I’m worried about the Senate so, generous and humane person that I am, I want to worry everybody else.<\/p>\n
Watching the House races has been invigorating, yes. But we all know the House does not confirm nominees; that’s the Senate. And it’s the Senate that tries impeachment cases.<\/p>\n
I have historic reasons to be worried — ever since 2016, when Russ Feingold (WI), Jason Kander (MO) and Evan Bayh (IN) had solid leads in the polls until six weeks or so before the election. <\/a><\/p>\n I’ve assumed dark money TV ads hammered those three candidates for those six weeks, but I can’t be sure since I live in such a deep blue area, I don’t get to see that type of ad. Nor do I understand how TV lies could so massively convince voters, but…Trump.<\/p>\n I just can’t figure out what could have changed the numbers so radically if not TV ads. (Direct mail? Digital advertising? Russian trolling specifically of a candidate?)<\/p>\n Whatever caused the radical shift in numbers, I’ve officially become an official nervous wreck six weeks before elections. I’ve got to assume those dark money ads will be heading to your local stations any day now.<\/p>\n I spend a lot of time looking at polls and election news on DailyKos Elections and Nate Silver’s 538 and while I’m somewhat easy about certain candidates’ numbers, I’m not comfortable with some of the others.<\/p>\n Those of you who think money doesn’t have anything to do with campaigns, you can stop reading now. Stop reading this<\/em>, right now — and get the RSS feed for DailyKos Elections, which will keep you up to the dollar in campaign war chests, and specifically how much outside money is being dedicated to particular candidates. (You can also see the candidates’ ads.)<\/p>\n But for the rest of us reality-based voters who want Democratic Senators to keep their seats…If you can, think about sending ten bucks or twenty-five bucks or whatever you can to the campaign chests of Claire McCaskill (MO),<\/a> Bill Nelson (FL<\/a>, and running for re-election against the utterly repulsive billionaire, Rick Largest Medicare Fraud In History Scott)<\/a>, Tammy Baldwin<\/a> (WI; I was feeling pretty good about her but the numbers keep shifting), Jon Tester (MT<\/a>; how could you not want that smile and buzz cut in the Senate?) and Heidi Heitkamp (ND<\/a>). Maybe Joe Donnelly (IN<\/a>), too, because…Indiana whence Mike Pence, and see above about Evan Bayh and me going nuts in 2016.<\/p>\n And Joe Manchin (WV<\/a>) seems OK, but see above, re me getting anxious.<\/p>\n Potential take-over seats with the best chances: Jacky Rosen<\/a> is running against incumbent Dean Heller in Nevada, Kyrsten Sinema<\/a>, running for Jeff Flake’s seat in Arizona, and Beto O’Rourke<\/a> — got to be one of the oncoming stars<\/a> for anyone of us who thinks politics is an exciting profession — is (latest poll) within one point of the thoroughly repulsive Ted Cruz in Texas! of all places!<\/p>\n If you can, send ’em money. It’ll make me feel better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m worried about the Senate so, generous and humane person that I am, I want to worry everybody else. Watching the House races has been invigorating, yes. But we all know the House does not confirm nominees; that’s the Senate. … Continue reading