases brought by his father's administration.

These justices are elected, and he's on the ballot this year.

[N.E. Brigand]

Republicans in Wisconsin are promising to kill democracy in that state:

Hinting at his plans to overhaul how elections are run, the Republican running for governor of Wisconsin this week said his party would permanently control the state if he wins. "Republicans will never lose another election in Wisconsin after I'm elected governor," construction executive Tim Michels told supporters Monday at a campaign stop.