Posted on 11/09/2005 4:50:09 PM PST by zbigreddogz
Let's just be honest about it: 2005 was a disaster for Republicans and conservatives.
No, we never really had a chance in Jersey, even though it looked like it, but we got beaten even worse then we should have.
Kilgore blew the Virginia race. Yes, Warner's popularity was big, and yes, it's an off year election, and no, Bush isn't at the height of his popularity, but this race was mainly Kilgore's fault. Why did this happen though? What made him think he could run Hitler ads and piss off the NRA and get away with it?
California was almost a complete disaster. We lost every initiative. Sure, we made the Unions blow their wad to beat it, but they got what they paied for.
Washington State was a disaster too. I-912, repealing the outrageously expensive gas tax hike to fund undefined, unaccountable transportation projects appears to have lost, and King County Executive Ron Sims, who essentially fixed the last Governor's race for Christine Gregoire (D), was re-elected as well.
Sure, there were bright spots. Bloomberg coasted to re-election (yes, I know he's a RINO on a lot of issues, but he's still FAR better then NY D's.), we won the Mayor's race in San Diego, which isn't a small matter, and the Manchester, NH mayor's race is very interesting too, seeming as how Kerry, Biden and such campaigned for the D.
But all said and done, it seems to me that this was a much worse year for us then 2001. This is like 2003 was for the Dems. Sure, they got a few neat things (Lousiana Governor's mansion, although I think they regret that now, and Philadelphia Mayor's race), but overall, it was a good year for us going into a very important year. It seems to me, we need to think of the implications of this year, and figure out what do to from here.
I don't think I'm being overly pessimistic, I'm not. I don't think the Dems are going to get either house back next year, but to make sure they don't, I think we need to reflect a little. These aren't simple 'Drive the RINO's out!' questions, or 'Run more moderates' or any such BS. Top down, what do we need to do differently?
You are delusional. Charlotte, the most liberal major city in the south, voted down all of the leftist's bond packages, and the balance of power shifted slightly towards the conservatives' favor. This scenario was repeated in cities and counties across the nation.
Your gloating is transparent, but you're patting yourself on the back too soon.
You appear to be right, I'm sorry. I had heard otherwise, I was mislead.
Still, Kilgore did piss of some gun groups needlessly, and that couldn't possibly have helped.
Gloating? What he hell are you talking about?
I'm worried about 2006.
If we are getting excited that we didn't get rolled in NC, we truly ARE in trouble.
"Let's just be honest about it: 2005 was a disaster for Republicans and conservatives."
Er, that's not honest, that an over-reaction!
the honest view is their were 2 Dem 'holds', one in a blue state, one in a red state. In the blue state, the Republican ran as a moderate, in the blue state, the Democrat ran as a conservative. There was a RINO mayor in NYC re-elected, Ohio spurned Democrat proposals, and Cali spurned a mix of Swartzenegger proposals. A 'pro-life' initiative however *passed* in Cali (parental notification).
And in Texas, real marriage was reaffirmed by 3/4ths of the voters.
Dems had a good night, but this is not a trend and it was not a bad night for conservatives. Virginia loss is the main one that hurts, but there are many other races every year.
Life goes on. Let's win the next one for the gipper.
I'm not overly discouraged. We've lived through and survived Dem govs before and will again.
The trend in those more affluent suburban counties is some concern. It's going to be that way for a long while in Fairfax, but not the others. Loudoun, PW, Chesterfield, etc. had too many Republican-leaning voters who just hated the Kilgore campaign. Members of my own family included.
As much as I think Kilgore was a good enough candidate, his campaign was just godawful ... everyone I knew was turned off by the ads (and I avoid Democrats whenever possible).
It appears Kilgore was too influenced in this campaign by the RINOs to take any strong positions and give the more conservative R-leaning voters anything to bother going out to vote FOR.
I'm nowhere near panicking but to think that this was just a matter of Californians voting against the referenda is sticking one's head in the sand ... it is a wake up call that the GOP ignores at its own peril.
The US voters are extraordinarily fickle. They get bored. They want to move on.
Think US Senate races 1986. And don't think it can't happen again.
"Sinmple solution.
VOTE.
The democrats did."
Bingo. Why is it so many conservatives would rather vote for a Democrat (which happens when you sit out to "send a message"), yet Dems will hold their nose and support bums and moderate Democrats?
What's a thwack? is it like being screwn?
I was 2 years old in 1986.
It's not a sign of my head in the sand to think that state elections are based on state issues. I'm not surprised that a Republican governor's ballot initiatives were defeated in a state as liberal as California. I'm not surprised that a Democrat was elected governor of New Jersey, succeeding another Democrat governor, likewise Virginia.
Congressional races in 2006 are not going to turn on the results of state elections the year before. Period.
Thwacked?...see the Ohio (soros) referendum results on 2,3,4 and 5?
if you were only 2 in 1986, you might want to read up on a little history before reaching conclusions ... I have 2 sons your age who know everything, too ;)
I wish you would have corrected my typo...lol.
I heard a interesting phrase the other day to describe this phenomena:
"Donner's Pass Conservatives"
Somebody really needs to choke them till they get a clue.
I agree. No time to panic, but time to think about some things and not to keep running the same plays.
That's not honest.
It was a status quo wash.
What state are you in and do "we" have to worry about holding on to it in 2006...
The relevant history here concerns the elections of 2001, not 1986. I was around for that one; the Democrats won.
We took the Senate back the next year.
It is the Democrats, if they had any brains, who should be weeping over the results last night. The MSM is their heavy artillery which they have directed at the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress with unrelenting and unprecedented fury for five years. To what end? To hold two governorships they were expected to hold? And the Republican candidate in each race was NOT blown out.
There was no sea change in the results last night. The Democrats have gotten virtually no traction despite Abu Ghraib, Katrina, Libby and the rest of the puny issues they have spun as major disasters.
If this was gut check time for the Democrats, they failed in a big way.
Don't you worry. We'll hold the fort in NC.
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