Democrats' Senate Drive Halted By GOP; Key Races Undecided

[appalachiablue]

Source: AP News

57 mins ago. WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats faced increasingly long odds as the battle for Senate control hangs in balance, and Republicans brushed back multiple challengers to protect their majority. Still, it was too soon for the GOP to declare victory.

In Michigan, Democrats were spared a loss late Wednesday when Sen. Gary Peters beat back a tough challenge from Republican John James. But Republicans held on to Susan Collins in Maine and other key seats across the map.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said President Donald Trump’s campaign helped his GOP allies, but that state election officials were still counting ballots. Key Senate races in North Carolina, Alaska and Georgia remained undecided.

“We’re waiting — whether I’m going to be the majority leader or not,” McConnell said at a news conference in his home state of Kentucky. In a delicate pushback against Trump’s own premature claims of victory over Joe Biden in the presidential race, the GOP leader said: “Claiming you’ve won the election is different from finishing the counting.”...

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-senate-elections-52eb75cff0cca29fee929f9f668544b1

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McConnell said he felt “pretty good” about the remaining contests. He secured a 7th term in a costly campaign, fending off Democrat Amy McGrath, a former fighter pilot.

“It’s time for a different approach,” said Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former governor who unseated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado, in a live video message posted on Facebook.

Yet voters, for the most part, stuck with the status quo.

[Polybius]

1. NC is taking forever to update

No one is really mentioning it either.

[unc70]

2. Don't expect NC updates for about a week

[appalachiablue]

3. Articles I just scanned & this say count will go to next wk at least.

That's too bad, wish it was much earlier....

https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/about-116000-ballots-in-nc-remain-to-be-counted-elections-officials-say/

[More_Cowbell]

4. After Mitch jumped to replace RBG...

Last edited Thu Nov 5, 2020, 08:54 AM - Edit history (1)

It wouldn't bother me at all to see the rest of him go the way of his hands. KY has a Democratic governor who would appoint a replacement, with no special election or "same party" laws.

[diva77]

5. ironic to be turning purple

[appalachiablue]

7. +1

[quakerboy]

6. by my count

we are up one, with three still in the wind.

If GA flips for biden, Id hope it can take the second senate race there to a runoff.

A runoff in which trump will NOT be on the ballot and will be lame duck. And election where Postal employees and justice department employees may feel more able to do their jobs.

That makes 50-50 still possible

Not what I was hoping for going into this.. but Id certainly take it.

[appalachiablue]

8. Tx, and absolutely we'd take it

[quakerboy]

9. I still dont know what to make of NC

Ive seen the arguments for PA and Ga still being in play. I havnt seen them for NC.

If theres hope in NC, we could even go 51-49, which would be great at this point.

[appalachiablue]

10. Several posts about little on NC, article explains some of it:

AP News, Counting Ballots in Six Key States, Nov. 4

..NORTH CAROLINA

> Elections officials were working through the remaining ballots and would continue to process and count those delivered by the Postal Service through Nov. 12, as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.

Though Trump is correct that he held a nearly 77,000-vote lead in the state early Wednesday, the race is too early to call with up to 116,000 mail ballots left to count, as well as the potential of thousands of provisional ballots.

> The state board had extended the deadline for absentee ballots to be received at local election offices from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12 as part of a consent decree in a state lawsuit by voting rights advocates. They must be postmarked by Election Day. Counties have until Nov. 13 to finish counting.

“Regardless of vote differential, we never stop counting until all eligible votes are counted and added to the final certified and audited results,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the state elections board.

At stake in North Carolina are 15 electoral votes.

https://democraticunderground.com/10142620750

[quakerboy]

12. I get the concept

But When I break it down by congressional districts and look at their current numbers and how much is still believed out.. then add the likely numbers to the total.. we are still behind. Unlike PA, GA, or NV

[appalachiablue]

13. I know. NC's not being covered like the other 3. I thought

there was more of chance due to their lengthier and slower count time. But you've looked at the districts and counts, and NC might not make it over the line for Joe. A shame, there are lots of good people and active Dems there.

NYT still has DT up slightly in NC. Favored to win by a thread at this point, +1.1, I think with est. 95% of vote in.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-north-carolina.html?action=click&module=ELEX_results&pgtype=Interactive&region=FooterNavigation

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Trump is a tired and tarnished brand

Last edited Thu Nov 5, 2020, 11:03 AM - Edit history (1)

subsequent elections will force GOP to run on policy or merits.

Unless of course Trump TV/QAnon Network becomes an alternative reality for them to hang out.

Or GOP collective silence on impeachment was an optical pleading of the 5th. Because a very prominent Twitter post yesterday hinted that DOJ does not require Senate approval to investigate - the Senate.

Also, a lot of GOP moderates voted, to cast votes for Biden, but either stayed home down-ballot, or were putting a check on Biden. So I think this election has its anomalies.