Overall I'm satisfied with how things went last night. Not completely happy, I wanted Beto and Gillum to win, and I'm still holding out hope for Abrams. But we got the House, which is huge, and lots of excellent results, and we have not seen the last of Beto, Gillum, or Abrams. Frankly I suspect voter-rigging shenanigans in all three of those races, but doubt that'll ever be investigated.

I listened to Abrams not-concession speech and man, she is a force of nature. She is not going away.

I agree, Zen. Beto, Gillums and Abrams are all important figures for the future of the Democratic party. Really impressive candidates.

I'm also really heartened to see some important Midwest swings towards the Democrats. Those are going to be hugely important in the 2020 election. The ruling against gerrymandering in PA will be huge. Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Iowa had good results.

Fucking, Ohio, though! Pissing me off.

On the other hand, I'm having warmer thoughts for Kansas and Oklahoma than I ever have before. And Iowa had some good results too. And New Mexico, and Arizona is really close.

In California, I will note that the entire Democratic leadership is not just Northern Californian but straight out of San Francisco. Gavin and DiFi were mayor. Kamala began as Gavin's DA. And Nancy Pelosi is my rep.

Auntie Maxine is SoCal though.

San Francisco values, y'all.

Fucking, Ohio, though! Pissing me off.

Try being queer here. Yeesh. I thought this state was getting better, though my corner of it is more progressive than a lot of the rest of the state.

I lived in Ohio for four years! I want better for it.

Here's a comment from somebody campaigning in TX I'm pulling from a sports board:

"I know everyone wants to give their hot takes on Beto, but he ran a great campaign, and it boosted turnout everywhere in the state, and definitely pushed MANY Democrats over the edge to win House seats, as well as State House & Senate Seats. We flipped TWELVE State House seats, and TWO State Senate seats. Now, we're still far from having any kind of say in the legislative chambers, but this bodes well going forward. Dallas-Fort Worth itself flipped 7 of those seats. We worked really hard here in Dallas, and the numbers show it. And Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Arlington, etc.), longtime Republican stronghold, actually voted for Beto by a few thousand votes."

I lived in Ohio for four years! I want better for it.

You and me both.

The red lean in Ohio has actually turned into a recruiting issue for my alma mater, Kenyon.

East and West Coast kids come out to tour the campus and they have to drive by miles and miles of Trump/Pence signs and they start rethinking their plan about that quaint liberal arts college out in the country.

I can read here and my newsfeeds, but have to take a FB vacation. I don't want to focus on the positive to feel better; I don't want to get more enraged. I just need to think about something else for a while. I didn't think I had outrageous expectations, but the losses in Florida were not expected. I'm filled with disgust for my neighbors. (not my immediate neighbors in my blue corner of the state, but the rest of the bigoted state)

If Tarrant Co can register more voters and get the Dems here, specifically, I think, the suburban ones, to realize how close they are to having the majority in most elections then they will start winning everything that they have a good candidate for. Their mindset is still that they are in a 60/40 Co and really they are in a 50/50 Co. Another thing that would REALLY help, if all Tarrant Co college students who vote where they attend school would vote in Tarrant Co instead. Some smart education on such things at the college clubs would go a long way.

I'm reading some of the deep analysis and I will say that one of the big factors was the Democrats out-raised the Republicans by a considerable margin, and most of that came from the regular flow of $25 donations.

So all y'all who turned your anger about Kavanaugh or family separation into donations - it made a huge difference.

As one Republican insider put it, "The Democrats had 'Fuck You' money."

And at least in Texas, we made Republicans spend more than they normally have to. That cuts into chests for next round.