Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Enron Ed Gillespie, who turned Neo-Confederate in a bid to excite Trumpkin racist shitheads into turning out for a K Street lobbyist who will fuck them over because he'll fuck over black and Hispanic people even more, has lost his bid to Ralph Northam...

By ~5 pts more than the polls predicted (NYT currently projects Northam wins by 8.8 pts).

It looks like Democrats might flip the lower house of the Virginia legislature (the House of Delegates) as well, which was considered a longshot.

A trans woman has defeated a long-time Republican member of the VA House who wrote anti-trans bathroom bills.

So far tonight, it looks like racists and transphobes can eat shit.

Hopefully this is a taste of things to come. And also hopefully Donald Trump is incensed. And also hopefully Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are shitting their pants.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Final margin appears to be Northam +8.9. This is the largest margin for VA-GOV for a Democrat since the 80s.

Other victories tonight:

NJ Governor goes to the Democrat easily, no duh because Chris Christie is one of the least popular governors of all time and the Republican candidate was his lieutenant.

A Democrat won reelection as mayor of NYC for the first time since the 80s. Remember when Hillary Clinton was going to run for that for some reason?

Maine voted to expand Medicaid under Obamacare by about 18 pts.

Democrats also flipped or held some mayoral offices and state legislative seats, among other things, more to come on that... Waiting on a special election in Washington state which could give Democrats control over the governorship and both legislative houses also.

ETA: Looks like the Democrat wins in WA. Democrats now control all the governor's mansions and legislatures on the West Coast (unless you count Alaska).

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Excuse me I need everyone to see this picture of Danica Roem immediately <a href="https://t.co/dMmLkXUqJp">pic.twitter.com/dMmLkXUqJp</a></p>&mdash; mike (@chunk_widebody) <a href="https://twitter.com/chunk_widebody/status/928101366341529600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Not an air guitar.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Breitbart, 10/25: Gillespie has embraced Trump's message, is surging in the polls<br><br>Breitbart, 11/5: Gillespie is speaking our language!<br><br>Breitbart, 11/7 (AM): Gillespie win will be huge victory for Trump<br><br>Breitbart, 11/7 (PM): New phone, who dis? <a href="https://t.co/ctYQKkjB5L">pic.twitter.com/ctYQKkjB5L</a></p>&mdash; Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) <a href="https://twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/928095985489928192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

The special election in Utah to replace Jason Chaffetz was a win for the Republicans, as expected. However, this can still be counted as an improvement - the winner, John Curtis is more moderate than Chaffetz and didn't vote for Trump last year, although I'm sure he's a likely vote for tax cuts for the rich and other Republican BS it's pretty hard to be as much of a hack as Chaffetz.

Anyway, Jason Chaffetz won by 47 pts last year, and Trump won it by 24, and Romney won it by 59 pts in 2012. Curtis only won by 30.5 pts. This is good news for Republicans, in that the candidate outperformed Trump. The bad news is he didn't do better by a huge amount and Trump was extremely unpopular for a Republican in Utah. This indicates that 2016 is closer to how Utah will vote than 2012 (although Romney as a Mormon outperformed a typical Republican), and Donald Trump was extremely unpopular for a Republican in Utah.

But a result like this suggests Democrats might be able to pick up the weakest GOP seat in Utah next year. There had previously been a Democrat Jim Matheson from Salt Lake City for 14 years, but after the 2010 census the Republicans gerrymandered so that parts of Salt Lake City were split among all four of their districts. Even so, Matheson was able to win reelection in that district in 2012...

It could also indicate a high likelihood of flipping seats at lower levels in Utah, I suppose.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

This story about her (from before the election) is also well worth reading:

This Trans Metalhead Stepmom Is Making a Historic Run for Office in Virginia - Noisey

Fucking badass.

I may have more comments later, but overall it feels like we've emerged from a year in the Upside-Down.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

This tweet thread.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After some turkey, family time, shopping and football... <br>Join me on Monday, November 27th for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpenGaetz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpenG aetz</a> Day in Navarre! <a href="https://t.co/UuZk0Q11cO">pic.twitter.com/UuZk0Q11cO</a></p>&mdash; RepMattGaetz (@RepMattGaetz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/928365346943315968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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234 replies and 21 likes at this point is an indication of how things are going.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

I think it's time Democrats put more resources into that Alabama Senate race...

Woman says Roy Moore initiated sexual encounter when she was 14, he was 32 - The Washington Post

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Next thing they'll be inventing a backstory in which the former Speaker of the House, a former coach supposedly emblematic of middle American values, actually had a history of molesting teenage boys. Oh, wait. 2/</p>&mdash; Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) <a href="https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/928707414106562562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Jesus Christ.

"Better a child rapist than a Democrat"

Who the fuck says essentially that to a REPORTER?

These defenses suggest that AL Republicans know these accusations are, at a minimum, highly credible... and maybe they suspect more will come out.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images...c08def0148.png

Alabama state auditor defends Roy Moore against sexual allegations, invokes Mary and Joseph

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOOcHxnXUAAcRgL.jpg

Oooooh this is a toughie

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

It was just brought to my attention that Danika Roem was elected to represent:

District 13.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

lol Jim Zeigler. Why do stories like this always insist on getting to Lulztown via the What's the Big Deal About Child Rape Express?

And what kind of dystopian horror show are we living that has Mitt "Borrow a Mill From Your Parents and Start a Business" Romney talking like a human?

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Mitt Romney is not half the monster of a lot of his colleagues are. I mean, I wouldn't want him to be President, but given a choice between him and the current administration or Roy Moore, he's the significantly lesser of two evils.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Mitt Romney thinks the peasants should be peasants.

But he doesn't think it's ok if the gentry rape the peasants.

This is a real distinction. But it says more about how depraved his fellow Republicans are than about him being a moral paragon. Not defending or covering* for child molesters is a pretty low bar.

*You know, like "IF it's true! I, of course, have no opinion on its truth after reading a meticulously sourced account with elements confirmed by official records and Moore's sketchy responses to questions about dating young girls and history of siding with men accused of raping underage girls in court cases. So I guess we'll just never know. Vote Roy Moore!"

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

There's a reason Roy Moore was avoiding giving interviews or debating Doug Jones before all of this. It's because he's an idiot.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HANNITY: Do you remember dating girls that young?<br><br>MOORE: &quot;Not generally, no&quot;</p>&mdash; Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) <a href="https://twitter.com/akarl_smith/status/929095474342256642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Roy Moore says &quot;I don't remember dating any girl without the permission of her mother&quot;</p>&mdash; Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bencjacobs/status/929095414590201857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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This man is so stupid that he's making Sean Hannity look like a journalist despite Hannity's best efforts to shill for a child molester.

See also this interview:

Alabama Senate GOP frontrunner: Constitution was written to "foster Christianity" - Vox

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Monty Python - Expedition to Lake Pahoe - YouTube

Well hell and dammit. I can't get it to embed even removing the s and shit. Just click the thing like a goddamned refugee.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

lol "Not generally"

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Seriously with the Overton window, Jesus fuck.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Sock would very much like for you to start viewing at offset 2m48s. Even if that breaks the imyoutubed code.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Hi media, hello, yes.

In no reality is a 32 year old adult undressing and groping a 14 year old child equivalent to "dating."

Thank you for your attention, that is all.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Ok, so sure, Roy Moore may have preyed on young girls. Molested them even.

But is Doug Jones so much better?

Here's a picture of Doug Jones in the act of assaulting an innocent child:

http://static.metacritic.com/images/...8a8dd71b2f.jpg

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

HEY YOU LEAVE SWEET AND KIND DOUG JONES, BODY ACTOR, OUT OF THIS!

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

When you've lost Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell.

Though McConnell didn't hand pick Moore anyway.

Re: Vive la Resistance! aka non-Trump US politics
 

Al Franken :sadcheer:

Not sure what the cutoff is for "past conduct that requires resignation" but Senate Democrats have all (afaik) condemned the behavior. Nonetheless, we will hear both-sides and false equivalencies between attempted rape of teenage girls, pussy-grabbing* and what Franken's accused of. Nonetheless, Franken might have to go.

We'll also see that personal conduct around these things is very important, but GOP opposition to laws that make sexual harassment, assault and rape harder to get away with is just a difference of opinion.

*Actually, they'd prefer just not to talk about that at all