Blue Wave and Traditional Midterm ‘Shellacking’ Led by Red State Voters Offers Rebuke of Trumpism and Perhaps a Warning About Using the Win for Revenge Investigations

     I was glad to see Ohio and Texas turn bluer. Paxton was a bad candidate, and Abbott has held the reins for too long. Ramaswamy and Husted, both dedicated to MAGA, lost soundly. I was not thrilled with El Sayed winning in Michigan. I simply don’t trust anti-Israel politicians on the left, especially ones that may have some association with jihadists. The win by communist extremist and Israel hater Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York, with 88% of the vote, was disturbing but expected. I was hoping Susan Collins would hold her Maine Senate seat. I was glad to see Sununu lose in New Hampshire. Iowa turning blue was another unexpected surprise. I will be glad to see MAGA Mike Johnson lose the reins too. The Alaska Senate race has yet to be called. Peltola was in the lead, but I hope she loses due to the dirty politics employed, whether she knew about it or not. Unfortunately, but as expected, I am seeing Progressives feeling emboldened by the results. Many are posting about historic firsts for women and minorities. I think we should, more or less, not celebrate such milestones as much, since the ratios are now closer to population ratios.

     While the Dems may see these wins as a big mandate, I really hope they don’t overly focus on investigating Trump’s “crimes” as Pete Buttigieg called them. We all know that Trump stretches the law and that some of his actions could certainly be construed as crimes, but there is also a mandate to govern rather than make it about a fight between Congress and the executive branch. I’m a bit worried that Iran will be emboldened by the rebuke of Trumpism. The blue victories in what are seen as red states suggest that political moderates and centrists led the change, not leftists. This certainly suggests that a revenge agenda is not a good idea. I believe that most Americans want a sensible government, relatively free of extremist influences from either wing. We have long suffered under political division, which I believe Trump exacerbated considerably. Political unity and cooperation are better ideas. I would love to see the Dem winners take firm stands against the far left and favor the middle. I would also like to see them work together with the GOP more.

     The blue route was not a validation of Progressives and Democratic Socialists. They only really won in the few districts where they are popular. It was predominantly in red states like Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, and North Carolina where the Dems picked up most of their wins. This likely simply means that those right-leaning moderates who usually vote Republican decided to lean left and vote Democrat. Those people won't vote for Progressives.

     I don’t think anyone really wants another Trump impeachment and endless investigations dominating the news. Overall, I am glad that Trumpism has been rebuked and hopefully MAGA is on the out, and the GOP can get back to something like the compassionate conservatism exhibited by the Bushes, pragmatism, and sensible government.

     Voters are much less interested in things like climate change than they were a few years ago, and that should be reflected in policy. The Free Palestine crowd is still in need of rebuking. Antisemitism has been off the rails, which is a shame for the country. Communists and socialists have no place in our government, and we should not cower to them in any way. Dems clearly now have a big enough tent that they can kick out the far-left whackos, and I certainly hope they do.

     Below, I have made a spreadsheet grading the Trump administration on several issues. I think they have done a good job securing the border, confronting bad socialist governments and narco-traffickers in Latin America (except for bombing drug boats), and engaging Mexican cartels. They have done a poor job with USAID, media relations, Canada and EU relations, tariffs, confronting Russia, lawfare against the perceived left, and health.

     Overall. I hope our government is compassionate but firm in addressing injustice and extremism. I would like to see a victory for moderatism and functional, cooperative government.