If This Isn't Scaring Republicans, It Should

[Zoti Bemba]

A nice map from the New York Times illustrating the changes from 2016 to 2018 in the partisan voting percentages by House district.

Sizing Up the 2018 Blue Wave
https://nyti.ms/2D9AnrV

Basically, a few districts (including, interestingly enough, the WI 3rd, which Ron Kind won but not by as much as in 2016) voted much more strongly Republican while lots and lots of districts (including, for example, the WI 1st, 5th and 6th) voted somewhat more strongly for Democrats (even if the Republicans still ultimately won the district... though not the statewide races, as it turned out ). Nationally the average district leaned about 10% more toward the Democrats this year, according to the article.

[Igor]

This was not urban/rural divide and if we weren't so badly gerrymandered the assembly and senate would look different too.

Fixing gerrymandering will make the balance more even, but Democrats will be hampered because their areas of majority are geographically more concentrated. That will continue to be a burden for them even if we get to an independent party drawing boundaries.

[ttt3]

The man said he'd never voted in his life so I sent him to the registration table. This couple was in their late 50s or early 60s. I wondered what motivated them to start voting in this election.

I mentioned this in another thread (on getting Millennials to vote), but I wonder if it was Donald Trump getting elected in 2016. I think it really showed how low things can go and motivated some folks to get off their butts and vote next time. Also could have been the marijuana advisory referendum.

[Cadfael]

I admit the possibility that some of my fellow countryfolk would be more motivated by an advisory marijuana referendum than having their country taken over by a racist thieving oligarchy. I cannot make myself believe such a person exists but I admit it is not physically impossible.