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2012 election, Allen West, astroturfed tea party, Barack Obama, Bob Casey, Elizabeth Warren, Indiana Senate, Joe Donnelly, Joe Walsh, kevin deely, Koch brothers, Legalized Marijuana, Mark Critz, mitt romney, Ohio Senate, pennsylvania politics, Pennsylvania senate, progressives, Richard Mourdock, same sex marriage, Tammy Duckworth, Tea party, Todd Akin, United States Congress
We have all been following the 2012 Election season for what could only be thought as an eternity, but I wanted to take my time and give a recap of the races I have followed like a nut for nearly six months. Before I run down the list of the races that meant the most to me in this cycle, I wanted to take a minute to offer some praise to three guys I met last night.
I don’t remember their names, I apologize for that but as cold as it was in front of Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship in Salisbury I hope I can be forgiven. Well, I spent my night watching a poll for a good friend I have grown to respect and care for; Kevin Deely. He gave his all to try to unseat Tea Party Freshman Justin Simmons in the 131st and it appears for now he came up a couple hundred votes short. My story for last night was the great and civil conversation I had with two poll watchers for Republican Charlie Dent and the Poll Watcher for the Simmons Campaign. The amazing thing I learned is how much we can all actually agree on many issues when we discuss or views and respect each other. While we all disagree on certain base issues, our core values are all the same. When we show each other respect and discuss the issues at hand, we find out that we can find common ground. I just wish that the conversation held outside of that church last night was held in the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we might see good things happen.
Now to my recap:
- President Barack Obama proved last night that “Yes We Can” is much stronger than “NO you can’t”. Extremism will never win the day in this country. And while that dark populism will work further down ticket, to win a National Election, you need to address the entire demographic and not the fear of a few.
- In the Senate Race for Pennsylvania, Tom Smith learned the same lesson that Mitt Romney learned nationally; money helps, but extremist views hurt much more. Tom Smith a former Democratic Committeeman in 2010, who recently became a Tea Party Conservative, for reason I cannot explain but rampant self-interest could not buy a seat in the United States Senate last night. Spending almost 17 million dollars of his own money still left him nine points short. Only God knows who the PA GOP was polling last week when they gave Smith a small lead in the race, but as we are learning more and more; some pollsters should go get a real job.
- Unfortunately in the PA-8, the district I was recently redistricted too. Tea Party Mike Fitzpatrick, a man who usually could only win during a midterm election used the redistricting to his advantage with a 14 point victory over Civil Rights Attorney Kathy Boockvar. While, I am saddened by the fact I will be represented by a Congressman who I have nothing nice to say about, I am quite happy that my former representative, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz kept her seat by a 38% margin.
- The final PA Congressional District I will talk about is PA 12. Mark Critz learned last night that if he thought Republicans disliked RINO’s, Democrats care for DINO’s far less. Unlike Joe Manchin in West Virginia who was able keep his Senate seat running away from the President, Mark Critz had no such luck. He will be replaced by Tea Party Congressman Elect Keith Rothfus. Maybe Mark should have at least shown up to the Republican Convention in Tampa, since he was too scared to be in Charlotte this year.
- In other US Senatorial Races, Tammy Baldwin became the first Openly Gay United Senator last night by defeating Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin by a 51-46 margin. I remember when Tommy Thompson had a message that was semi decent, but like quite a few other Republicans I will mention, you can no longer win nationally, or statewide by appealing to the dark Tea Party message outside of Nebraska, Kansas, Mississippi or the like.
- Elizabeth Warren completed the Republican nightmare by not only retaking Ted Kennedy’s seat for Massachusetts, but winning a seat that she will most likely be able to hold on to for life. Scott Brown tried the race card, he tried everything he could but he learned first hand that Government won’t create a job for him.
- Todd Akin (R-MO) and Richard Mourdock (R-IN) cost Mitch McConnell his dream title last night; Senate Majority Leader. Looks to me that creating a new science on rape or claiming it’s God’s will won’t even work in decently deep Red States. In two states that Romney outperformed the President by 10 points each, voters seemed to split their tickets straight down. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) legitimately defeated Todd Aiken by 15 points and Congressman Joe Donnelly defeated Mr. Mourdock by 6 points, with 6 points going to the Liberterian.Will the Tea Party ever learn.
- In Ohio, not only was Gov.Kasich wrong on his prediction that Mitt Romney would win, or that attacking workers would work. He was also wrong on his buddy Josh Mandel. All the Astroturf Tea Party groups in the world couldn’t keep Sherrod Brown from keeping his seat in the United States Senate. Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers got a message last night in the State of Ohio. “NOT WELCOMED”
- In Illinois, the cowardly fiend Joe Walsh, who tried famously to disparage an American heroes service to her country lost his congressional seat and is now as politically relevant as Donald Trump. And Red Baiter Allen West, who was run out of the Army for questionable actions, was also run out of the United States Congress last night. In the words of Cary Elwes in Robin Hood: Men in Tights: “Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish”
- Onto a few ballot initiatives, the States of Maryland, Washington and Maine have passed Same-Sex Marriage. Maryland and Washington surviving a ballot initiative to overturn legislation and Maine become the first in 32 attempts for a citizen initiative for the issue. Looks like to me that in these states you can Defend Freedom without Defeating Obama. Three more states became a little more free last night and that’s a victory in my book.
- And in my last note of the night, Colorado and Washington become the first states to legalize recreational Marijuana last night. I am quite shocked, but with Gay Marriage and Marijuana it looks to me that Washington State has become a Libertarian’s paradise inside a Blue State :).
That is my recap for the Federal Races and certain initiatives I was following last night. Later tonight, maybe tomorrow I will do my local Commonwealth Recap. Last night was a great night for Progressives and those who want to continue our push forward. God Bless all of you who voted and got the vote out. When in doubt remember that cherished phrase: “E Pluribus Unum” 1535 more days to go…God Bless America.