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Something not talked about enough in Youngkin's win

What Rs should have learned is you can win with two simple things:

1) attack the idiocy of D positions on wokeness
2) you don’t need to seek out Trump approval

Maybe it is time for the functioning adults that vote R to get more involved in crafting the plan for nominating a non-Trump candidate in this next cycle. I’ve never caucused in my life but may do so in this next cycle.

Given all the different nominating situations in different states, the only thing I think the Republican "establishment" can possibly do is to try to manage primaries so that there is one and just one non-MAGA candidate in a race, and hope that there are several MAGAs all trying to outdo themselves for Trump's kiss.

But they should definitely be on that, like since this morning. They need to figure it out if they're going to capitalize, or else it will all go to shit in a MAGA fest.

One possible encouraging thing about the Youngkin victory is maybe it will make some credible, viable "not particularly MAGA" Republicans consider being tapped to run, who wouldn't have dreamed of putting their hat in the ring a month ago. It's up to the Republican establishment to find those people, and try to figure out how they can grease their paths in a primary.
 
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It was a good night for Republicans for sure. It portends good things for Republicans in the mid-terms, and Democrats have a lot to do if they want to right the ship. I've been a pretty big cheerleader for Youngkin's "keep Trump at the margins" strategy, as well as being encouraged by the success he had running as just a normal Republican.

However, Youngkin did not face a primary, he was selected by convention and ranked choice voting. The truth is, had he faced a primary, he likely would have finished fourth or fifth. The Republican nominee would have lost by 7-8 points, and would be yelling about antifa and Soros with The Pillow Guy by his/her side right now, and 99% of us wouldn't even know the name Glenn Youngkin.

The Republicans have the template now for competitive races. Youngkin drove the vote out BIG for Republicans all over the state, and out performed Trump in even the Trumpiest counties. But it's going to be extremely difficult to duplicate anywhere there's a primary, where even if only 25% of the vote are Trump devotees, it will easily swing the primary. Primary candidates will have to slurp Trump's nuts in a way that Youngkin didn't have to.

The Republicans are looking at a winning formula that they're totally unable to take advantage of. I'm not sure there's any way over that dilemma.

In a perfect world, last night should be a good night for those longing for a post-Trump politics. The Republican that kept Trump at arms length upset the Democrat who centered Trump in his campaign. If proper lessons were learned, it would be a big step toward getting beyond Trump. But I'm not sure it will mean as much as it should.
"Normal Republican" was separated at birth from a Democrat. Rather not have one
 
What Rs should have learned is you can win with two simple things:

1) attack the idiocy of D positions on wokeness
2) you don’t need to seek out Trump approval

Maybe it is time for the functioning adults that vote R to get more involved in crafting the plan for nominating a non-Trump candidate in this next cycle. I’ve never caucused in my life but may do so in this next cycle.
Given all the different nominating situations in different states, the only thing I think the Republican "establishment" can possibly do is to try to manage primaries so that there is one and just one non-MAGA candidate in a race, and hope that there are several MAGAs all trying to outdo themselves for Trump's kiss.

But they should definitely be on that, like since this morning. They need to figure it out if they're going to capitalize, or else it will all go to shit in a MAGA fest.

One possible encouraging thing about the Youngkin victory is maybe it will make some credible, viable "not particularly MAGA" Republicans consider being tapped to run, who wouldn't have dreamed of putting their hat in the ring a month ago. It's up to the Republican establishment to find those people, and try to figure out how they can grease their paths in a primary.
So, run Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger out of the party, but go find more Liz Cheneys and Adam Kinzingers to run in primaries?
 
So, run Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger out of the party, but go find more Liz Cheneys and Adam Kinzingers to run in primaries?

And therein is the exact conundrum, yes. Kind of why I posted this and was thinking about it. You don't even have Youngkin if you've got a regular Republican primary.

The possible development being that Youngkin may have proven that there's another path, and helped the less Trump-centric Republicans grow bigger balls in support of actual viable candidates. That said, I by no means think that the Republicans are ready to get behind a Trump critic...baby steps.

And Kinzinger was gerrymandered out of his seat by Dems, not kicked out by Republicans, but your point stands.
 
So, run Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger out of the party, but go find more Liz Cheneys and Adam Kinzingers to run in primaries?
Is Cheney no longer a republican? Kinzinger decided to not run again. Democrats handled that one.

I think democrats have a greater chance of running Manchin and/or Sinema out of the Democratic Party.
 
And therein is the exact conundrum, yes. Kind of why I posted this and was thinking about it. You don't even have Youngkin if you've got a regular Republican primary.

The possible development being that Youngkin may have proven that there's another path, and helped the less Trump-centric Republicans grow bigger balls in support of actual viable candidates. That said, I by no means think that the Republicans are ready to get behind a Trump critic...baby steps.

And Kinzinger was gerrymandered out of his seat by Dems, not kicked out by Republicans, but your point stands.
I get it, but Kinzinger was toast. MAGAs were coming after him. I hope you are right that there’s a move away from Trump. McCarthy could help, but he wants to be speaker.
 
Is Cheney no longer a republican? Kinzinger decided to not run again. Democrats handled that one.

I think democrats have a greater chance of running Manchin and/or Sinema out of the Democratic Party.
She was removed from party leadership and replaced with a pro-choice Trumpian. But you knew that already.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a call to return to backroom deals to select candidates instead of the voter will? Dems got roasted over the coals for perceived backroom deals to select Hillary over Bernie. Isn't this calling for the same treatment?
I like how the vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee resigns in disgust over the efforts by the DNC to rig the nomination for Hillary and it’s still ‘perceived’ in your view.

That’s awesome.
 
Correct me if I am wrong but hasn't the governors race in that state been pretty schizophrenic in the last 4 or 5 elections? It seems like neither side controls the vote.
The statistic "the winner of this election has been the opposite of the Presidents party 11 of the last 12 elections". That was on the national feed not the cable news feed. So if that's true, then yes. At the very least it's a reactionary state. I also seem to recall they have a law where a governor can't serve consecutive terms?
 
The statistic "the winner of this election has been the opposite of the Presidents party 11 of the last 12 elections". That was on the national feed not the cable news feed. So if that's true, then yes. At the very least it's a reactionary state. I also seem to recall they have a law where a governor can't serve consecutive terms?
Yes. There's no built in advantage for the incumbent.
 
Youngkin is very Romney like. I know hardcore trumpers don’t want to hear it but that’s the type of republican that can win in purple states.
Seriously? Struck me as a right wing magat nut bag. I could be wrong.
 
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