world's tiniest violin plays hallelujah chorus https://t.co/tbPh335F5G
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) June 3, 2020
In his concession speech, Steve King attributes his loss to super PACs but in this primary race the PACs opposing him were from his own party. My man.
— Lyz Lenz (@lyzl) June 3, 2020
Per the Washington Post:
… Support for King started to evaporate last year after he made racially offensive remarks that forced national Republicans to distance themselves from the conservative Iowa firebrand.
That gave an opening to state Sen. Randy Feenstra, who garnered support from national GOP groups and from some prominent Iowa conservatives who argued that King undermined his influence in Washington with his drumbeat of provocative behavior…
Although Feenstra hesitated to attack King directly for his views, he was not shy about questioning his relevance in Washington — particularly after King lost his seat on the House Agriculture Committee, an important sinecure for the rural western Iowa district.
“The 4th District needs a seat at the table, an effective conservative voice,” Feenstra said in a May 26 debate held by WHO-TV. “To me, this election is about real results, not campaign rhetoric. . . . Our district, our president deserves an effective conservative leader in Congress.”…
… The 4th District is 92.8 percent white, making it one of the least diverse districts in the country.
It is also historically conservative, but the controversies swirling around King took a toll on his popularity. In 2016, he won by 22 percentage points over his Democratic opponent. In 2018, he beat first-time candidate J.D. Scholten by barely three points, and now Scholten is running again with a campaign war chest five times as large as that of any GOP candidate…
Thread –
For those analyzing Steve King's defeat tonight, I hope they will give due credit to @JDScholten, who arrived in summer of 2017 as a political nobody and campaigned King into the ground in what should have been a solid red district. (Disclosure: I have fundraised for Scholten)
— Pinboard (@Pinboard) June 3, 2020
Ultimately, this is a normative victory in Republican politics. You can be a white nationalist, but you can't be an overt white nationalist. I know this sounds cynical, but it is not! The line of what was acceptable before tonight included Steve King; now he is over the line
— Pinboard (@Pinboard) June 3, 2020
I am sure this is not the way J.D. wanted to unseat King, but the openly white nationalist, proudly xenophobic, and thoroughly vile congressman will not be returning to D.C. in 2021 because he put in the work. I hope you will continue to support him now. https://t.co/dTDHICNkHg
— Pinboard (@Pinboard) June 3, 2020
hells littlest angel
Now King is free to become the new Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. I’m going to hold off celebrating until he’s in a box.
dr. bloor
This is the correct takeaway. One spokesperson in a PAC opposing him was quite clear that they were reluctant to do so, but that King had lost all power in DC to bring home the bacon to Iowans because of his comments. No criticism of the comments themselves.
hells littlest angel
@dr. bloor: When right-wingers turn on their own over racism, it’s never because of the racism, but because they “went too far.”
Just Chuck
Most certainly a deliberate choice in photos, but doesn’t King look a lot like Putin?
Frankensteinbeck
Huh. Okay. I am opening the possibility that enough Republican voters to matter have had their fill of red meat and would like to go back to thinly disguised dog whistles, please.
MisterForkbeard
@dr. bloor: Not to mention that King didn’t just make these ‘racially charged’ comments recently. He’s been doing it for decades! Republicans didn’t mind until he… said pretty much the same thing he usually did, but media paid attention for once.
Being a white nationalist is fine with Republicans – even has benefits. Brings certain voters inside the tent that they really need. But you can’t say it so loudly that the media can’t pretend.
WereBear
King has been in my animal rights crosshairs for a long time now, thanks to his despicable upholding of inhumane and unsanitary Big Ag practices that are dangerous to all living beings.
Just a personal angle. He’s always been particularly loathesome, in all ways.
lamh36
Awwww shit Chump gonna blow a gasket!!! Get ya popcorn ready!
germy
New Stacey Abrams interview.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/stacey-abrams-on-the-george-floyd-police-brutality-protests.html
rikyrah
This gif is me watching this???
TS (the original)
Off topic: Gov Cuomo is quoting from the Bible to trump.
acallidryas
“…. Support for King started to evaporate last year after he made racially offensive remarks that forced national Republicans to distance themselves from the conservative Iowa firebrand.”
Racially offensive remarks are Steve King’s brand. It’s who he is. King’s support started to evaporate last year after he stopped pretending and decided to go full KKK.
mad citizen
@lamh36: Thanks for the alert! I searched on “Obama to address nation”, but still there are media outlets reporting it that way–I love it! 5 p.m. is perfect timing for trump to fume about it all evening, for the evening cable news shows, and the old peoples’ evening news shows (for me sometimes).
Nelle
Don’t celebrate too soon. Teenagers is a total Trump snake, promising to support Trump more effectively. Send $$ to Scholten.
JaneE
Now if the GOP would just turn on Donald Trump. LOL
King lost because he couldn’t bring home the pork anymore. They didn’t have a problem with the racism, just the response of Congress to it.