Democrats needed to flip four GOP Senate seats to regain control of the chamber. Well before 11:30pm eastern time the Democrats have already done just that. Still, given the turncoat John Fetterman we need more to ensure control come January. The good news is that seems increasingly likely.
UPDATE: Minnesota has just been called for Democrat Amy Flanigan so we now will have at least 52 seats! YAY!!!! Also, while it’s not confirmed yet MS NOW reports Susan Collins has called Troy Jackson to concede. Again, YAY!!!! (SUCK IT Fetterman!)
As I write this I’m watching the news and at 11:25pm easter a fifth GOP seat has fallen to a Democratic challenger. Kansas has just joined North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Texas to become our next pickup. F**k you John Fetterman. Also, the night isn’t over. There has been zero news about what’s going on in Maine. Susan Collins has shown a near miraculous ability to win when it seemed she was toast. So there’s that.
The other thing I have to mention is that the ‘net gain of four’ hinged on Democrats holding serve – not losing any seats. Michigan is going to have everyone biting their nails and Minnesota which you’d think would be safe has Republican Michelle Tafoya startlingly close to an upset. So don’t go popping the champagne just yet.
On the other hand Iowa which has just had the Governor’s race called for the Democrat challenger and for the Senate, it’s in the ‘lean Democrat’ category so fingers crossed that Turek flips that seat. Then there’s Alaska which seemed to be going in our favor but with the GOP manufactured ‘scandal’ over there being two Dan Sullivans on the ticket we’ll have to wait a few days for the ranked choice voting to play out to see if we flip that one too. I feel good about it but as with Texas (AWESOME what’s happened there with Democrats winning both a Senate seat and the Governor’s Mansion) I’ll believe it when it happpens.
As I’m writing this Iowa has been called for Democrat James Turek. Unless I’m mistaken Kansas has been called for Democrat Adam Hamilton. That’s six seats flipped, so assuming we need at least 52 seats we can afford to lose either Michigan or Minnesota. If we lose both all eyes will be on Alaska.
So again, if you can’t help celebrating don’t go crazy. At least not yet. On the other hand it’s impossible NOT to imagine what the Senate will look like if we hold the seats in Michigan and Minnesota. We’ve flipped six seats already and might still flip two more – Maine and Alaska. Flipping EIGHT seems like too much to hope for but it’s quite possible. If THAT happens damned near every GOPer on Capitol Hill whether in the House or the Senate is as Lawrence O’Donnell said earlier tonight no longer going to be scared of Trump. They will be scared of voters, realizing that Trump’s MAGAs and Evangelicals won’t be able to guarantee them victory in 2028.
I’ll shut up for now. It’s reported the mood has been grim at the WH tonight but that Trump said earlier he’ll accept the results of the election. I call bullshit. First of all that statement was made before any election returns had been reported. Second… well he’s Trump. The more he sees on Fox and other places the voters have thoroughly slapped him down the more he’ll get his back up and start in with all sorts of wild-ass claims. It’s been a helluva night, as we are also flipping Governorships. I’ll have plenty more to say tomorrow but things are happening so fast now I’m going to sign off.
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I still want to see Mary Peltola and Abdul El Sayed win! I still can’t hardly believe we finally won in Texas. Hooray for Adam Hamilton, John Ossof and getting Susan Collins out of there!