I didn’t realize til now that Trump’s crazy rally in Lake Charles was because there’s a governor’s race in Louisiana today. If the Dem incumbent can avoid a run-off, that will be a big win for Dems. There’s also governor race in Kentucky and Mississippi coming up soon.
You can write postcards to voters in Kentucky here.
Are people interested in raising money for the governor’s races in Mississippi and Kentucky? Say the word and I’ll create a fundraising page.
I continue to believe that these elections, if they tilt heavily to Dems, could affect GOP Senators’ calculation on impeachment and removal.
Elizabelle
Hello Doug. Hugs to Benny, and I know you are missing your sweet pup.
Did you see that the Hard Rock Hotel under construction in New Orleans fell apart today? That will prove interesting, when we find out why.
Go John Bel Edwards! It can’t hurt to raise some $$$ for Southern governors, although might be throwing good money after bad. To see.
debbie
It will also dispirit them. Bonus!
MP
Pretty sure Lucinda will be happy to play a benefit for anyone running against Orangemandias.
EmbraceYourInnerCrone
Yes please and thank you.
H.E.Wolf
Thank you for the link to the Postcards To Voters’ GOTV project in Kentucky!
Their spokesperson has said that if they get an encouraging number of new participants writing for Kentucky Democrats in 2019, they’re more likely to do a postcard campaign on behalf of Mitch McConnell’s Democratic challenger, Amy McGrath, in 2020.
Marcopolo
Well, we have a special election state house race here in MO in less than a month that I have been supporting. It would be a flip if we win it. There isn’t any polling in the race and it will be a stretch to win it but the D candidate, Trish Gunby is excellent. If anyone would like to chip in for the final weeks, here is her website:
Trish Gunby for State Rep District 99
I’m also supporting the D effort to flip the VA state leg through the Fuck Gerrymandering Fund.
Last, but not least, the VoteSaveAmerica website is the goto link that I send any folks who ask me how to be involved in helping progressive D candidates win. Period. They have resources & links for all the upcoming special elections in November & they update opportunities regularly.
Going out to buy some pumpkins now, everyone have a great Saturday!
P.S. In case anyone here doesn’t know it, Amy McGrath (who I love) raised over $10M last quarter. She will have enough dough to run a great race. If you are looking to Senate races to give to maybe look to IA, NC, GA at this point. Mark Kelly is looking good in AZ and there is already a hefty fund waiting for the nominee in ME. Just a thought.
Yutsano
Wait…an election on a Saturday? What madness is this?
Elizabelle
@MP: Thought that might be Lucinda. Sure sounds like her lyric.
A Ghost To Most
I don’t think T needed a reason. He needed an excuse.
Doug R
@Yutsano:
Maybe it’s to suppress the Orthodox and Seventh Day Adventist vote.
Miss Bianca
@Marcopolo: Didn’t I see something another commenter posted where she described herself as a “pro-Trump Democrat”? If true, then wtf?
mrmoshpotato
@Miss Bianca:
Time for eyebrow exercises!
Raise one eyebrow. Lower. Raise the other eyebrow. Lower.
Do 3 sets of 5 reps.
waysel
Yes. Make a page please.
waysel
@Miss Bianca: Who described herself as pro Tump? A BJ commenter?
azelie
I’m mostly a lurker, but I’m involved in a couple of campaigns in Louisiana. I’m supporting a candidate for state rep in Louisiana (Belinda Davis) who has a chance to turn a seat in our legislature from red to blue. She’ll probably be in a runoff (we have non-partisan general elections and runoffs of the top two vote-getters if no one gets over 50%) and will need money to get out the vote.
This race is particularly important because It’s likely that we will lose several seats currently held by old white guy Democrats (or “Democrats”) who are term limited, and if we don’t manage to pick up seats like Louisiana District 70 (in Baton Rouge) the Republicans may wind up with a veto-proof majority in Louisiana. If you’re so inclined, please donate to Belinda Davis.
https://www.belindaforla.com/
If there’s interest, I’ll be happy to give people suggestions for candidates in Louisiana to donate to once we’ve figured out what the runoffs look like.
Amir Khalid
@Yutsano:
A lot of countries do have their elections on a weekend so that the most people will be free to come and vote. Whereas America insists on having them on Tuesday, because history. Perhaps Louisiana has seen the light?
Yarrow
@Miss Bianca: Yes. From a local Kentucky paper in July:
Seems kind of dumb to me.
Amir Khalid
@waysel:
Maybe it was a BJ “commenter”.
JR
@Yarrow: pretty smart in my mind. She’s coopting his message in a place that went strongly for him and against an opponent that has a weak spot there. It’s not honest exactly but we want to win elections don’t we?
japa21
@Yarrow: That does not mean she is pro-Trump. All those things are things any progressive can get behind.
Martin
Hopefully the governor candidates were campaigning on improving building and construction codes:
James E Powell
@JR:
I can’t abide a pro Trump Democrat and I don’t believe that pro Trump voters can be convinced to vote for a Democrat.
Miss Bianca
@Yarrow: That’s it. Wow. Words fail.
Martin
Whoa. First sub 2 hour marathon. I can’t imagine running a 4:36 mile, let alone 26 of them back to back. Some people are just amazing.
Marcopolo
@Miss Bianca: Back from pumpkin purchasing. McGrath is much more of a conservative blue dog than a candidate I would normally support but 1) she’s running in KY; and, 2) if she wins she beats McConnell. I live in MO and had no problem voting for McCaskill for the same reason (though I wish McCaskill hadn’t signed on as a commentator for MSNBC cause I think her political instincts kind of suck). But I take what I can get when in comes to electing D’s in red states.
As for McGrath being a “pro-Trump” D, nope, never heard that, sounds like the kind of thing a purity troll would say. I mean just for starters, McGrath is a veteran & I’m pretty sure she thinks T is the worst commander-in-chief in history.
However, if anyone wants to do the work of finding a quote or interview (you know something factual in the real world as opposed to someone on the internet making an off the cuff remark say on twitter) where she says something like this I’ll give it a look.
Unless someone shows me their work I am disinclined to believe them.
Marcopolo
@Yarrow: By the way, saying you are for jobs & draining the swamp means you embrace those positions, doesn’t mean she is pro Trump. The pro-Trump label seems to be the writers comment not McGrath’s.
Martin
@Miss Bianca: I would support Dick Cheney against Mitch McConnell.
Goal #1 is not getting a progressive dem in that seat. Goal #1 is getting McConnell out and *anyone* else in that seat, even if it’s a different GOP, because if nothing else it changes leadership, and that alone is a victory.
mrmoshpotato
@Yarrow: She’s for the policies he’s lied about, like lower drugs costs, actually rooting out corruption (draining the swamp). She’s not pro-Dump, and it’s the article that labels her like that.
Miss Bianca
@Marcopolo: If McGrath described herself as a “pro-Trump Democrat”, then she’s beyond stupid. Or she thinks KY voters are beyond stupid, which actually sounds pretty right-on to me. If a journalist has described her like that, then it’s that person who is beyond stupid. Or a rat-fucker. Or both.
Yarrow
@JR: I think it was smarter in July than it is now.
@japa21: Yes, but she’s shifted her messaging since her run last time and she’s more pro-Trump now than she was.
I don’t really care what she says so long as she wins. Then we can all hate her for being the next Manchin.
@Marcopolo: Agreed and the paper may be pro-McConnell. I’m not familiar with it. The “pro-Trump Democrat” label has stuck with her, though. Other papers including WaPo have picked up on it. Edit: Sorry, it wasn’t WaPo. It was MSN just reposting the article above.
piratedan
@Marcopolo: have to remember…. is that characterization being espoused by the McGrath campaign or the people writing the article?
Miss Bianca
@Yarrow: And it won’t help her. Trump voters are going to vote for McConnell, and others will be repelled. Seems to me it’s a label she should repudiate. But then, I’m not getting the big bucks for advising Democrats on their election strategies.
Marcopolo
@Marcopolo: Okay, I am eating “some” crow here. According to the quotes in the article, McGrath is trying to portray McConnell as obstructing Trump from cleaning up the swamp, lowering drug prices, and bringing jobs to KY & that if elected she would help Trump accomplish those things. I think that is awful positioning (I mean how does she get around McConnell being the person protecting Trump from impeachment?) & does come across as supporting Trump.
Sigh. This definitely a misfire. Still love the initial campaign vid for her House race & her initial comments on her feelings (like being punched) after Trump won in 2016.
Thanks for posting the article!
japa21
@Yarrow: So what has she actually said that makes you think she is pro-Trump. Nothing shown so far indicates that.
Miss Bianca
@Marcopolo: Yeah, “if only the Tsar/God Emperor Trump *knew* what his minister McConnell was up to!” is…how shall I put this…not a good look.
Yarrow
@mrmoshpotato: She says she’s not anti-Trump either. She had to address it because her announcement video left the impression she thought Trump’s policies were good.
Link.
Yarrow
@japa21: Her campaign announcement video left people with the impression she thought Trump’s policies were good.
Marcopolo
@Martin: Fastest mile I ever ran was ~6 mins—which I could do for 5 miles, then I needed a week to recover (40 yrs ago). If I could have maintained that for 26.2 miles (lots of laughs at this thought) that would be around a 2:38 marathon.
An under 2 hour marathon leaves me speechless.
Yarrow
@Miss Bianca: Agreed. Middle of the road isn’t going to work this time. She’s not going to win with that strategy. She could win because of events on the ground and how they involve McConnell, but that’s a different issue.
@Marcopolo: Thanks for reading further. Pretty much felt like a pile on and no one had read the article.
I’m done here. Tired of being beat up.
sdhays
The last I checked, Dump is still ridiculously popular in Kentucky. I don’t think McGrath is actually “pro-Dump”, but it seems like a decent plan to position herself as non-hostile towards him. If she becomes a Senator, she almost certainly won’t have to deal with Liddle’ Hands as Preznit.
sdhays
@Miss Bianca:
Dump is going win Kentucky in 2020, even if he’s caught fucking Don Jr. on 5th Avenue. If McGrath has any chance at winning, she’s going to need some Dump voters.
Marcopolo
@Yarrow: Yeah, she’s trying to walk a tightrope, poorly. Maybe clumsily is a better word. You can kind of understand it, Trump has a +15 approval rating in KY. But if the election were held tomorrow McConnell’d steamroll right over her.
On a positive note, maybe she’ll take some of last quarters $10M plus haul and spread it around to help other D’s & general D organizing in the state.
And as I said in my original post, there are 2020 Senate races in IA, NC, & GA that will need (and hopefully make better strategic use of) campaign contributions. Maybe MT as well if Bullock would come to his senses.
kindness
In any upcoming impeachment trial of Trump in the Senate, it’ll be 66 for and 34 against. Mitch won’t allow that 67th vote and we all know it. Even if footage of the pee tape shows up.
mad citizen
Thanks for the NOLA news–looks pretty bad. Either the upper part of that building under construction will collapse or have to be taken down, or the whole thing will come down. I’m going there in a week and a half for work–just checked and my hotel is 5 blocks away. No problem!
japa21
Look, she says the policies (actually only some of the policies and not the ones people voted for Trump for) that Trump campaigned on are good. And those policies were good. And actually, Trump never even produced actual policies. She still does not say she is pro Trump. And anybody who says that quote indicates being pro-Trump is either short on reading comprehension or may be in the employ of McConnell and the Russians.
Miss Bianca
@japa21: If she thinks that validating Trump’s “policies” – by pretending he actually *had* policies other than “Kill Brown People” – and that it’s mean ol’ Mitch McConnell that’s standing in between Kentucky and Paradise, then she’s an idiot. I don’t care whether she actually identifies herself as “pro-Trump” or not. Now, are you telling me that that means I must be in the employ of either McConnell or the Russians? News to me. Maybe you can tell where all my employment checks have been going. Sure haven’t been coming to my mailbox.
Mary G
@Yarrow: Don’t go. I so enjoy your comnents. Everybody is on edge these days.
debbie
@Yarrow:
Well, lowering drug prices is a good policy. What these Blue Dogs need to say loudly at every opportunity is that Trump has not followed through and that he has in fact NOT kept his promises.
ETA: FYI, I’m not piling on. You reported what was said. I just wish that once, what was said was accurate and fair (remember those good ol’ days???)
mad citizen
@Mary G: I assume Yarrow is only going for now. I too enjoy Yarrow’s comments, as I do nearly everyone here. The crowd is different depending on day and time, etc.
japa21
@Miss Bianca: She is talking about specific aims that even resonate with Democrats. She never said she was in favor of the more racist policies Trump has actually acted upon. I suppose she shouldn’t be in favor of draining the swamp, or making jobs, etc.
And yes, she is trying to make McConnell the bad guy, which is exactly what she should do. If you read what I said, you would see that I basically said that Trump didn’t really have those policies except as using them to get elected. What she is doing is being able to ease the conscience of some who voted for Trump by allowing them to convince themselves they voted for Trump for those reasons and not for the more racist elements. They can then take out their anger on McConnell and vote for her. Actually it is pretty smart strategy.
sdhays
@kindness: No way. If Dump loses 19 Republican Senators, that means that a large number of Republican Senators are in open revolt against Dump and McConnell. If that happens, all bets are off.
McConnell’s best outcome in a Senate trial is a partisan vote. If he loses Republican Senators, that further legitimizes the impeachment charges and thus puts more pressure on the people voting to acquit. If he loses enough of his caucus so that a majority of the Senate votes to convict, then the Republican Senate majority is almost certainly in deep jeopardy. If the vote to convict isn’t even close, yet still doesn’t reach the threshold to remove the Preznit, that’s almost the worst case scenario for McConnell because it means that there’s overwhelming bipartisan consensus that the President is a criminal and despite that the Republican Party is still protecting him. At that point, it’s probably better to get Dump out because the house is crashing down around their ears anyway.
cintibud
Say, all this arguing sounds very familiar. Go back to McConnell’s previous election. His Democratic opponent – I forget her name – couldn’t run far enough away from Obama. She lost. Big time.
Marcopolo
@japa21:
Hyperbolic much?
From the article:
So far so good.
Oops. A reasonable interpretation of this is McGrath supports Trump (even if it is just on these policies) & thinks McConnell is the major impediment to Trump being successful. As I said, she is trying to walk some kind of tightrope here and doing it poorly, cause as the article goes on to say:
McGrath could have clearly stated that she believes the policies/promises that Trump ran on are worthwhile while also clearly saying that neither Trump nor McConnell is doing much to bring them about. But she wants her listeners to think she is supportive of Trump but not that dastardly McConnell.
James E Powell
@japa21:
I suppose we will have to be satisfied with her saying McConnell is bad and wish her good luck. I’m aware that his approval ratings are down in the state, but they will definitely shoot back up once the election season begins in earnest. Kentucky isn’t one of those states I have hope for. Spent a lot of time there in my younger days, camping. They were more enamored of the Confederacy than people in actual Confederate states.
Marcopolo
@sdhays: Agree. Any Senate impeachment vote where more than a handful of R senators vote to convict is a win in my book.
Rihilism
DougJ-
I believe the most recent polling indicates that Bevin is underwater in Kentucky (https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/governor/kentucky/). Don’t know anything about Beshear and don’t have the resources to contribute, but you may want to consider a fundraiser for him. What do BJ Kentuckians think?