Your daily jolt: Republicans absorb Tuesday’s lessons
The message from last night: The dynamics of Georgia politics haven’t changed much in four years. Republican Mitt Romney on Tuesday won this state (53.4 percent) by nearly the same margin as John McCain (52 percent) in 2008.
Here’s the county-by-county map of last night’s returns.
In fact, with the exception of D.C.-infected Virginia, Republicans won every state in the Old Confederacy, and a few border concerns besides. But 206 electoral votes won’t win you a presidency. Elsewhere, the GOP clearly needs to recalculate its audience and its message.
Republicans had bet the demographic changes measured in countless surveys and the 2010 census wouldn’t show up at the polls. They were wrong. The quick and simple from the Associated Press:
In exit polling Tuesday, voters mirrored the voting public’s makeup of four years ago, when Obama shattered minority voting barriers and drove young voters to the polls unlike any candidate in generations.
White voters made up 72 percent of the electorate — less than four years ago — while black voters remained at 13 percent and Hispanics increased from 9 percent to 10 percent.
That flew in the face of GOP assumptions that the fierce economic headwinds of the past three years and the passing of the novelty of the first African-American president would trim Obama’s support from black voters, perhaps enough to make the difference in a close election.
However, Obama carried Virginia, the heart of the old South, in part by having increased his record support from black voters there in 2008, which reached 18 percent, to more than 20 percent, according to Obama campaign internal tracking polls.
On CNN this morning, former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich simply said “I was wrong” when he predicted a 53 percent victory margin for Romney:
Said Gingrich:
“We all thought that we understood the historical pattern and the fact that, with this level of unemployment, with this level of gasoline pricing, what would happen….The country was looking at a different set of things than we were looking at.”
The miscalculations and misstatements – both Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana lost their Republicans campaigns – cost the GOP control of the U.S. Senate. Again, from AP:
In a somber statement, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Republicans “have a period of reflection and recalibration ahead.” He added that, “While some will want to blame one wing of the party over the other, the reality is candidates from all corners of our GOP lost tonight.”
Some will declare that Republicans were beaten because they weren’t conservative enough. A message from Jenny Beth Martin, the Cherokee County woman who heads up Tea Party Patriots, arrived just before midnight. It included this:
What we got was a weak moderate candidate, hand-picked by the Beltway elites and country-club establishment wing of the Republican Party. The Presidential loss is unequivocally on them….
We cannot change what the Republican establishment handed us tonight. We can stop Barack Obama from fundamentally changing the future and character of this nation. We can stop the mushy-middle, non-fighters in the GOP from rolling over and getting rolled, yet again by the Left.
Or you can simply move on. This voice mail from Republican Joe McCutchen, who lived and breathed Mitt Romney for 18 months, arrived this morning:
”I’m sorry about Mitt, but I’ve already gone to work on the next two-year election. I’m happy about my nephew Hunter winning. We’re going to take over the Senate in 2014. I’ve already started to work on the next election.”
***
In the passage of Amendment One the charter school measure, five counties in metro Atlanta provided 62 percent of the 625,133 margin of victory:
– DeKalb: Yes, by 81,784 votes;
– Cobb: Yes, by 83,204 votes;
– Gwinnett: Yes, by 74,626 votes;
– Fulton: Yes, by 111,733 votes;
– Clayton: Yes, by 39,503.
We’ve received one estimate that the charter school measure won approximately 65 percent of the African-American vote in DeKalb, 64 percent in Fulton, and 72 percent in Clayton. This despite concerted opposition from the likes of the Rev. Joe Lowery; state Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus; and state Sen. Vincent Fort of Atlanta.
This was the result that TSPLOST supporters wanted, but couldn’t get. Here’s a link to the county-by-county map of the returns.
***
A review of other Georgia contests worth noting this morning:
– Both Republican incumbents on the state Public Service Commission won re-election. Chuck Eaton (52 percent) beat Stephen Openheimer (43 percent), with Libertarian Brad Ploeger taking 5 percent. Notice that the results roughly mirrored the presidential contest.
Stan Wise (66 percent) beat David Staples, who ended the evening as the state’s most popular Libertarian, with 34 percent – or more than 1 million votes.
– Democratic incumbent John Barrow finished off Lee Anderson with 54 percent in the 12th District congressional race.
***
Republican challenger Hunter Hill beat Democratic incumbent Doug Stoner in the race for District 6 state Senate seat. But Republicans will have to wait for a runoff and special general election contest in District 30 before they can claim a supermajority in the Senate.
State Rep. Bill Hembree, R-Winston, narrowly missed (48 percent) winning outright, and will face Republican Mike Dugan (24 percent) in December. The winner must still face an independent in January. Former House speaker Glenn Richardson finished third (15 percent) in the District 30 contest.
So the count in the Senate is 37 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and one race yet to be decided.
Members of the new Republican Senate caucus will meet next week in south Georgia at Little Ocmulgee State Park to pick a new leadership team. Do not overlook the fact that, at one GOP celebration last night, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle was introduced by state Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, who is likely to be elected Senate president pro tem.
***
Democrats this morning claim they have blocked a GOP supermajority in the state House, keeping Republicans to 119 seats of 180. Among those races:
– In House District 12, Democratic incumbent Barbara Reece of Menlo lost to Republican Eddie Lumsden (51 percent).
– In House District 16: Republican Trey Kelley trounced (69 percent) Democratic incumbent Rick Crawford of Cedartown, who had promised to switch to the GOP if re-elected.
– In House District 81, Democratic incumbent Scott Holcomb defeated (56 percent) Republican Chris Boedeker.
– In House District 96: Democratic incumbent Pedro Marin survived (55 percent) a GOP challenge from Mark Williams, who was hospitalized during a portion of the campaign.
– In House District 105: Republican Joyce Chandler of Lawrenceville defeated (51 percent) Democrat Renita Hamilton for an open seat.
– In House District 138: Republican Mike Cheokas of Americus barely survived (50.64 percent) a Democratic challenge from Kevin Brown.
– In House District 145: Independent incumbent Rusty Kidd (54 percent) defeated Democrat Quentin Howell. Despite their effort to knock him off, Democrats say Kidd’s presence in the House– plus their 60 members — deprives the GOP of supermajority status.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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335 comments Add your comment
Voter
November 7th, 2012
2:26 pm
@Nopper – I see that. But like @Bobby says, “The US will survive just fine. We will continue to move forward in the correct direction the next four years.” We’re fine. Apparently Wall Street, doesn’t agree. What a mess and what a bigger mess we’re headed for. Let’s see how the people dance in the next few years and see who hussein obama blames now.
SORE LOSERMAN
November 7th, 2012
2:26 pm
“half the country voted against this person. Some mandate, huh?”
Funny, that’s the same way I felt when Bush won the 2000 election. Except, of course, more than half of the country voted against him. For people who claim to represent the party of “personal responsibility,” you and your Republican pals could do with some soul-searching and mirror-looking rather than blaming the Left for your own shortcomings. Don’t take my word for it, here’s what Frank Zappa had to say on the matter:
There ain’t no Great Society
As it applies to you and me
Our country isn’t free
And the law refuses to see
If all that you can ever be
Is just a lousy janitor
Unless your uncle owns a store
You know that five in every four
Just won’t amount to nothin’ more
Gonna watch the rats go across the floor
And make up songs about being poor
Rod
November 7th, 2012
2:27 pm
It suck to be the Koch(COKE) brothers today all those PAC”s got you a terd in the toilet this election just took 5 years of they’re lives and Good riddance Neal you closet racist I think a black man broke up his1st marriage he is the definition of old angry white male bye Neal live the good life in Naples haha
Voter
November 7th, 2012
2:28 pm
@Silver Classic – Good point. And another thing for Georgians to remember. Georgia is no longer home to the worst President in the History of the United States. That crown goes to Illinois!!!!!!!!!!!
Ginger
November 7th, 2012
2:30 pm
The GOP cannot win. If they move more toward the middle, they anger their base (and boy, can those wingnuts get angry). If they satisfy their base, there is no way they can win any moderate independents. And, until they determine that small government also means staying out of women’s vaginas, they will never carry the women’s vote. And, per Rick Santorum, they will never have the support of “college types.” Bless their poor ignorant hearts.
Nopper
November 7th, 2012
2:30 pm
Bottom line is 50% of Americans want things and want someone to give it to them…the Gov’t.
Pandora
November 7th, 2012
2:35 pm
The only reason why the majority of Republicans voted for Romney is because he is white. There is no other reason. I praise God that those red necked racists are mostly old as heck and when they die and go to hell…they will have to nerve to be shocked!!! Confederacy…so sad…really sad… OBAMA 2012!
Sleepy Republican
November 7th, 2012
2:37 pm
I just woke up? What happened?
Did we win? Did we make Obama a one-term president?
Evan
November 7th, 2012
2:40 pm
@ Nopper, Voter, Sore Loserman, etc. Said it once, I’ll say it again until you bigots get it through your dinosaur thick skulls and small brains.
Black people don’t vote for Obama because hes black, they vote for him because he does not espouse hate and he is the highly intelligent leader of the most progressive, organized party in existence. If the candidates were both white, don’t you think the black people would vote for the one who obviously didn’t despise their existence for the color of their skin alone. Don’t you think the Latinos would vote for the candidate who didn’t propose “self-deportation” as the answer to the immigration problem? The republican party is so deeply imbued with white supremacist ideology, that they can’t realize that Neither Blacks, Latinos, Asians, or even the White people with any sense, or moral character will fall for it. I am a professional, I have worked hard for my position in life, but I realize that alienating a growing majority of the population just won’t work. It is increasingly apparent that this is no longer a white mans world.
Nopper
November 7th, 2012
2:41 pm
Pandora….going to hell? You will be opening the gate idiot.
Voted for Romney because he’s white…are you crazy.
97% of blacks voted for Oblamer because he’s black. Are you smarter than a fifty grader?
bill
November 7th, 2012
2:41 pm
Losing the election does not mean we are wrong. It means only that the people do not like the truth. The end is coming and in a hurry. 5 years ten years at the most til we reach the economic and cultural cliff.
Nopper
November 7th, 2012
2:43 pm
Evans..what the hell you smoking are just stupid.
SORE LOSERMAN
November 7th, 2012
2:44 pm
Evan: please be careful when you are insulting people’s intelligence. If you read my post you might realize that I am slightly to the Left of Eugene V. Debs and have voted Democrat in every presidential election since Bush stole it from Gore.
Natrone
November 7th, 2012
2:44 pm
the old, white man model doesn’t work anymore nationally—but repubs never learn. in 2016, it will be another mccain / romney clone running against Hillary. Hillary wins in a landslide!!!
straitroad
November 7th, 2012
2:45 pm
All of this talk about demographics is utter nonsense. If you look at a map of the country, it is mostly conservative except for the cities where you have large populations of minorities. Republicans ran a horrible campaign with a sub par candidate and bad senate candidates as well. The issue here is finding a message that effectively counters the liberal message of giving people their neighbor’s labor and property. Obama is very effective at campaigning on this idea because he has no conscious but he’s a once a generation politician. Regroup and run better candidates in the next election and don’t give the media ammunition or they will use it against you as they did many times during this election cycle.
Sleepy Republican
November 7th, 2012
2:47 pm
bill wrote: “Losing the election does not mean we are wrong. It means only that the people do not like the truth.”
Bahahahahahahahaha!!!! That’s the best one I’ve heard all day.
denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, homey.
I hope you have more of those gems because it’s gonna be a long four years for the LOSERS.
Libertarian
November 7th, 2012
2:47 pm
We all know the USA was fouded on NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION but it should be changed to NO REPRESENTATION WITHOUT TAXATION
Voter
November 7th, 2012
2:48 pm
@Pandora – ” The only reason why the majority of Republicans voted for Romney is because he is white.” And the only reason why the majority of democrats voted for hussein obama is because he is black. Call it like it is. With Romney we had a chance. With hussein obama we will sink farther into debt. Are you working with benefits? Just wait when obamacare kicks in and you get less in your paycheck and less for your medical care. Then talk.
All I'm Saying Is...
November 7th, 2012
2:48 pm
I love democracy and the USA. I hope that the newly elected representatives decide to do what’s in the best interest of our country. I hope they ignore old farts like Boehner, Reid, and McConnell. I hope they collaborate and for goodness sakes compromise to avert the fiscal cliff. I hope they sincerely reform the tax code to close some loopholes thereby raising revenues responsibly while concurrently appropriately cutting spending (and tweaking social security to solidify it for another 50 years). I also hope they pass the DREAM Act or something like it, which would actually save the GOP by removing the issue that they are on the wrong side of (just like they were on the wrong side of the civil rights movement in the 60s which is why African-Americans do not historically support the GOP—same thing will happen with Latinos unless the GOP gets a C-L-U-E).
(By the way, did anyone tell Karl Rove all the votes are in from Ohio and his guy still lost?)
SORE LOSERMAN
November 7th, 2012
2:49 pm
If by “cultural cliff” you mean a point at which you right wing busy-bodies will stop trying to impose your views and values on the rest of us, bring it on. If you haven’t gotten the message by now, let me lay it out to you again: we don’t care how right you think you are. We think you are wrong. And in the last 2 elections, thank God, there have been enough of us to keep the White House in the hands of people who have a reality-based perspective on government.
Voter
November 7th, 2012
2:49 pm
@Evan – you need help. and not just one doctor but a whole team. Oh wait, obamacare will help you
William Casey
November 7th, 2012
2:50 pm
I’m fairly certain about three things:
1. The Republican Party is on the wrong side of demographics. The future is not bright.
2. Going ultra-right wing won’t work. Reference: Barry Goldwater in ‘64.
3. The only way the Republicans beat Hillary Clinton in ‘16 is if Reagan rises from the dead.
Voter
November 7th, 2012
2:51 pm
@Sore Loserman. – Are you serious? You think higher gas prices, higher unemployment, no budget, no limit on spending is good for us? Seriously, get some help or have your girlfriend slap you, hard.
Sleepy Republican
November 7th, 2012
2:51 pm
Natrone, not to be argumentative, but Hillary’s chances in the White House may have ended in the Benghazi consulate. She will not be the SOS for the second term, but will serve the state of NY well in the senate for a long time. Or maybe in the UN.
But the good news is the GOP is so bad at what they do you can expect Biden or Elizabeth warren or even Julian castro to win easily in 2016.
Nopper
November 7th, 2012
2:53 pm
I voted for Obama the first thing but he failed on his promises…it was not a Black -white thing -r- Demo-Repub-thing it was all about the economy, 24 millions without jobs 42 million on food stamps and losing our Constitutional freedoms. …thats why I didn’t vote for Big O!
Al
November 7th, 2012
2:53 pm
Did you see what Obama worshipper Chris Matthews said “I’m so glad we that storm.”
Bash Rove, Hannity, Fox News,etc. all you want but Matthews is the biggest d’bag for saying that and now he is trying to explain what he meant.
Gonna be another looooooooonnnnnnnnnngggggg 4 yrs!!!!!
Libertarian
November 7th, 2012
2:53 pm
The Republicans deserved to lose….why did they select a candidate that was a wealthy investment banker whose wife talks about Cadillacs and taking her horses to the London Olympics during a period of recession that was partially caused by the excesses of Wall Street? Unfortunately, the rest of the Country are the real losers. With another four years of Obama and expanding welfare & food stamp rolls, the non-taxpaying 47% will continue to grow and become a voting majority. At which point, say good night America, as we will be on our way to becoming another Greece.
SORE LOSERMAN
November 7th, 2012
2:53 pm
Libertarian: How about, “there is no such thing as a free lunch?” If you don’t like paying taxes, move to an island somewhere. We do not get to pick and choose what laws to follow, no matter how much we may disagree with them. And as California voters have realized, without the ability to raise taxes, governments find it very difficult to do any of the things that most voters expect them to.
straitroad
November 7th, 2012
2:54 pm
Also take note of comments such as those by Pandora regarding voting by whites. Blacks voted 97% for obama. Based on Pandora’s logic, that makes blacks overtly biased and says that they fail to judge people on their ideas but instead only look at skin color.
Evan
November 7th, 2012
2:55 pm
Why is it that all of the progressive states with high educational attainment, and diverse economies are democratic leaning, while many of the Southern states, with highly uneducated populations, single-industry economies, and hoards of brain-dead bible thumpers are Red to the core. Seems like the south could learn a lesson or two from the North. People want to talk about poor Blacks and Mexicans, but nobody has said anything about Honey-Boo-boo, the queen of dixie-land. GTFO of here.
Nopper
November 7th, 2012
2:56 pm
All the votes from OHIO are not in and wont be for 10 more days..Military votes and 2oo,ooo contested votes…do your home work.
Delbert D.
November 7th, 2012
2:56 pm
I’m hoping that the central theme in the 2012 political season is not about the redistribution of poverty. I don’t know how much wealth will be available once we settle with China.
Al
November 7th, 2012
2:57 pm
Just as many rednecks up North as in the South!!
DJ Sniper
November 7th, 2012
2:58 pm
To everybody who is blaming Obama for high gas prices, let me tell you this one more time: The president has absolutely no control over gas prices. This is true no matter who holds office. Please learn some basic information about how this country works. If you want to blame someone for high gas prices, look no further than the oil speculators.
By the way, can any of you neo-cons tell me which Constitutional freedoms you’ve actually lost since Obama was elected in 2008?
SORE LOSERMAN
November 7th, 2012
2:58 pm
“Are you serious? You think higher gas prices, higher unemployment, no budget, no limit on spending is good for us?”
Of course I don’t you insipid fool. I think that the problems we face as a society would be much worse if Republicans had been allowed to continue their legacy of poor governance in the white house. And a big part of the problem is ignorant people like yourself who continue to insist on statements that have been repeatedly and effectively disproven time and time again–such as, “The President controls gas prices.”
Buckhead Boy
November 7th, 2012
3:00 pm
It is regrettable that the man who gave the concession speech couldn’t have been the man who ran for President. Why that was should be the question that any thoughtful Republican concerned about maintaining a national party had best address, because America has again whispered to you, “self-extinct” — to paraphrase the man who ran for President.
Libertarian
November 7th, 2012
3:03 pm
Sore Loserman: I wasnt able to finish my thought due to a glitch but wanted to pose the question….if you are part of the non-taxpaying 47%, don’t you have the incentive to continue to vote for those individuals that promise you continued handouts? The poor 2012 economy stats would have predicted defeat for Obama just like it did for Carter in 1980. The difference? In 1980, the amount of entitlement programs were not as generous as in 2012. Hence, the unemployed realized the need for a President that had a plan to rejuvenate the economy by cutting taxes and regulations. Unfortunately, in 2012 the unemployed electorate had been seduced by generous unemployment benefits, food stamps, etc.
IT IS SICKENING
November 7th, 2012
3:06 pm
Republicans win “Old Confederacy”????? I am sick and tired of people making elections all about “race.” Good Lord even our own media do it…enough is enough people. We shall never ever have a “peaceful nation” where all people, of all colors, can and should co-exist. Democrats are just as guilty of this along equally with Republicans. Some yahoo, somewhere, has got to pull the race cards out. The more people keep yaping on about it the more it exists. No election in America should be about race. It should be about: protecting America/foreign affairs; the economy; jobs; the downtrodden/poor/handicapped/elderly(protecting of same), etc.
Unfortunately in this Presidential election all Americans lost. Our choices were lame at best……………………………….
Evan
November 7th, 2012
3:07 pm
Only people like Nopper are stupid enough not to realize that Gas prices are a simple economic issue, a supply and demand problem. Supply of oil is constrained Prices go up. The days of unlimited oil resources are long gone. Prices go up. Let alone the fact that gas is highly subsidized in this country to begin with. Only idiots like this guy think that gas really costs $1.80. These retards don’t realize that it is not conducive to economic health to subsidize gas this heavily for these Southern Morons. Where I’m from, we are comfortable paying 4+ a gallon for gas, because this is much closer to the actual price. These guys have never studied economics a day in their lives but they know what gas prices should be. Try graduating from High School, Then go to college. Then get a graduate degree. Study Economics online do whatever you need to. Oh wait, they would clearly rather stop learning all together and just let Bill O’ Reilly and Fox News tell them the truth. Yet they still wonder why Obama won.
T4U
November 7th, 2012
3:08 pm
Truly the Republicans have been highjacked by RTL’s, fundamentalists and Tea Party activists who butter their bread at which ever table will give them a dollar. Shameful bunch of do nothings. Scream about abortion in your own damned party and leave ours alone. I don’t give a damn about your social issues…. I can make those decisions myself without your help.
McCain/Palin 2016
November 7th, 2012
3:08 pm
Well, the GOP still controls the House, so maybe your duly elected officials can go to Washington and spend your tax dollars doing nothing for four more years, and then you can whine and blame the President again. Then you can say I told you so.
Meanwhile, we’ll just be ignoring you like the ugly step-child that you are.
when you send somebody to sabotage the President’s efforts to lead, you ultimately get what you pay for. Enjoy your failure. It won’t change the trend in future elections.
bh
November 7th, 2012
3:09 pm
The general public continue to be nothing but idiots. The voters for Obama will always have there hands out. There is always a price to be paid and people are doing it by giving away their freedom.
I had a woman brag to me about how much money she got for her four children that has by four men. She was proud to get tax payor money and told me she had it made. Guess who she voted for?
The people that voted for Obama do not deserve to live in the US.
Ignoramous
November 7th, 2012
3:10 pm
I quit school in the second grade so i don’t know much about the history of our country or race relations.
So I’m just going to comment on blacks voting for blacks and whites voting for whites as though they were the same thing.
I have no basic understanding of any principles of sociology or civics.
Don't Tread
November 7th, 2012
3:10 pm
“D.C.-infected Virginia”
That’s a rather accurate choice of words there, if I don’t say so myself.
DJ Sniper
November 7th, 2012
3:11 pm
Amen Evan, amen. Too bad they still don’t get it. It’s much easier to blame Obama for everything.
Evan
November 7th, 2012
3:13 pm
News flash, their are more white recipients of welfare than of any other race. The exist polls also indicate that whites who voted Obama are mainly white collar professionals who are highly educated. Not the rural-trailer trash who voted for Romney. Get a clue.
Nativebird
November 7th, 2012
3:13 pm
Americans vote Race first and foremost. Colon Powell is a pure example of this. It has always been about race and it always will be. It is about past sins and new retribution. The fallacy of man is a global truth, their is no union of races on earth and never will be. There is no forgiveness, only guilt, debt, revenge and retribution. Race is wrapped up and masked by economics, by politics, and by mostly religion. Ask the Taliban and Al Quieda. The post-racial President, the first bi-racial leader of the free world…..would be the first neck in their noose. The American experiment of a color blind society is over, and it is failed.
DJ Sniper
November 7th, 2012
3:14 pm
Since bh brought up the “freedom” issue again, I’ll repeat my question: How many freedoms have you actually lost since Obama’s election?
Bob
November 7th, 2012
3:17 pm
Where should repubs go ? Should they propose more welfare and entitlements ? Should they run on a platform to let illegals come and go as they please ? Why have two parties if they both race to sink the place ? At least Obama will have to answer to the ambassador situation, now that he is elected the press may start to do its job.
DJ Sniper
November 7th, 2012
3:17 pm
There is some serious weapons grade stupidity in this thread.