Democrats are reeling from an embarrassing loss in the 13th district of Florida for a vacant congressional seat. Democrat Alex Sink was defeated by Republican David Jolly to fill out the term of Republican Bill Young, who died in last fall. The district, which is widely considered a bellwether, was carried by President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012. According to CNN, “Of those registered to vote in the district, 37% are Republicans, about 35% are Democrats and 28% are unaffiliated.”
Many are calling the race a referendum on Obamacare and a precursor to the midterm elections, which is why Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, D-Fla., is spinning faster than a Stuxnet-infected Iranian centrifuge:
The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades. Here's why: http://t.co/1Yb516372f
— Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@DWStweets) March 12, 2014
From her statement:
Tonight, Republicans fell short of their normal margin in this district because the agenda they are offering voters has a singular focus – that a majority of voters oppose – repealing the Affordable Care Act that would return us to the same old broken health care system.
But this was dismantled in one tweet from the indispensable Jim Geraghty:
@DWStweets says GOP "fell short of their normal margin in this district." Indeed, as Rep. Bill Young ran unopposed seven times.
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) March 12, 2014
Given that, it’s hardly a surprise that “Republicans fell short of their normal margin” today.
Meanwhile, the rest of Twitter had a field day with the Debster’s tweet:
Evidently "underperformed" is Libspeak for winning MT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for
— IamBetaPsi (@betapsi1266) March 12, 2014
.@DWStweets #AprilFool is still weeks away so i dont get this
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) March 12, 2014
I guess the democrats did too, huh? MT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— H (@H_Linville) March 12, 2014
Fixed this 4 U MT @DWStweets: The GOP won tonight in #FL13 -a district Obama won in 2012 and where Dems outspent the GOP 2-1 so no biggie
— IamBetaPsi (@betapsi1266) March 12, 2014
LOLOLOLOLOL RT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— RBe (@RBPundit) March 12, 2014
Bless your heart. MT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) March 12, 2014
Now that right there is some Spin.—->RT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— Mickey White (@BiasedGirl) March 12, 2014
Shorter @DWSTweets: Sure, we lost, but we totally hit our numbers. http://t.co/keVQBVeEvk (Except they didn't. Turnout R+13.)
— Area Man (@lheal) March 12, 2014
@DWStweets I would love to see your prepared tweets had Sink won. I imagine they included words like "validation" and "referendum"
— IamBetaPsi (@betapsi1266) March 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/TPCarney/status/443548941578412033
He underperformed so much that he won. RT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— Jack in the East (@talkradio200) March 12, 2014
Baghdad Bob right there. #Literally MT @DWStweets The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— Ted Newton (@Ted_Newton) March 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/443549232415666176
And Putin underperformed in Crimea. MT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) March 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/AmyOtto8/status/443555329335242752
https://twitter.com/seanagnew/status/443558951775657984
Your brain is what's underperforming. MT @DWStweets: The GOP underperformed tonight in the #FL13 – a district they've held for decades.
— A.J. Winkelspecht (@ajwink) March 12, 2014
.@DWStweets "Underperformed" is an interesting synonym for "won".
— Kim Jong-unthony Bialy (@AnthonyBialy) March 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/coolhandschlute/status/443549545536815104
Here’s to “underperforming” in the mid-term elections and winning there, too!
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