It's over. Kentucky shoots itself in the head.

[RandySF]

Hatred of gays and a black president overcome the best new health care system in the country. Don't look for a working class revolution in this state. Wow.

[LiberalArkie]

1. Just way too many poor people that can't understand simple stuff. I know too many like that. They

will find out.

[Recursion]

39. Condescending much?

Can you at least conceive of the idea that you and they disagree about what "their interests" are?

[LiberalArkie]

52. Well, I'll tell you. The people that live around me, believed the hospital ER was free because they

did not have to pay the bill. Oh I concede that our interests are different because they always are carrying guns because FEMA is coming to Arkansas before Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Years or whenever to take away their guns and lock them up because they heard it one the radio. If I would listen and not be so damn ignorant about what Obama is doing to us with the jet planes. etc etc

Yep I disagree with "their interests" are.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

69. Sounds like what I heard once at the post office.

Some guy was telling me that on inauguration day in 2013, the date of Obama's second inauguration, due to Obama's command, all those "poor people" (read:black) people in Houston were going to invade East Texas and steal all that wealth in East Texas.

He was quite serious. He even told me that he "didn't want to scare you, but I suggest you stockpile food and water". A survivalist, I see.

East Texas is extremely poor, extremely racist and has a greater than national average percentage of black people. There isn't any wealth here. What wealth there is is held by certain families that have had businesses for several generations or possibly oil money. If you had money, there would be no places to spend it, like quality department stores or good restaurants.

Houston is extremely wealthy in parts. Lots of big corporations and oil money and technology.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

80. Well, given the answer invariably cites JAYSUS!

I do believe there is a pretty compelling case to be made that they have no idea what their interests are.

[LiberalArkie]

66. Feel better now?

[MBS]

2. Wow, this is really bad news.

For the Dems, of course, but especially for the people of Kentucky.

[arcane1]

3. Lemme guess: when they can't afford medical care, they'll blame Obama.

That train is never late!

[ileus]

4. Eastern KY coal mining job loses probably didn't help much.

[mountain grammy]

5. Win win for Republicans.. they get power

and when times get tougher, there's always Obama to blame.

[yeoman6987]

6. I don't get it. What happened? They voted against having obamacare?

[RandySF]

8. My hunch

People are turning out because Conway made Kim Williams do her job.

[LonePirate]

14. Do you mean Kim Davis?

[jberryhill]

19. Both of them, all of them.

Anyone named Kim

[RandySF]

25. Yeah

[sufrommich]

7. I've been following the results on Twitter,not looking

good at all.Sigh,and low voter turnout in an election that will decide whether kentuckians keep their healthcare.I don't get it.

[pansypoo53219]

97. i it isn't a presidential year. most don't give a damn. don't bother. and it SHOULD.

[hifiguy]

9. No sympathy for idiots who beg to

get it in the neck and lay down on the chopping block.

I know there is a minority of sensible folks there, as there is everywhere, that doesn't but what the stupids demand they usually get.

I'd better stop now.

[geek tragedy]

10. I'm so glad I live in a civilized state nt

[Fred Sanders]

11. Secretary of State - Alison Grimes of some fame - and maybe AG appear to be going Democrat.

[leftofcool]

22. We at least have that.

Bit it won't help with Kentucky's excellent healthcare.

[Fred Sanders]

54. An AG(D) may be able to block legal actions or changes and the legislature would have to approve.

[leftofcool]

84. I hope so.

[edhopper]

12. It's why Trump or Carson

Could get elected.

[we can do it]

63. This.

[840high]

92. Yep.

[leftofcool]

13. Bevin is going to immediately disband KYNECT

We will also have school vouchers and he will refuse to abide by EPA regulations in our State. Kentuckians are about to see tough times.

[sufrommich]

16. I feel horrible for the good people of Kentucky.

What a nightmare.

[leftofcool]

20. It is going to be bad.

Not to mention the gagging and puking if dumbass refuses to abide by EPA standards.

[HubertHeaver]

34. McConnell told them they could keep KYNECT but that awful ObamaCare had to go.

Of course that was back during Mitch's re-election drive and means nothing now. It is hard to work up any sympathy for the willfully ignorant.

[JohnnyLib2]

15. Depression rapidly setting in here.

[leftofcool]

21. Yea, us too!

Voter turnout was really low in Conway's counties.

[LonePirate]

17. Perhaps losing their health care will serve as a wake up call to those who voted R or didn't vote

It's tough to feel sympathy for people who do not vote for the common good.

[MohRokTah]

23. I doubt it, Obama will be blamed. eom

[climber3986]

18. this is a shame nt

[FloridaBlues]

24. J

just like flouda did with tea party Scott now in you'll start to hear he will be the worst gov ever this is what the voters wanted. Good luck to them

[FloridaBlues]

26. Kentuck has always been ruby red sadly

[Drunken Irishman]

28. But lots of Democratic elected officials at the local level.

Including the current governor and the guy who was running - the AG I think he was.

[BlueDemKev]

77. The AG race has not been called

Gov. Beshear's son is running for AG.

[sufrommich]

30. There's more registered democrats in Kentucky than republicans.

[Le Taz Hot]

40. Very much like inland Central California.

The Democrats here couldn't be more apathetic and incompetent if they tried. But they meet a lot. Lots and lots of meetings. And once every 6 months or so they write a Resolution. Then they meet about it. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

[sufrommich]

50. I live in Michigan where we elected a "right to work" republican govenor.

Michigan,a strong union state! We had a great democratic candidate,named Virg Bernero,big union guy and had the backing of all the big unions and he lost,it broke my heart. I know how democratic Kentuckians feel right now,there's no sane excuse for votes like this.

[Nevernose]

62. Y'all have MEETINGS?!?!

Totally jealous next door in Southern Nevada, which apparently has no party structure whatsoever (which is why I joined DU so long ago: plenty of liberals, almost zero human connections).

[Manifestor_of_Light]

75. They have MEETINGS? I am jealous too.

We got no Democratic party structure in East Texas either.

I'm not in Goomer the Tumor's district, but my district is next door to his, where British Petroleum's interests are well represented by Joe Barton, but mine aren't.

[Nevernose]

137. So you're down towards Nacogdoches?

I lived north of Gohmert for a while, near Texarkana. Until fairly recently, Bowie and Miller counties were consistently blue swatches in a sea of green.

Besides the good old fashioned FDR Dems, Texas USED to have a higher Ed system that was literally the envy of every other state in the world, Anerican or otherwise. Educated people tend to vote liberal, so it's no wonder that Governor Bush began their dismantling.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

138. West of Nac.

My hubby and I are the only white Democrats in town.

We also have other religious and cultural differences with the people here but that is not the main purpose of DU.

We make a big deal out of trick or treat and handing out candy, because I don't think anyone else in town does trick or treat. The churches want badly to make East TX a no-fun zone, so they have taken it over and call it something called trunk or treat and I don't know what that is, but I am sure they frown on Dracula and witch costumes.

I made 6 dozen cupcakes and frosted them with real buttercream frosting (none of this lard-in-a-can stuff) and put them in individual sandwich baggies. Everyone loves them. I started doing this a couple of years ago, and am getting famous for it. The parents and the kids really appreciate that we hand out good candy(like mini Milky Way and Crunch for example) and cupcakes.

[Stonepounder]

96. From the FWIW dept.

I live in Kentucky.
My wife and I both voted today.
We voted Big D.
<sigh>

[book_worm]

27. They can say goodbye to their healthcare

And a lot of people who voted Republican today will lose their coverage.

[NYCButterfinger]

29. Kentucky is a crazy ass state. What a shame. Can Hillary or Bernie win it in 2016? Right now, no

[BlueDemKev]

42. Not a chance in hell

Kentucky is a redneck state that will always be red in presidential elections. But Conway's loss today was the direct result of Democratic voters staying home and not going out to vote.

[NYCButterfinger]

44. Then how did Clinton/Gore win it in 92/96?

[BlueDemKev]

64. Umm...that was twenty-plus years ago...

Last edited Tue Nov 3, 2015, 11:41 PM - Edit history (1)

[sahel]

101. probably by not calling them dumbarsed

sister shagging, two toothed, backwater, ignorant, hillbilly white trash.

Variations on all of the above can easily be found at DU.

[lancer78]

118. Ignorant

is correct though. I live around there.

[sahel]

120. Ignorant is correct anywhere. nt

[Jim Lane]

57. Probably not, but perhaps backlash will cost Rand Paul his Senate seat

Romney beat Obama by about 22%. That's a tough gap to close.

But, in the Republican year of 2010, Paul beat Conway by only 12%. Figure that a good Democratic candidate could better that somewhat just on the basis of higher Democratic turnout for a presidential election. Then, if Bevin really does end Kynect, and perpetrate enough other outrages in the first several months of 2016, maybe -- OK, it's still a pretty heavy lift, but there's at least an outside chance for a pickup.

[Dawson Leery]

31. This is why Jim Webb can drop dead.

We are never getting the older southern coalition back.

They are not our problem anymore.

Let em' sink.

....And take your God Damn County Music with you.

[HubertHeaver]

36. I agree about the County Music.

Though I think you meant Country Music.

[Dawson Leery]

38. I am dead serious.

I told my mother to stop donating to the Appalachia project years ago. Let Kynect be shut down, more money for us in the sane areas.

[NYCButterfinger]

41. Don't make fun of country music, because some of it is good.

[we can do it]

61. Not fake country. Old Johnny Cash, yeah. Sucky fake new country is the worst.

[BlueCaliDem]

90. Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton - beautiful country music!

And this from an Asian American born and bred Californian, too!

[Travis_0004]

126. Garth brooks?

[we can do it]

128. Garth is ok- he seems genuine.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

139. They don't sound nasal like they wear a clothespin on their nose.

I'm sorry, I can't stand any new country because of the whiny sound and the pedal steel guitar abuse.

Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton have very good voices and I don't mind them.

[BlueCaliDem]

140. Exactly. That "moaning" that today's country music stars do is annoying

and it works on my nerves.

In contrast, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Lynn Anderson (still love Rose Garden), Kenny Rogers, and yes, Willie Nelson, all have distinct and unique voices that work perfectly in country music.

I guess after Shania Twain (no disrespect intended for this wonderful country singer), country music changed, and I'm not sure it was for the better.

[840high]

93. I like some country music.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

141. It's not just the older ones in the South.

I've heard lots of white boys use the N word as if it's no big deal, think Obama is the Antichrist, and stuff like that. I heard this stuff in a welding class I took at a junior college. These guys were at least 18 to 30. I am retired and was taking it so I could do arty stuff like sculpture, not to get a job on a pipeline.

And one that loves his guns and his rebel flag is a half-Korean. I guess he doesn't see the irony that his friends, if he didn't act like a good old boy, would hate him for being half-Korean.

If the younger generation is changing, they are either urban or else they are rural and moved to the city and away from the blatant racists.

[hollowdweller]

32. Dems at the national level pushing gun control and the perception that they hate the coal industry.

Are the reason.

When you have Hillary beating up Bernie at the national level because he's not sufficiently anti gun no way in hell dems are going to win in any rural states where most agree with us on economic issues.

[RandySF]

33. No

It's Kim Davis and a black president.

[sufrommich]

35. oh ffs! This is Hillary's fault? Really??

[Mojorabbit]

100. It is a big chunk of it. nt

[hifiguy]

135. Welp, let em eat their coal

hug their gunz and send for Republican Jebus to come round and heal them. See how that works out.

No sympathy AT ALL.

[BlueDemKev]

37. Low Voter Turnout (As Usual)

What in the f--k is it going to take for Democratic-leaning voters to GET OFF THEIR ASSES AND VOTE IN MIDTERM/OFF-YEAR ELECTIONS!?! Turnout was pathetic, especially in the two most-populated counties...Jefferson and Lafayette. Has our party learned nothing from both the 2010 and 2014 midterm election debacles???

Is there any strategy being worked on to improve our base turnout for non-presidential elections?

I can accept losing a hard-fought battle where we've given it our all...but I cannot accept our beating ourselves as we have done (again!) today.

[Le Taz Hot]

43. Decent candidates who can connect with the people?

Just a thought.

[BlueDemKev]

48. Oh, please...

Like the Republicans have put up decent candidates? ANY Democrat today is better than any Republican. Conservative, white voters will always get out to vote for whoever has an "R" next to their name. The "D" voters just don't bother to vote except sometimes in presidential elections. Face it, we beat ourselves today which is totally unacceptable.

[Le Taz Hot]

71. And the deflection . . .

'cause, you know, that ever gets old.

[Truprogressive85]

51. thank you

Centrist lose election tonight proves it once more

Democrat need to wake up state election matter , governor races matter

33 republican gov. and only 17 democrats geez

[BlueDemKev]

56. And it's all because...

...too many Democrats don't bother to vote unless it's a presidential election. That's why we lost the Congress and so many governorships and state legislatures.

[Le Taz Hot]

72. And why don't they bother to vote?

Do you blind partisans ever actually ask yourself that or do you just go on blaming the voters themselves? How's that workin' for ya, by the way?

[PatrickforO]

107. Well, I'll agree with that.

Bottom line it isn't working. Yet, in my state, we voted to put some excess tax money that was collected beyond the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (thanks you cretin Douglas Bruce) into capital improvements for schools, and in my county we had good voter turnout and tossed out three teabaggers from the school board, replacing them with sane people.

But then...the educational attainment levels in my county (and my state for that matter) are well above the national average. In Kentucky, not so much.

[sufrommich]

45. I agree.We need Howard Dean back in the

drivers seat.

[whereisjustice]

58. Debbie Wasserman Shultz likes it just the way it is. Hillary as candidate is literally begging

left leaning voters to stay home.

DNC and Democratic Party deserves what they get for killing 50 states strategy and focusing exclusively on the Wall Street richy-rich.

[climber3986]

67. nailed it. nt

[840high]

95. ...^ that

[hifiguy]

136. Blammo.

You can drop the mic, wij.

[jeff47]

102. I bet more insults will totally get them to do what you want!

Is there any strategy being worked on to improve our base turnout for non-presidential elections?

Nope.

See, if we did that we might win. And then we'd have to actually accomplish the goals we claim to support or the voters might catch on. That upsets the donors.

So it's time to half-ass it so we keep the "gridlock" going. And hope that nobody notices Republicans continue to advance their goals despite being in the same divided government.

[lancer78]

119. Need a more populist candidate

and not republican lite who drives down D turnout by dissing the D President.

[maryellen99]

46. And he's not even from Kentucky JFC nt

[standingtall]

47. Yes Ky Democrats should've got out and voted,but Conway was a lousy candidate

He has run for congress in heavily democratic 3rd district and lost. Lost the senate race and is about to lose the Governors race. The only elective office he held he got by riding Steve Beshear's coat tails. The Kentucky democratic party should've have some blame for this placed on their shoulders as well as the voters. Felt sort of like it's Jack's turn sort of thing. He basically ran unopposed in the primary and this is the result.

[BlueDemKev]

49. Candidates

So because Conway wasn't perfect, Dem voters just stayed home and allowed a tea party lunatic to get elected? No, what happened was Dem voters did what they always do in off-year elections...they simply didn't bother to go out and vote.

[Dawson Leery]

53. This is the professional left.

They only come out to vote when they get a pony who promises them the world then fails.

[jeff47]

105. Yes, insults are the best way to change their mind. (nt)

[LettuceSea]

112. Thank you, some people just don't get it

Our party tends to have a humility problem. Always has.

[KamaAina]

134. And as we all know, Kentucky is a huge hotbed of professional lefties.

[standingtall]

55. I never said they should've stayed home.

However knowing the Stakes the Kentucky Democratic party should've done more to ensure they would've had a better candidate to run for Governor. Beshear won both of his terms as Governor in off years. If Beshear were on the ballot again he would've won handily. Conway however was a lousy candidate and he just lost to a lousy candidate. Yes Ky democrats should've got out and voted despite the fact Conway sucked as a candidate.

[BlueDemKev]

60. We need a strategy to boost voter turnout

In off-year elections. This simply cannot continue. Too many progressives believe that as long as there is a Democrat in the White House, things are okay. The president can only do so much.

[Chan790]

70. That starts with better candidates.

It always starts with better candidates. The problem lies in the refusal of many to consider that all other proposals are merely "wallpaper covering the shit" (I'm assuming from that odd analogy of Grandma's that the wall was made of shit and covering it in wallpaper doesn't really solve the problems resultant of a shit-wall.) if you're still running bad candidates. The easy solution is to blame off-years or low voter turn-out...but we're not exactly putting dynamic nominees on the ballot that people are going to get excited about and go out of their way to vote for.

Name me a voter turnout proposal that overcomes the fact that Conway is a terrible candidate. I'm listening.

Until we stop putting terrible-but-safe candidates on the ballot, this is going to continue to happen.

[BlueDemKev]

79. Exactly WHAT is a "good" candidate?

Which the entire party base and enough independents would be willing to vote for?

Conway was a very decent candidate. Two-term state attorney general, name recognition, ran a pretty smooth campaign...there is no excuse. Just because a Democrat isn't perfect doesn't mean we allow tea-baggers to get into power. The problem is, too much of our party base remains ignorant about when elections are held and only know about presidential elections because of all the hype and publicity they receive.

[standingtall]

85. The only reason Conway was a 2 term attorney general was because of Steve Beshear

Everything else he has ran for he has lost and lost handily. As far name recognition it doesn't mean much if no one likes you accept maybe some in State politicians.

[Chan790]

86. Well, let's start with someone...

who didn't put their ass-face on TV running commercials touting they stood up to the President of the United States who is from the same party as they are. Also, someone whose idea of an environmental platform is seeking the endorsement of the coal industry.

Conway was nothing resembling a decent candidate. He disqualified himself from enthusiastic support by the positions and record he chose to run on. There's an entire wing of the Democratic party vocal and proud to run on how anti-Democratic party-and-platform they are which needs to be amputated like a cancerous limb. Jack Conway's part of that wing of the Democratic party and we'd be better off without them because we wouldn't have them wasting nominated slots on the ballot and handing seats to the GOP. It's his fault he lost and deflecting that to blame the voters of KY for seeing him for what he really is, is to be in denial about why we lose midterms.

[mvd]

124. Yes, isn't the idea to point out where you differ?

Ads that say how similar you are would dampen enthusiasm from the base you need to turn out. Being too worried about what people think of him on coal is the same failed strategy our candidates used last election.

[PoliticAverse]

68. Conway even ran an ad touting that "he stood up against Barack Obama"...

[standingtall]

74. And that is probably why he underperformed in Louisville's West End just like every where else

Which he desperately needed. When are these guys going to learn to stop stomping on their base.

[NYCButterfinger]

83. Conway had to. He had no other choice. Elizabeth Warren is not in every state.

You have to respect coal workers.

[standingtall]

88. If Conway were smart he would've just ignored those charges.

Those people were not going to vote for him anyway. Only thing that might have done is tick off people who might've voted for him.

[jeff47]

106. Uh, you realize he lost, right?

Kinda demonstrates it wasn't a winning strategy.

[Cha]

73. That's exactly what it comes down to, RSF. The brainwashed by the Billionaire hate squad wins again

[Takket]

76. maybe KY is just jealous of the shitstorm of GOP destruction

The Kansas and Wisconsin have become.

*sigh*

[kimbutgar]

78. Since the polls said Conway was ahead and Bevins winning handily. Tells me the polls are

Becoming unreliable now has made me nervous. My husband told me, I was talking on the ledge. But the thought of a Tea party takeover of the country has my stomach churning.

[BlueDemKev]

81. The only poll that counts is the one held on election day

[standingtall]

82. I doubt we are going to see another Tea Party takeover.

They will probably get crushed again in the big one. Sometimes polls can be unreliable,but Jack Conway ran for congress in the Kentucky's heavily democratic 3rd district. Which indicates to me that he has never had any kind of ground game and he didn't have one tonight either. If he did it might have been different. I swear if I ever see Conway running for a major position in Kentucky politics again I'm going to vomit. Running Conway is pretty much forfeiting to repukes.

[RandySF]

111. I actually had the sense it wasn't going well.

Yeah, Conway was ahead, but the weekend polls were much closer then they had been for most of the year.

[sahel]

87. He won't touch medicaid

and has been backpedaling on that count for some time now. At most he will close kynect and require Kentuckians to use healthcare.gov just like two thirds of the states have already elected to do.

Like it or not, aca is part of the furniture now. There is certainly no big push on the part of business for a full scale repeal.

[standingtall]

89. Not sure he is going to have such an easy time dismantling Kynect

because the democrats still control the state house.

[BlueDemKev]

94. He can repeal Kynect by executive order.

Because it was created by the executive order of Gov. Steve Beshear.

Dumbasses in Kentucky just couldn't find a couple of minutes to vote today. They deserve what's about to be inflicted on them.

[valerief]

91. In two months, we'll be reading about vote flipping on bradblog.

And nothing will happen.

[whatthehey]

98. Hey but Amish Barbie was forced to do nothing and keep $80k a year so it's ok

that the Reps energized every religio-crazy here to get out and vote Dems out.

[sahel]

103. the fact is that the GOP has grassroots connections

with these people, whereas the dems don't. Not just the church, but rural and local organisations, local media, etc.

[Historic NY]

99. Well its wasn't because of funding he blew 7 million....

apparently Ky can't find Democrats that actually connect.

[Cosmic Kitten]

104. ANOTHER DNC FAIL

Keep up the great work DWS et al

The DNC losing streak is intact!
Lets blame the "stupid" voters

Did Hillary promote or campaign for ANY
democrats in Kentucky?
Ya know, *coattails* and all that.

BTW, How's Hillary polling in Kentucky

[LettuceSea]

109. Be careful, you will be attacked by the DWS loyalists

Gotta keep propping up Stalin.

[standingtall]

114. Hmm figured I would try and look this up

Couldn't find anything recent. A PPP Poll from June says she would trail 8 of 9 Republican candidates by an average of 5 to 10 points. The one exception would be Donald Trump who she would lead by 3 points and would have a 13 point advantage among independents.

[lancer78]

125. Thats pretty good

Considering PBO lost KY by 22% in 2012.

[standingtall]

133. The Clinton's were very popular in Ky once

Bill carried it twice. Obama never even campaigned in Ky,and he had no need to. I suspect Hilary will at least do better in Ky than Obama.

[LettuceSea]

108. Perhaps our message didn't resonate...

That's not the voter's fault, that's the DNC's fault.

[ibegurpard]

110. what message?

We're not as bad as the Republicans? Yeah that's generally been a losing message.

[LettuceSea]

113. I just don't like the "voters were stupid" excuse

It wasn't coming from you, but the other responses...yuck.

I don't think these book smart people really get the effect it has on the 'simpletons.' Call them stupid, it just fires them up more to vote GOP.

[ibegurpard]

122. you are absolutely correct

[Deadshot]

115. You aren't surprised by this, are you?

[RandySF]

116. I thought Kentuckians might actually vote to preserve the gains they made in health care.

No, it's not single payer, but so many people were being covered for the first time in their lives. And to throw it all away just because they hate a black president.

[DemocraticWing]

117. I voted.

Unfortunately so did many Republicans.

Sorry!

[Vinca]

121. The results of that election are almost unbelievable.

The people of Kentucky believe "Kynect" is great, but "Obamacare" is bad so they voted for the Republican to get rid of "Obamacare." Bye bye "Kynect." Republicans will be able to boast that they've killed poor Americans. But you have to blame the voters who are foolishly uninformed and seem to only know how to hate Obama.

[Deadshot]

123. Kentucky is going to be the new Kansas.

[Jester Messiah]

131. Yep, East-Brownbackistan.

We'll have to set up refugee camps along the borders.

[VanillaRhapsody]

127. I think something strange is going on

why did they elect all Democrats....and that guy?

Doesn't make sense.....I think "Jeb fixed it"

[Moliere]

130. Flushing themselves down the toilet. So sad

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

132. With no obstruction by a brain.