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Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#188251: May 10th 2017 at 6:56:07 PM

I'm not really sure what they're looking to gain from something like outing Joe Manchin.

I admit I haven't looked into the politics of WV very thoroughly but my understanding is that at present it is considered a VERY conservative state. CNN had an exit poll admittedly from a decade ago that showed 52% of voters were evangelical christians. So to me the fact a Democrat was able to be elected at all when many republican voters are liable to instinctually hate anyone with a "D" next to their name is a big deal.

It's not that he doesn't have some awful politics or history on some voting issues, but you can't win with the same platform in every state because every state has a different culture and ethos. You have to make do with what you have.

ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#188252: May 10th 2017 at 6:59:42 PM

[up]Coal country in WV often goes 70-80% R automatically. Even Trump pulled 80% in one district. That Joe Manchin is not coming in fourth is impressive; his consistent wins are literally irreplaceable for the moment.

edited 10th May '17 7:01:01 PM by ViperMagnum357

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#188253: May 10th 2017 at 7:07:53 PM

Wait, there are people who want to oust that guy? And replace him with who?

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188254: May 10th 2017 at 7:09:50 PM

I don't think you guys understand West Virginia.

West Virginia is full of Dixiecrats and extremely Democrat.

They almost always vote a Democrat for Senator.

West Virginia voters almost always prefer the Democratic candidate for national offices. They have sent only two Republicans to the U.S. Senate, one in 1942 and the other in 1956. Out of the 168 contests for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1932 and 1994, Republicans have won just twenty-three times. Six of those victories were secured by Arch A. Moore Jr. The people have voted for a Democratic President in every election except 1956, 1972, and 1984.S ince the 2000 election however, Republican candidates for president have enjoyed electoral victories in the state.

edited 10th May '17 7:53:07 PM by MadSkillz

TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#188255: May 10th 2017 at 7:10:12 PM

[up][up]This woman.

I'm guessing he'll easily survive a primary.

edited 10th May '17 7:10:26 PM by TheRoguePenguin

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188256: May 10th 2017 at 7:18:12 PM

Here's some more info on them:

To measure success of a party, one looks at the extent and depth of the party's electoral success. Out of all the 121 terms of statewide office that have been regularly elected since 1932, only seven were lost by the Democrats. Three of those seven terms were won by the same person, Arch A. Moore Jr. Moore Jr. is the only Republican candidate from West Virginia to fare well in state and national office races. From 1930 to 2014, Democrats have held majorities in both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature.

West Virginia's chambers were both Democrat for 84 years. So until 3 years ago.

So yeah, WV is full of old school Democrats who prefer Republican presidents and Blue Dog Democrat everything else.

edited 10th May '17 7:53:29 PM by MadSkillz

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#188257: May 10th 2017 at 7:21:51 PM

That "Old School" part makes it seem unlikely that that someone of the likes of Sanders or his ilk would do well, though.

Edit: If they could I'd image that would would be a sign of significant change not just limited to West Virginia.

edited 10th May '17 7:23:16 PM by LSBK

ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#188258: May 10th 2017 at 7:23:34 PM

[up][up]Really, because I just counted 10 counties that went for Trump by 80% or more.

Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#188259: May 10th 2017 at 7:25:52 PM

[up][up]In the sense that you have to actively parrot the Republican line on social issues instead of insisting that they are a distraction, yeah. Might just be possible as well. Of course, I'm just some skeptic with a dim view about how the rest of the country will react to that.

Comey asked for more personnel to accelerate the probe into Russian interference in the election shortly before being fired.

[up]Basically, they would go for Democratic economic policy, but that would involve admitting that people who aren't pasty white or have differing sexual habits from theirs are people. So Republican it is.

edited 10th May '17 7:27:03 PM by Krieger22

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#188260: May 10th 2017 at 7:26:37 PM

[up][up]That doesn't really clash with what Mad Skillz said.

Edit: That being said, her chances of winning aside, is there any reasons to believe she'd be bad as a Senator? I've only started looking but I'm not seeing any particularly nutty policy ideas yet.

edited 10th May '17 7:28:21 PM by LSBK

Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#188261: May 10th 2017 at 7:28:04 PM

Gillibrand was/is a Blue Dog Democrat so she kind of was a Dino. Although Dinos are superior to Republicans.

She isn't really one anymore now that she's in the Senate.

She might just be an opportunist.

Or she just bases her actions on her constituency.

Stop it.

Gillibrand was always to the left of her constitutency, even when representing a conservative, upstate New York district and your whole "she's an opportunist" omits her support for single payer running in a red House district in 2006, and every politician being an opportunist to some degree or another. As a Senator, she has been very liberal and progressive and has not only been steadfast in resisting Trump and co-sponsored every bill proposed by Sanders since the election.

She took on sexuala ssault in the military, put forth a bill to give 9/11 first responders free healthcare and, again, supported Universal Healthcare running in a conservative district. Knock it off with this DINO stuff.

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188262: May 10th 2017 at 7:28:53 PM

@Magnum West Virginians prefer Republican presidents and Democrat everything else.

Blue Dog > Republican> Liberal

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#188263: May 10th 2017 at 7:30:26 PM

[up] If I'm correct going by the scale you just offered, you do agree that a Sanders-esque Democrat is unlikely to get elected in West Virginia?

Oh God! Natural light!
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#188264: May 10th 2017 at 7:32:57 PM

[up][up] This is changing. West Virginisis stuck with a terrible economy thanks to a dying industry and there's another problem that's the elephant in the room. It's racism.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#188265: May 10th 2017 at 7:33:41 PM

The Senate has issued formal demands for some of Flynn's documents.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39879749

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#188266: May 10th 2017 at 7:37:03 PM

@Madskillz: My point is that you cherrypicked the numbers-what you posted and bolded states that the Democrats enjoyed success until 1992-two years before the Democrats lost their grip of the House. Since 2000, WV has been red, red, red-and that is not likely to change, with the other fact you mentioned-dyed in the wool Evangelicals increasing in proportion, who will not vote for a pro-choice candidate, to say nothing of one with equality as a platform. Look at the hoops Manchin has to jump through.

I suggest that the Dixiecrats you mentioned have mostly died off or been rendered passive by age over the last 23+ years, and have been replaced by their children-who lack the background that led their parents to vote blue most of their lives.

edited 10th May '17 7:38:31 PM by ViperMagnum357

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#188267: May 10th 2017 at 7:37:08 PM

[up][up][up]Oddly enough I wouldn't image that being as big a deal in West Virginia; not a whole lot of people of color to hate there. Could be wrong.

edited 10th May '17 7:37:35 PM by LSBK

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188268: May 10th 2017 at 7:38:02 PM

@Karkat If the candidate was progressive on the domestic front and conservative on social issues, sure.

I think the J Ds are putting in someone who is progressive on both fronts which makes her odds unlikely. But they're also putting in someone relatable so I suppose that helps.

edited 10th May '17 8:01:56 PM by MadSkillz

Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#188269: May 10th 2017 at 7:39:23 PM

And Manchin isn't relatable?

He wouldn't be a formergovernor and senator to the state if people in WV didn't think he was.

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188270: May 10th 2017 at 7:44:53 PM

My point is that you cherrypicked the numbers-what you posted and bolded states that the Democrats enjoyed success until 1992-two years before the Democrats lost their grip of the House. Since 2000, WV has been red, red, red-and that is not likely to change, with the other fact you mentioned-dyed in the wool Evangelicals increasing in proportion, who will not vote for a pro-choice candidate, to say nothing of one with equality as a platform. Look at the hoops Manchin has to jump through.

But I didn't. I just quoted wikipedia.

WV is a purplish state atm outside presidential elections. It's definitely something you can turn around.

I suggest that the Dixiecrats you mentioned have mostly died off or been rendered passive by age over the last 23+ years, and have been replaced by their children-who lack the background that led their parents to vote blue most of their lives.

Both West Virginian chambers were blue until 2014. That was only 3 years ago.

The current governor of West Virginia is blue btw.

[up] Never said he wasn't but I don't know his background.

edited 10th May '17 7:52:43 PM by MadSkillz

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#188271: May 10th 2017 at 7:55:13 PM

That being said, her chances of winning aside, is there any reasons to believe she'd be bad as a Senator? I've only started looking but I'm not seeing any particularly nutty policy ideas yet.

There isn't anything wrong with her from what I saw.

All the outrage is based on the fear that she'll win against Manchin and lose to a Republican.

edited 10th May '17 7:58:20 PM by MadSkillz

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#188272: May 10th 2017 at 8:00:23 PM

Still, the Democrats should not be taking risks in the 2018 Senate races. Things are way too slanted against them as it is.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#188273: May 10th 2017 at 8:02:31 PM

LSBK: What, you mean people can't hate other people they've never interacted with in person?

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#188274: May 10th 2017 at 8:03:59 PM

[up]No, just that West Viriginia doesn't have the same thing going for it as say, Mississippi or Alabama.

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#188275: May 10th 2017 at 8:05:39 PM

You get rid of Manchin, and WV stays Republican for the next 40 years MINIMUM.

New Survey coming this weekend!

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