General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums2020 is the year Democrats regain control of the US Senate.
2018
Red State Democratic US Senators up for re-election
IN-Donnelly
MO-McCaskill
MT-Tester
ND-Heitkamp
WV-Manchin
Manchin wins re-election in a GOP wave.
(minus 4) 44D 56R
Purple State Democratic US Senators in
FL-Nelson
MI-Stabenow
MN-Klobuchar
OH-Brown
PA-Casey
WI-Baldwin win re-election
Democrats hold onto the NJ-Menendez seat.
Democrats pick up NV (Heller-R) and AZ (Flake-R)46D 54R
In 2020
Blue/Purple state Republican US Senators up for re-election
CO (Gardner)
GA (Perdue)- Democrats have force November/December runoff.
ME (Collins) Retirement or Primary challenge improves Democrats chances.
NC (Tillis)
Gardner-CO and Tillis-NC are likely to lose. 48D 52R
Democrats will hold onto VA-Warner.
Democrats defeat Trump and pick up red state Republican held US Senate seats in
IA (Ernst)
MT (Daines) Bullock-D runs
50D 50R with Democratic VP breaking a tie.
milestogo
(17,297 posts)We are going to keep losing representation until there are no elected democrats in office - unless we get control of our elections back.
sharp_stick
(14,400 posts)getting involved with the State races. We need legislatures and Governors to fix this mess. We especially need it for 2020 when redistricting comes around.
milestogo
(17,297 posts)They gerrymandered the redistricting in 2011, got caught, and are now being given the chance to do it again.
They have corrupted electronic voting. I think Clinton did win Wisconsin, but some of her votes were altered in the machines. I don't know how to fight this. But I don't think just voting for Dems is going to help if we have lost control of the elections.
Demsrule86
(70,838 posts)and I think we can win.
MoonRiver
(36,954 posts)I am worried too, but plans to fight Democratic disenfranchisement are welcome, bigly!
pat_k
(10,602 posts)Take back the state houses!!
If we don't, we're going to see more insanity like this:
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/31/512636448/bills-across-the-country-could-increase-penalties-for-protesters
milestogo
(17,297 posts)How?
pat_k
(10,602 posts)http://www.commoncause.org/issues/voting-and-elections/
http://www.ncbcp.org
https://www.electiondefense.org
There are others, but these are the ones I keep an eye on for news, activities to support, etc. Verifiedvoting.org in particular has a good track record of on the ground, state-level efforts that are successfully shaping laws for the better. Also, https://www.electiondefense.org provides a way to check out what equipment is used where, and to find the "worst" offenders.
In many places, the unverifiable electronic voting machines put in place more than a decade ago are reaching "end of life." It's a critical time to work to influence replacement choices. Paranoid Republicans are potential allies in efforts to replace unverifiable electronic voting with paper ballots.
As horrific as the problems associated with electronic voting are, there is an "elephant in the living room." Namely, voter suppression through strategic under-allocation of resources to "certain areas" As far as I'm concerned, this is perhaps the greatest threat we face.
I am infuriated by the level to which we have come to accept long lines. Some even applaud when they see them, viewing it as evidence of high turnout. This is an incredibly damaging attitude.
Lines are tantamount to a poll tax. Time IS money. I have absolutely no doubt that for every 10-people waiting for an hour or more in a long line, at least one voter took a look and went home.
Early voting is great, but tragically, in many states, the existence of early voting is being abused as an excuse to decimate resources allocated on election day. Where feasible, one approach is to push for a move from mixed mail-in/polling place systems to 100% mail-in. Well-implemented 100% mail-in systems effectively address a host of problems. "Mixed" systems create problems.
Regardless of system, we are seeing intolerable cut-backs in number of polling places, etc., particularly in "poorer" jurisdictions.
Getting activists to take up this cause -- to make "0 tolerance for lines" our clarion call --is at the top of my list. I find myself pretty alone is the effort, but I do what I can to encourage organizations I think are effective to take up the cause. (And to do things like post about it on forums like DU.. eg. http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512586226 .)
We can only do what we can do -- and do our best not to give in to despair. I find that when I "do something," even if small, I become more aware of that there are so many others out there doing their bit too. it's a great antidote to the despair that threatens to overwhelm in these grim times.
TheFrenchRazor
(2,116 posts)a lot of dems seem to be oblivious to this.
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)Volunteer your time to your local Democratic Party on Election Day so you can be on call for any voting machine problems. It is a lot easier to address voting machine problems when you have a lawyer nearby.
JDC
(10,446 posts)madokie
(51,076 posts)there won't be a us senate left.
spooky3
(35,914 posts)Blue-purple, and it definitely is in the urban areas, I think it will remain purple through 2020. A lot will depend on events between now and then.
Warner is a conservative to moderate Dem and probably will win then, however.
Re House--I wish we could change the districting, however. GOPers hold 8 of 11 Cong seats despite getting fewer votes statewide. The wonders of gerrymandering...
nkpolitics1212
(8,617 posts)3)Bobby Scott
4)Donald McEachin
8)Don Beyer
11)Gerry Connelly
Democrats need to target VA-10 (Cornstock-R)
spooky3
(35,914 posts)She's stronger than you might expect. She had a well-funded, connected challenger this year, but beat her pretty badly. From what I hear, Comstock is very good at "retail politics"--goes to every street fair, community meeting, fish fry, etc. she can, and is responsive to constituent help requests.
spooky3
(35,914 posts)Held it until early Jan. Thanks.
LonePirate
(13,837 posts)Mid-term elections are consistently horrible for the incumbent president's party.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)They have a ton they can pick up. Best we can do is +1.
Kingofalldems
(39,171 posts)Look what traitor Trump did now. His followers are partly to blame also.
Link to tweet
And this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141687165
athena
(4,187 posts)I'm not going to sit around and make predictions as if nothing is going to change in the next two years.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)We could get all of them if we work.
athena
(4,187 posts)But we have to make sure people are informed. Too many people watch Fox and only Fox. Sometimes, I tune into Fox during commercials and am amazed by their lack of coverage of what is going on. It's like watching the state-controlled media of a dictatorship.
This is why it's important to organize. The Republicans did it for decades. For some reason, Democrats seem to lack the desire to effect change. (And I'm talking about the grassroots.) If that changes, it will be a silver lining of Trump's "presidency".
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)I have never seen two weeks of complete chaos ever no matter the party. This is nuts!
pangaia
(24,324 posts)spooky3
(35,914 posts)Also be interesting to list the vulnerable Republicans.
nkpolitics1212
(8,617 posts)Democratic pick up.
AZ (Flake-R) faces a primary challenge from a Tea Partier, winner faces a top tier Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema.
NV (Heller-R) US Reps Jacky Rosen-D or Ruben Kihuen-D run.
Regarding Kaine-VA.
Gillespie-R is running for Governor in 2017, if he loses then he could challenge Kaine-D and lose by a narrow margin.
spooky3
(35,914 posts)Might challenge Kaine. She would do poorly in NoVA, despite moving there. People are pretty well informed about her business and political failures as well as her positions, which are inconsistent with those of most here.
pat_k
(10,602 posts)... finally demonstrate a united front, stand strong, and ACTUALLY fight for the principles they claim to care about, win or lose.
If Dems don't step up and prove to the nation that they have a few inviolate principles they are willing to go all out for, whatever the outcome, they are not going to gain ground against those who are attracted to "Strong Man" Trump and his "principles."
If Dems keep to the "can't win, so don't fight" preemptive surrender maneuvering they have stuck with for the past couple decades, "turning things around" will remain out of reach.
It's up to us to light a fire under their asses.
They aren't going to change willingly.
--Bill Clinton
nkpolitics1212
(8,617 posts)pat_k
(10,602 posts)... to redeem themselves.
Refused to impeach Reagan for Iran Contra.
Refuse to support prosecution of Bush Sr. for his role.
Refused to rescue the nation from the black-robed election thieves by throwing out the Florida electors on Jan 6 2001
Refused to impeach Bush and Cheney for war crimes.
Refused to rescue the nation from another stolen election by throwing out the Ohio electors on Jan 6, 2005
Refused to filibuster Alito and thereby take a stand against the war criminals.
Refused to hold torturers accountable for their actions (Obama's blanket immunity).
Even with all their immoral failures, I still have a spark of hope. With every failure, we have an "I told you so." "Look how well your bleats of "backlash," calls for "bipartisonship," calls to focus on "more important things" over fighting for our bedrock principles, and ll those other rationalizations for inaction, have "paid off." Maybe it's time to rethink things. Huh?
Calculating
(2,996 posts)Thanks to gerrymandering, vote suppression, and overall cheating, I doubt we'll see the dems regain control within the next decade. The only way they do is if Trump REALLY screws up and starts another depression or something.
there is no Calvary coming ..
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)That's how the GOP wants you to think.
Flipping the House is doable.
muntrv
(14,505 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)We do that, hopefully, by winning some statehouses back before the 2020 census.
StevieM
(10,532 posts)At least if Trump loses in landslide.
madinmaryland
(65,120 posts)Get Real. The Repubicans will have banned any party of dissent. We will be living in a one party country.
joet67
(624 posts)Including all manner of outreach. Organization. And registration. Engagement. And for goodness sakes, some good candidates up and down the ballot. (Yes I'm aware of the gerrymandering and voter suppression, which must also be simultaneously be tackled). We *can walk and chew gum, I presume. I'd say right at this moment is the time to be gathering names, addresses and phone numbers while we are all meeting riled-up people at rallies and such, for one thing.
PS: I'm a man, and I just put out the word on FB I'm looking for a pussy hat. LOL
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)and that would be an upgrade for us for sure in Maine. Bad part is LePage might run for US house or senate because after two terms as governor he actually thinks he is good leader (ugh). Here's hoping LePage never gets elected to anything again and thank god we have term limits on the governor.
nkpolitics1212
(8,617 posts)Collins if she becomes Governor?
Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)No idea what any of them would do really. If Collins gets fed up with the senate she may run for governor. LePage would be awful in any government position. I'm hoping he figures out that he sucks at it and just retires.
coolbreeze77
(35 posts)nkpolitics1212
(8,617 posts)The Clinton 2016 States plus PA,MI,and WI puts them at 278ev.
The Clinton 2016 States plus FL,NC,and AZ puts them at 287ev.