Dave Wasserman of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report is calling Election Day a Democratic “tidal wave” in Virgina, where the race for governor has been called for Ralph Northam and Democrats threaten to flip the Virginia House of Delegates.
Where we're at:
—Dems win #NJGov, full control of NJ government.
—Dems win VA Gov, huge gains in VA Assembly (shock shot at majority)
—Dems win St. Petersburg & Manchester.
—Dems pick-up leg seat in NH.
—Dems up in Charlotte.— Taniel (@Taniel) November 8, 2017
BREAKING: Ralph Northam (D) declared winner in VA Governor's race. Share thoughts, watch later on #TheFinal5.
— Jim Lokay FOX 5 (@LokayFOX5) November 8, 2017
This is a tidal wave.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
From someone who knows the state of play in Virginia's legislative races https://t.co/DlTvuuy8zt
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) November 8, 2017
Wasserman isn't really one to use hyperbole… https://t.co/H8Dhin26Lw
— Abby Livingston (@TexasTribAbby) November 8, 2017
I never thought I'd say this at this point in the night, but Dems have a decent chance at the VA House of Delegates. Up 11 seats and counting (need 17).
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
VA HOUSE OF DELEGATES: Democrats have already picked up 11 seats (2, 10, 13, 31, 32, 42, 50, 51, 67, 72, 73) and need 6 more for control. There are ~13 more GOP seats still in play.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
BREAKING: Chris Hurst (D) has unseated Del. Joseph Yost (R) in Blacksburg's #HD12. Dem pickup. Brings Dems to +12, need 5 more for control.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
Recommended
BREAKING: Democrats are IN THE LEAD to pick up the VA House of Delegates. They've picked up 12 GOP seats & currently lead in 6 (!!!) more. Whoa.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
You can't really look at tonight's results and conclude that Democrats are anything other than the current favorites to pick up the U.S. House in 2018.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
Wow.
Dem gains in the Virginia House of Delegates are at the far upper end of projections. Just a brutal kicking for Rs all over NoVa.
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) November 8, 2017
This should concern the national GOP a lot more than Gillespie. Was rated Safe R by every major outlet. https://t.co/WQtObbl7Tu
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) November 8, 2017
There are plenty of theories as to what’s going on, but we’ll start with the president, and then get Ben Shapiro’s take.
Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for. Don’t forget, Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2017
Hillary wasn't on the ballot to increase GOP and depress Dem turnout. Plus, Dems obv learned not to stay home. This bodes ill for 2018.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 8, 2017
VA does provide some evidence that Dems – Hillary > GOP + Trump
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 8, 2017
Unpopular president + off-year election + radically energized opposition enraged they lost last time = getting your ass kicked
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 8, 2017
Dems didn't show up for Hillary because (1) they thought she'd win easily; (2) she's awful. They won't stay home in 2018.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 8, 2017
Democrats just won two blue states. No big deal… except that Republicans won both in 2009, kicking off Tea Party wave. GOP needs to get its act together
— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) November 8, 2017
I'll say it again: The Democrat base is pissed off and Virginia proves they're voting.
Republicans better wake up. There's a wave building on the Left.
If the Right doesn't recognize it, 2018 will bite them in the ass.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) November 8, 2017
Bottom line takeaway from tonight's VA GOP massacre: get used to the idea of "Speaker Nancy Pelosi" come January 2019 unless something radical changes.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) November 8, 2017
My advice to GOP candidates in 18. Trump is Trump. You are You. You can't win as Trump. If you can't win as you, lose as you don't lose as Trump. He's an ass. https://t.co/MUNjkWblZH
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) November 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/928077962007674881
Everybody in GOP blaming everybody else right now, as is tradition.
— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) November 8, 2017
Again, reading too much into how tonight's elections will impact the 2018 midterms is a mistake.
That said – Republicans are getting destroyed when the economy is doing well and stock market is at record highs. If/when that begins to slow/decline… https://t.co/n53hqusmrC
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 8, 2017
If tonight doesn't scare the life out of any vulnerable Republican, I don't know what will. There's a price to pay for embracing the most unpopular president in history 10 months in…
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 8, 2017
Big night for those who think the old rules of politics still apply. Midterm + unpopular president = very tough election for incumbent party https://t.co/0R0RMvdUEd
— Alex Roarty (@Alex_Roarty) November 8, 2017
Gillespie didn't lose because he didn't embrace Trump. He lost because Trump's approval rating is low, and Democrats turned out to vote against Trump.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) November 8, 2017
I'm guessing everyone who said Republicans were bulletproof after Ossoff lost in Georgia are saying tonight's bloodbath has no implications, and that Democrats who said the previous special elections meant nothing now say tonight shows the GOP is going to be destroyed in 2018?
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 8, 2017
Feeling glad I no longer care about the fate of the GOP tonight.
— Inez Stepman (@InezFeltscher) November 8, 2017
ELECTION PREDICTION: I project with 100% confidence that way too many people will use VA results to wildly speculate about the midterms.
— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) November 7, 2017
Update:
Amazingly, the current margin is 150 votes or less in 5 of the 7 VA HoD districts that are still too close to call. That means control will be decided by absentee/provisional ballots, and may not be determined for days.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2017
Twitchy will update this post as more returns come in.
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