Question about Heitkamp

[Takket]

Despite the playing field never being better for Dems nationwide, I keep hearing she is down by quite a bit and going to lose.

If she can’t win in this very blue environment, how did she ever get elected in the first place in 2012?? Obama was on the ballot that year but I assume lost ND. what conditions existed for her to win a normally red state in 2012 that doesn’t exist now???

[mrs_p]

1. I'm here now but wasn't then

From what I hear, her opponent was flawed and she was well known. The Cramer guy this time round is popular and been in office for some time. He’s a real piece of work and I can’t believe he will likely be my senator. I have always lived in blue states and this really really sucks. I’ll vote straight dem, of course.

[2naSalit]

2. Voter suppression is at play in a major way

this time around, worse than when she was elected. She won with large support from the tribes on the reservations which are now subject to serious voter suppression tactics by the SOS in the state. The legislature went to work making it nearly impossible for the Native American population to vote. They've come up with a voter ID law that requires a street address, which reservations don't have being so rural. The tribes are working to resolve that issue but now the state has required them to apply for a state issued address individually for it to count and then, of course they will say that it also has to be on their ID. Changing goal posts to defeat the Dem Senator.

That's the big factor in that race.



ETA:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017516062

[Bluepinky]

3. I have been hearing about that.

Hope that the Native Americans can get around this in some way; this is truly despicable.