Democratic “Blue Wave” Victory Much Greater Than Had Been Imagined Possible

It is now evident that the Midterm Elections of 2018 were a revolution in many respects, a true “Blue Wave.”

We now know that 8.8 million more people voted Democratic than Republicans, the widest margin in American history, more than any other midterm election in modern times.

We now know that the Democrats gained 39 seats, and one more possible, in the House of Representatives, greater than anyone could have envisioned, meaning they will have 234 or 235 seats to the Republicans 200 or 201.

We now know that white suburbia, women, younger voters, independents, and racial and ethnic minorities all went over to the Democratic camp by wide margins.

We know know that seven more states have Democratic Governorships, and that such despicable people as Scott Walker, Kris Kobach, David Brat, and all of the Orange County Republican House members (Reagan Country) lost their races to Democrats.

We know that now Arizona and Nevada, along with Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania seem more likely to go Blue in 2020.

However, we also know that Democrats and progressives lost in Florida, Georgia, and in the Texas Senate race, and that seats were lost in the Senate in Florida, Missouri, Indiana, and North Dakota.

Overall, with some disappointments, a great result, and optimism about 2020.

8 comments on “Democratic “Blue Wave” Victory Much Greater Than Had Been Imagined Possible

  1. D November 21, 2018 4:09 pm

    “UPI” is reporting projection in the U.S. House race from Utah #04 for Democratic challenger and Salt Lake City mayor Ben McAdams. He has unseated Republican incumbent Mia Love. Link: http://www.upi.com/amp/Top_News/US/2018/11/20/Democrat-Ben-McAdams-wins-Utah-House-race-over-Mia-Love/7421542764406/ .

    By my count, if I did not make a mistake, there were 21 states involved in delivering the sufficient net gains to the 2018 Democrats as they won their new majority pickup of the U.S. House. With eight of them Top 10 populous states, which is not surprising, I went ahead and colored all on the following map in light blue: http://www.270towin.com/presidential_map_new/maps/pjQXY.png .

    As I was suspecting prior to Election Day for the 2018 midterm elections, the best state—the leading bellwether for the overall, general outcomes (for which party ended up with the majority for U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and U.S. Governors)—turned out to be Florida.

    The 2018 Democrats, with their majority pickup, flipped +2 U.S. House seats from Florida—good enough to be on average with the national result; that is still pending, yes, but it is nearly a net gain of Democrats +40. Also noteworthy: The 2018 Democrats won the U.S. Popular Vote, for U.S. House, by an estimated +8. That was a national 2016-to-2018 of an estimated +9. The 2018 Democrats will go above the historical average (1946, 1954, 1994, 2006, and 2010) of +3.64 seats, with each nationally shifted percentage point, to +4.00 or better. And, again with Florida, Donna Shalala’s pickup of Florida #27 came in at a margin of +6—another example a bellwether-like result with a margin that was close to the national.

    The U.S. Senate, retained by the 2018 Republicans with a net gain of +2 (from two losses and four counter-flips), was best reflected state-to-national in Florida. Of the Republicans’ four pickup seats, Florida is the the only state which is not a Republican base state but a bellwether state—again, one which reflected the overall outcome in this respect.

    For U.S. Governors, while the Democrats needed a net gain of +10 to win over a new majority count, and they gained by +7, ending up a Republican hold for the majority count of the nation’s governorships, the Republican hold of Florida yielded a 2014-to-2018 margins underperformance. It shifted toward, but did not flip to, the Democrats.

    I may have more to add in response to this topic. But, just in case I don’t post at least one more by the end of today [Wednesday, November 21, 2018], I have this message to everyone here at “The Progressive Professor”: Happy Thanksgiving Day! (And please take good care.)

  2. Ronald November 21, 2018 4:21 pm

    And the same good wishes for Thanksgiving to you, D, and all other readers!

    Considering everything, we have a lot to be thankful for, as the political situation, as bad as it is, is looking up!

  3. Princess Leia November 21, 2018 7:28 pm

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  4. Ronald November 21, 2018 7:31 pm

    Yes, Happy Thanksgiving, Princess Leia, to you and yours!

  5. D November 23, 2018 8:36 am

    Friday, November 23, 2018 @ 08:30 a.m. ET: It looks like the outcome for U.S. House will be the Democrats, who have won a net gain of +39 seats for their majority pickup, will have 234 seats to the 201 seats for the unseated Republicans come January 2019.

    Georgia #07 was called for Rob Woodall, winning in a Republican hold, by under 500 raw votes. Source: https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/rob-woodall-wins-by-433-votes-in-georgias-7th-district .

    Here is a map (with light shades party switches): https://www.270towin.com/2018-house-election/LKGOBrK.png .

  6. D November 27, 2018 1:40 am

    A previous comment from me needs an update.

    Instead of a U.S. House, come January 2019, which has Democrats newly in the majority with 234 to the 201 seats for the Republicans, that has to be adjusted to 234 to 200 with one race undecided.

    For at least several days, California #21, initially projected as a Republican hold for incumbent David Valadao, was premature. This is due to outstanding votes still coming in which benefits Democratic challenger T.J. Cox.

    “Los Angeles Times” reports Cox has pulled ahead of Valadao.

    ‘Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nation’s last remaining undecided House race’

    By Mark Z. Barabak and Maya Sweedler, November 26, 2018 (@ 06:15 p.m. PT)
    http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-midterm-valadao-cox-20181126-story.html

    “Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the country’s sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide.

    “Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the state’s recent voting history.”

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