Of course, they had a very Fox News way of using terminology to make it sound as good as possible, but it appears that Republicans are bracing for the reality of a blue tsunami occurring on Tuesday that points to the loss of their majority in both houses of Congress. Even the venerable Cook Political Report, and its heavy dependence on the voting patterns of previous elections along with its total bias toward Republicans, is indicating that the potential blue tide that will overcome the midterm election on Tuesday will be much more massive in scope than even they predicted.
The title of "Senator most vulnerable to defeat" has gone from Jon Ossoff, who is now a significant favorite to win re-election, to Darline Graham, sister of former Senator Lindsey Graham, who doesn't seem to have the ability to hold on to some of the more ignorant MAGA supporters in South Carolina. No one has yet had the bravery to step up and make the call about how many Democrats will be in the Senate when this is over, but if Roger Marshall is in deep weeds, we're about to see a Democratic party sweep from Alaska to Maine.
I think the bellwether Senate race that will be the typical model for this midterm election is coming to Texas. James Talarico has done this campaign exactly right. He's made conservative Republican Evangelicals look like hypocrites, not only in their support for the unrepentant and immoral Paxton, but in having to step away from the Christian gospel in its correct form which Talarico preaches in order to do so. Evangelicals judge all other Christians by their own doctrine and theology, which is an error-filled, literalist perspective that focuses more on Old Testament commands and rules than on the actual Christian gospel, which begins with the Beatitudes, not the Ten Commandments.
There are still plenty of deluded and deceived Republicans in Texas to hypocritically give this election to Paxton, though his campaign and his allies are exhibiting behavior which indicates they think they're going to lose this one. They will have to turn out in much larger numbers than usual, and early voting indicates they haven't, to overcome the enthusiasm of Texas Democrats, who could also pick up the governor's mansion.
Democrats Will Have Their Work Cut Out For Them
Business as usual, old school politics, whatever the label, Democrats can't govern the way they have when they've had control of Congress in the past. It can't happen. If there is to be any hope for taking back the White House in 2028, Democrats have to adopt a kick-ass, take no prisoners attitude in their conduct, regardless of what they can or can't do after this election. The first thing they need to do is put as much pressure on Trump and Vance to get out as they can. There are plenty of ways to get this done, even if the Democrats don't have the constitutional majorities necessary to simply throw them out.
They must make a priority out of what I call the people's agenda. Take back the power that Republicans have lost over the decisions on tariffs and military actions that they have allowed Trump to have, tie his hands and point to his monstrous incompetence and failure. The people will have to feel the benefits at the grocery store and the gas pump, and Democrats will have the power to make that kind of difference.
It's also time to completely reform health care. It may not be possible as long as Trump stays in the White House, but it can be planned, promoted and put in place, waiting for the results of the 2028 election that puts a Democrat in the White House. I'm not afraid to use the term socialized medicine, or Medicare for all, those are words from which the vast majority of Americans will benefit when it happens. We need to be ready and we need to make sure the people are aware that it is the Republicans who are standing in the way of progress, and of what will be of benefit to them.
In the past, when Democrats have taken control of Congress after Republican disaster, they have gone back to the old message and the old school, old style politics and thinking that government now operates like it did back in the 1970's. But this election will be won by a people's movement, not by the party's platform or politicians. People realize that Trump has been a monumental, colossal failure, that he is literally out of his mind, and that it is for their own benefit to make him a lame duck with no power. So that must be the policy. And if there are Democrats who don't get on board, dump them.
Is It Time For New Democratic Leadership?
There will be those who are critical because I'm saying this, but if the Democrats are going to succeed, it can't be the same old way. We need to be a kick-ass, take no prisoners kind of party and we need kick-ass, take no prisoners kind of leadership. The Speaker doesn't have to be a house member, so why not break with tradition and put someone in that leadership position like Pete Buttigieg, whose intelligence and wit frustrates the GOP to no end, or, if they want to stick with tradition, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And I would be completely satisfied if the Democrats in the Senate picked Arizona Senator Mark Kelly as the Majority Leader.
But the priority now is to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote goes to the polls by the end of Tuesday.
