OOC:Let's write 1994 like 1990 and have Dems gain seats.OOC: Anyone wanna do the midterms?
The 90's were a weird time politically, especially given the odd continuity with the 80's. The GOP did get the house back in 1998 though. Ann Richards barely held on as Governor, which showed how the conservative Southern Dem was a waning force in the politics that decade. If BC had won, it probably would have been even worse and earlier for that faction.Seeing as how the midterms just ended, it reminded me of something. How did, in 1994, the Senate and House go in opposite directions? Republicans picked up five seats in the Senate, with Jon Kyl, Bill Frist, Spencer Abraham, Michael Huffington, and Mike DeWine, but Democrats were able to snatch a net gain of 17 seats, increasing their ever diminishing majority.
Got that right, I was always puzzled by how the Congress went in completely opposite directions. You'd think that the national vibe would affect both the Senate and the House.
And I wouldn't blame you for falling asleep in this year's midterms, they dragged on into the next morning. Here are the results of the Senate races. I'll put Governor races up later:
Arizona: Senator Ben Quayle (R) defeated Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D) to win a second term
California: Senator Michael Huffington (R) defeated Governor Gavin Newsom (D) to win a fifth term
Connecticut: Mayor Dannel Malloy (D) defeated one-term incumbent Senator Linda McMahon (R) to win his first term (Dem. gain)
Delaware: Former Senator and Vice President Joe Biden (D) defeated Congressman Mike Castle (R) to return to the Senate
Florida: Governor Marco Rubio (R) defeated three-term incumbent Senator Bill Nelson (D) to win his first term (Rep. gain)
Hawaii: Senator Mazie Hirono (D) defeated former Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona (R) to win a second term
Indiana: State Senator Mike Braun (R) defeated U.S. Congressman Baron Hill (D) to win his first term (Rep. gain)
Maine: Senator Olympia Snowe (R) defeated Governor Angus King (I) to win a fourth term
Maryland: Former Governor Martin O'Malley (D) defeated two-term incumbent Senator Michael Steele (R) to win his first term (Dem. gain)
Massachusetts: Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) defeated Mayor Kirsten Hughes (R) to win a second term
Michigan: Businessman and Army veteran John James (R) defeated three-term incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow (R) to win his first term (Rep. gain)
Minnesota: Governor Amy Klobouchar (D) defeated two-term incumbent Senator Mark Kennedy (R) to win her first term (Dem. gain)
Mississippi: Senator Roger Wicker (R) defeated State Senator Omeria Scott (D) to win his third term
Missouri: Navy SEAL veteran Eric Greitens (R) defeated former Governor Claire McCaskill (D) to win his first term (Rep. gain)
Montana: Senator Jon Tester (D) defeated Congressman Ryan Zinke (R) to win a second term
Nebraska: Senator Deb Fischer (R) defeated Councilwoman Jane Raybould (D) to win a second term
Nevada: Congressman Joe Heck (R) defeated Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (D) to win his first term
New Jersey: Senator Thomas Kean Jr. (R) defeated former Ambassador Phil Murphy (D) to win his third term
New Mexico: Senator Martin Heinrich (D) defeated Governor Susana Martinez (R) to win his second term
New York: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) defeated former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg (R) to win her second term.
North Dakota: Senator Rick Berg (R) defeated former Governor Heidi Heitkamp (D) to win his second term
Ohio: Governor John Kasich (R) defeated incumbent two-term Senator Sherrod Brown (D) to win his first term. (Rep. gain)
Pennsylvania: Congressman Lou Barletta (R) defeated former Governor Ed Rendell (D) to win his first term. (Rep. gain)
Rhode Island: Governor Allan Fung (R) defeated Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D) to win his first full term.
Tennessee: Governor Bill Haslam (R) defeated former Governor Phil Bredesen (D) to win his first term.
Texas: Senator Ted Cruz (R) defeated Congressman Beto O'Rourke (D) to win his second term.
Utah: Businessman Peter Huntsman (R) defeated Misty Snow (D) to win his first term.
Vermont: Senator Bernie Sanders (I) defeated Lawrence Zupan (R) to win his fourth term.
Virginia: Senator Nick Freias (R) defeated Congressman Terry McAuliffe to win his first full term.
Washington: Former Governor Dino Rossi (R) defeated incumbent three-term Senator Maria Cantwell (D) to win his first term. (Rep. gain)
West Virginia: Senator Joe Manchin (D) defeated Congressman Evan Jenkins (R) to win a second term.
Wisconsin: Businessman Kevin Nicholson (R) defeated incumbent one-term Senator Tammy Baldwin (D) to win his first term. (Rep. gain)
Wyoming: Senator John Barrasso (R) defeated Mike Gosar (D) to win his second term.
Republicans snatched a net gain of 5 seats, while losing three. This, along with Republicans retaining control of the House and a majority of governorships, might have been due to the shocking news that President Huntsman, last month, was recently diagnosed with Stage 1 melanoma. Republicans might have received a good amount of the sympathy vote for Jon Huntsman, even though the president said not to vote based on his recent cancer diagnosis, and instead based on the candidates themselves.
OOC: I am not kidding about that Huntsman diagnosis. He really was diagnosed with Stage 1 melanoma last month.
This very nice, you know, it's good to see that Senator Kean was able to hold his seat in my state, especially with how close Murphy made it with the attack ads. Although I must say, I'm very sad about Huntsman, he's such a natural leader and just a good man.
OOC: Thank you for such a detailed midterm post. I am amazed. Sympathies go out to Huntsman, seriously. He doesn't deserve that.
So as you can see, Republicans didn’t do too bad nationwide. Personally, the most surprising win of the night came in California, where Kevin Faulconer was able to upset Eric Garcetti, considering Garcetti led in every poll taken.
As a Californian, it surprised me too. I did notice he was over performing with younger voters compared to usual, but even when I voted for him I never expected him to win
Yeah, his moderate views made him appealing to the millennial block that was voting for the first time. Plus, many people were dissatisfied with Gavin Newsom’s last two years as Governor, being as how he spent a majority of them fervently opposing President Huntsman, who by many standards is not the extremely right wing, hardline conservative Newsom painted him to be. That might also be the reason he lost his Senate race.
Newsom has always been too eager to saber-rattle. Even my mom who votes almost 100% Democrat says she regretted supporting Newsom in 2014 and voted Faulconer this cycle
I voted for his opponent and I still respect him as a human beingThis very nice, you know, it's good to see that Senator Kean was able to hold his seat in my state, especially with how close Murphy made it with the attack ads. Although I must say, I'm very sad about Huntsman, he's such a natural leader and just a good man.
OOC: Thank you for such a detailed midterm post. I am amazed. Sympathies go out to Huntsman, seriously. He doesn't deserve that.
This very nice, you know, it's good to see that Senator Kean was able to hold his seat in my state, especially with how close Murphy made it with the attack ads.