It's the extremism, stupid.
By John Avlon, CNN
All expectations of a red wave election crashed upon the rocky shoals of reality Tuesday night.
Instead, the 2022 midterms seem to be a repudiation of former President Donald Trump’s election lies and at least many of the top-ticket candidates who parroted them.
Yes, the economy matters – but so does democracy. And, in 2022, the message many voters were sending was “it’s the extremism, stupid.”
Consider the benchmarks for success in a typical midterm election: the opposition party gains an average of 46 seats in the House when the president is below 50% approval rating, as President Joe Biden is. While the final number is still being determined, GOP House gains will be far less than that
Independent voters also bucked the typical midterm election trend, big time. The pattern has been clear in recent years, as I detailed in a recent CNN column – independent voters provide the crucial swing vote in midterm elections, usually moving toward the opposition party by double digits. But that didn’t happen this year.
Instead, Democrats narrowly won independent voters, 49-47, according to CNN exit polls. That’s unheard of in midterm elections.
It’s evidence that Republicans were unable to sell themselves as a moderating force to one-party control of Washington. No wonder the GOP also lost moderate voters by a 56 to 41 margin. Taken together, it implicates the Trumpist election lies that have become a litmus test in many GOP primaries. The lies don’t fly as high in general elections.
Candidate quality also matters – and Trump’s hand-picked candidates seemed just too extreme, with substantial losses in states like Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania – while the results for Arizona and Nevada are still too close to call – and Herschel Walker is now headed to a run-off in Georgia against Raphael Warnock, who shared more than 100,000 cross-over votes with GOP incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp. The governor had the courage to stand up to Trump’s attempts to overturn the election.
There’s also the issue of reproductive freedom – i.e., abortion rights. Some partisan pundits predicted that the sting of the Supreme Court’s overturning of a half-century precedent would fade five months later. That doesn’t seem to have been the case. In fact, 4 of 5 of the states that had abortion amendments on the ballots chose to protect abortion rights – including dependably red Kentucky.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.As a student of American politics (I got 110% overturning even the senior lecturer), I am glad to hear that the Democrats have won the Senate.
Trump thought that he was going to control both houses and the Judicial branch. Glad to hear otherwise.
I am surprised that the campaign didn't carry a photo of a vote for Republicans was a vote for Putin. That could have secured both houses.
Beyond the elections I hope that with us in the UK getting a 'brown' Prime Minister that could open the door for Camilla Harris to step up as the Democratic candidate for 2024. We can see that every morning Biden wakes up is a bonus!
Sofabeast
Level 7
Nov 13, 2022
1
Is the economy important (remember Bill "It's the economy, stupid!" Clinton)? Of course. But historically, Republican administrations are only good for the economy of the top 10-20%. Everyone else suffers, not only by comparison, but in real dollars. So even if you vote based on economics, you're a fool to yourself if you vote Republican.
Republicans are in an enviable position; they get to screw up the economy long-term for short-term gains (which, again, accrue mainly to the top earners), while pretending that their tax cuts and runaway spending are for the benefit of the middle class. Then they get to blame the next Democrat that comes along for the structural flaws they themselves created. They also get to fight tooth and nail to try and break the economy, so the Democrats won't have anything good to take credit for. Remember the time the Republican Congress shut down the government over raising the debt ceiling for a Republican President's budget? Me neither.
And now Republicans are trying to play the same game with democracy itself. If a Republican wins, that's obviously the will of the people. But if they lose? Well, the system is corrupt, of course! It's rigged I tells ya, rigged!!
But even if I thought Democrats were so utterly inept that they would lead us to a new Depression, I would still have voted for them in every election of my life. Why?
Because by and large, Democrats are about doing things for people. Republicans are about doing things to people. Democrats are for freedom- freedom to vote, freedom to choose, freedom to be. Republicans only believe in the freedom to be a Republican.
Paul4747
Level 8
Nov 9, 2022
2
Well said. Bravo!
You hit it on the head, there is no comparison between the party that works for the common good and the party that only tries to "smite the enemy."
A run off with herschel and Warnock?!?! It should be no contest but stupid clearly continues to prevail in Georgia. That's just sad. Hop the dems get down and hit hard with a clear message.
silverotter11
Level 9
Nov 9, 2022
4
The republicans want someone who is basically brain dead. He is running for a party that is extremely racist. He is their uncle Tom and is only used because of the wrong message it sends. He's too stupid to even recognize that.
@JackPedigo Yeah, I know, it was more rhetorical comments to blow off steam. STILL
The gop hammered on Fetterman's cognative viabilty after his stroke and this ex ball player so clearly has issues related to too many knocks in the head that of course he can't see they are using him and in a vile way only white racist southern republicans can do. It's just so very sad.
I totally agree, and the Rethuglicans got the message. The turnout of the younger folks was amazing! And just voters in general. My daughter worked at a polling place, she said their turnout at 4pm was double what it was in the last election. They got the folks riled up and they got a response.
HippieChick58
Level 9
Nov 9, 2022
4
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