In my mind Trump owns this catastrophic defeat from one end to the other. For two months how, he's had his crazy people like Sidney Powell and Lin Wood running around shouting conspiracy theories. He's had all of his own attempts to push the fraud line, threatening the Governor, threatening the Secretary of State, and telling everyone in Georgia they couldn't trust the elections. And as a result of the self-administered well poisoning, lots of people stayed home despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that were spent trying to get them to cast their ballots, one way or the other.
Anyone sane could have predicted that if you take a large group of exhausted voters, undermine their confidence in the meaning of their votes, and then beat them over the head with that messaging for two months while you fracture the party and force people to make terrible choices at the point of a spear, threaten others, and make everything about One Man and his fury, a lot of people are going to stay away. And that's what happened.
It would be good to see some hard numbers. For example, of those north GA counties which are said to be reliably republican, what percentage of registered republicans showed up to vote vs registered dems.
If a sizable number of republicans sat out the runoff the question is why? Were they so confident in a republican victory they couldn't be bothered? Or were they turned off because they think the general election was stolen? It's hard to tell. But if the latter, well thanks for nothing.
Whatever the reason, or reasons, the GA GOP needs to perform a ruthless assessment of what led to this debacle. GA is no longer solidly red. And with future races guaranteed to be more competitive the GA GOP needs figure out a way forward. And they need to do it fast since Loeffler's seat is up in two years, however, I don't see the current GA GOP leadership, especially the Chairman, as up to the challenge.
Step 1: Take the Trump effect out of the table.... He is producing two things: By polarizing the field, he is getting more democrats to get out and vote, and more independents / undecideds to vote democrat; and second, more conservatives to either vote democrat, or simply not vote (for multiple reasons, from the lie of 'my vote doesn't count' to alienation due to his extremism)... it starts there.
Step 2: Become an unified party. In November, the Loeffler ticket had a 'dozen' candidates... They knew that election was going to a run-off just because of that. If Loeffler had been the only candidate in the Republican ticket, she would've had a better chance. Won? not sure, because of her strong allegiance to Trump... which impacted the other seat, again.
Wrong. Had these candidates been true to themselves and not listened to their handlers, they would have come out and said let’s investigate the fraud and stood with Trump. This is McConnell’s loss. The down vote of $2k checks hurt these candidates. Maybe McConnell wanted to be minority leader.
The R party is done because no candidate will pull minorities like Trump did. Their placating to the ethereal lost suburban vote they keep trying to play to will not come back. The establishment R party is tone deaf. The vote did not show up in central, south, and coastal R counties because they appointed Loeffler, didn’t back Trump, etc.
The game has changed. People now expect action, action, action. These two clowns didn’t motivate the base and listened to loser consultants.
My own children were impacted by the fraud rhetoric even though I emphatically shared the reality with them. They did not vote in the run off thought they showed for the general.
Also, I was looking at Cobb’s data where I live. To be honest, I have heard a fair amount of republican friends state that they were flat out annoyed and no longer wanted to vote after being harassed nonstop by email, texts, calls, and doorknocks. I was aggravated myself by the incessant intrusions. Some days we received 3-4 visits to our door - from both sides of the aisle. I have never felt so harassed. I do wonder if this also impacted voter turnout negatively.
I typically spend 10 to 15 minutes in line to vote - time it in the middle of the day. Today, it took 35 minutes to vote. When I left my polling place, the line was 1 1/2 times the size that it was when I originally got in line. I do not know of one person that indicated that they were not voting in this election. If anything people seem to be more determined. Not challenging Erik - this is just counter-intuitive to what I have been experiencing.
You warned them this might happen. I’ve read comments all over social media from people saying it’s not worth voting...because the powers that be have already decided the winners and losers.
In my mind Trump owns this catastrophic defeat from one end to the other. For two months how, he's had his crazy people like Sidney Powell and Lin Wood running around shouting conspiracy theories. He's had all of his own attempts to push the fraud line, threatening the Governor, threatening the Secretary of State, and telling everyone in Georgia they couldn't trust the elections. And as a result of the self-administered well poisoning, lots of people stayed home despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that were spent trying to get them to cast their ballots, one way or the other.
Anyone sane could have predicted that if you take a large group of exhausted voters, undermine their confidence in the meaning of their votes, and then beat them over the head with that messaging for two months while you fracture the party and force people to make terrible choices at the point of a spear, threaten others, and make everything about One Man and his fury, a lot of people are going to stay away. And that's what happened.
It is simply sad!! If the GOP does not get Trump out of the equation, they will keep loosing... sad.
It would be good to see some hard numbers. For example, of those north GA counties which are said to be reliably republican, what percentage of registered republicans showed up to vote vs registered dems.
If a sizable number of republicans sat out the runoff the question is why? Were they so confident in a republican victory they couldn't be bothered? Or were they turned off because they think the general election was stolen? It's hard to tell. But if the latter, well thanks for nothing.
Whatever the reason, or reasons, the GA GOP needs to perform a ruthless assessment of what led to this debacle. GA is no longer solidly red. And with future races guaranteed to be more competitive the GA GOP needs figure out a way forward. And they need to do it fast since Loeffler's seat is up in two years, however, I don't see the current GA GOP leadership, especially the Chairman, as up to the challenge.
Step 1: Take the Trump effect out of the table.... He is producing two things: By polarizing the field, he is getting more democrats to get out and vote, and more independents / undecideds to vote democrat; and second, more conservatives to either vote democrat, or simply not vote (for multiple reasons, from the lie of 'my vote doesn't count' to alienation due to his extremism)... it starts there.
Step 2: Become an unified party. In November, the Loeffler ticket had a 'dozen' candidates... They knew that election was going to a run-off just because of that. If Loeffler had been the only candidate in the Republican ticket, she would've had a better chance. Won? not sure, because of her strong allegiance to Trump... which impacted the other seat, again.
Words mean things, and Trump and the Republicans may be learning that the hard way.
Erick
I don’t agree, I voted Dec 14. Eric you were wrong about Trump in 2016.
Yes and I've largely been right ever since.
Nero fiddling while GA burns. Terrible ads all around, conspiracy theories, and absolutely no plan/strategy. Trump just added fuel to the fire.
Wrong. Had these candidates been true to themselves and not listened to their handlers, they would have come out and said let’s investigate the fraud and stood with Trump. This is McConnell’s loss. The down vote of $2k checks hurt these candidates. Maybe McConnell wanted to be minority leader.
The R party is done because no candidate will pull minorities like Trump did. Their placating to the ethereal lost suburban vote they keep trying to play to will not come back. The establishment R party is tone deaf. The vote did not show up in central, south, and coastal R counties because they appointed Loeffler, didn’t back Trump, etc.
The game has changed. People now expect action, action, action. These two clowns didn’t motivate the base and listened to loser consultants.
My own children were impacted by the fraud rhetoric even though I emphatically shared the reality with them. They did not vote in the run off thought they showed for the general.
Also, I was looking at Cobb’s data where I live. To be honest, I have heard a fair amount of republican friends state that they were flat out annoyed and no longer wanted to vote after being harassed nonstop by email, texts, calls, and doorknocks. I was aggravated myself by the incessant intrusions. Some days we received 3-4 visits to our door - from both sides of the aisle. I have never felt so harassed. I do wonder if this also impacted voter turnout negatively.
I just can’t watch!!
It looks like they may be, as in Trump's reality-TV world, "Losers." Read 'em and weep. Deciding not to play, they took their votes and went home.
I typically spend 10 to 15 minutes in line to vote - time it in the middle of the day. Today, it took 35 minutes to vote. When I left my polling place, the line was 1 1/2 times the size that it was when I originally got in line. I do not know of one person that indicated that they were not voting in this election. If anything people seem to be more determined. Not challenging Erik - this is just counter-intuitive to what I have been experiencing.
I can counter your experience with my own, but it's all anecdotal so what's the use.
Understood. Your point is appreciated and respected.
Perdue catching up at this moment. 12k down.
You warned them this might happen. I’ve read comments all over social media from people saying it’s not worth voting...because the powers that be have already decided the winners and losers.