Feeling pessimistic, might delete later. You can blame ICE kidnapping people off the streets, a stupid gerrymandering strategy, endless idiotic wars, or even just Ken Paxton being hated. But I think the only reason Texas (and some other usually-red states and districts) flipped is because a lot of people were pissed off that it was costing $200 to fill their huge trucks and SUVs. Is $6 diesel the result of Republican policy? Of course. But if we invaded Iran and it didn’t cause a huge spike in gas prices I don’t think we would be where we are today (and to be clear, I’m very pleased with last night’s results, even if my fucking stupid Florida continues to underperform).
Quick edit to whoever admins this community: I just read the sidebar & rule 1. Mea culpa.
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I think prices were a big part of it.
But more than that I think people actually took the time to vote, which is why they will have a Latina governor now.
I’m downvoting this, not because I disagree (which I do), but because it’s apparently a popular opinion and you also broke rule #1
The other way of thinking about it was that it was the lie that broke through. They could have believed the other lies, naively or wilfully, but being told that gas was $2 and seeing $6 was the easiest way to pull back the curtain.
But it’s still ok if I care about war and children and corruption and racism, etc, right? I mean economics is pretty much always what drives the election but those other things matter.
I can dig it. Texas Is The Reason, that oil matters at all…
Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure the main cause of this blue wave was gas prices.
The last 10 years have proven Americans aren’t particularly concerned about their democracy. Gas though…
2018: Republicans try to cut taxes and repeal Obamacare. First blue wave happens.
2022: All-time high gas prices, higher than this year, under Biden. No red wave.
Fuck off with this pessimistic bullshit
Of course, it was the same reason Trump won last time. The dems were holding the inflation hot potato.
I’ll take it, It would be nice if there were things like care and compassion but this is texas we are talking about.
Folks here in Texas were definitely sick of hearing about Ken Paxton. I was sick of him years ago, in local politics, and honestly pushing him was a stupid move for the GOP.
If you look at the electoral map, Austin-adjacent counties bucked historical trends in the Senate race the hardest, and I suspect it’s because of the flood of Paxton drama in local news.
Also, I think the Hispanic vote was a massive factor.
Social media (and some failed Democrat policies) really captured them in the Trump cycles (IMO), but recent events were just too impactful to override.
Exactly. Gas prices are an important factor, but there was so much more than that. Corruption was an extremely high priority in this election, something the MSM didn’t acknowledge much. People are getting really tired of holding their nose and voting. It’s difficult to raise your children with a moral center when the party you are supporting is committing so much corruption on every level.
Then there were the betrayed Latinos, the betrayed young people, the betrayed anti-war people, etc. How many times do you think you’re going to be able to kick someone in the nuts before they’ve had enough, and punch back?
Yes, the terrible people probably have terrible motivations, but I’m taking the win. It takes time and effort to build empathy in people, maybe we can work on that after the crisis has passed, if it does. If it doesn’t, the suffering headed their way will develop their empathy for them, since the only way they understand is if it impacts them.
Americans overall proved the DGAF about corruption, rape and pedophilia. It was the price of gas. They aren’t saying no to war and killing children, just if the consequence is expensive gas for their Canyonero.
So if Iran resolves and gas goes back down, they will flock back to the next geriatric pedophile rapist.
Oh, fuck off. Gas prices were higher in 2022 under Biden but there wasn’t a massive shift towards the right in the midterms.
No, ALL those things factored in as well. It wasn’t ALL about gas prices.
Correct. The particular swing among Hispanics can be directly connected to Trumps unpopular immigration enforcement.
Also, speaking with a couple former Trump supporters, the disillusionment with Iran goes beyond gas prices (or even inflation in general). There really was a belief among a lot of Trump supporters that the US shouldn’t be messing around in the middle east. And, lets not forget about the Epstein files. That really took the wind out of the sails of a lot of his supporters.
Can you name the truck with four wheel drive, Smells like a steak and seats thirty five? Canyonero!
Prices are not going back down. Actions in the strait cannot be undone.
Not all of us :( but too many
With all the fuckery of the last two years, the GOP still got elected in 44 senate races.
the GOP still got elected in 44 senate races.
They absolutely did not as there were only a total of 33 contested seats. Total.
You’re confusing the final count with the actual election. Republican absolutely did not get elected in 44 races on Tuesday.
We don’t hold 100 Senate elections all at once, they’re staggered.
There were only 35 seats open. But your point still holds: At present Dems won 20 of those seats, Reps won 13. (with two still uncalled ATM). Still way too many wins.
Way too many
I’ve worked as a polling location clerk for the past several elections in TX. Yesterday I saw the most number of first time voters coming in, smiling shyly (and some not knowing how to sign lol) than ever. I also saw many elderly women coming in with their first time voter grandchildren, which stood out to me and made me wonder who brought whom. I suspect we had a record first time voter participation for a mid-term election cycle, and curious to know how much it effected the results.
I’m on the fence of whether this is popular or unpopular, because 1. Of course, but 2. Every news outlet is spending massive amounts of space trying to explain multiple factors behind everything and to them, fuel is only one of those economic factors, among the other things you prefaced. Isn’t the answer always “money, dear boy?” Not wrong, but not necessarily unpopular.
100%
Though I am kind of glad that, even if it’s really only for economic reasons, we’re getting a legitimate anti-war movement right now.
Wait until he decides to put troops in Iran, and announces a draft. THEN you’ll see an anti-war movement.
And you know what, thats fine for now. Now its on the new leadership to improve the life of their constituents to such a degree that it becomes hard to argue with come next election cycle.
One election matters but repeated wins and changes that are in line with the betterment of society are the actual goal. Let the diesel guy Rollin coal with his truck testicles get a taste. We already know they can’t picture things without first experiencing it themselves, this is the time.
Fuel prices weren’t even mentioned in the majority of political ads here.
Guess it went without saying
