I voted for Mickey Mouse today

[Flybrick]

AFTER I voted, I heard a great suggestion from a local radio station that if you didn't want to vote for someone on the ballot or they were unopposed, for everyone to write in "Chuck Norris."

That would've been hilarious to have him win multiple races. Add to the urban legend/myth.

Regarding judges, this is the first time I've voted in mid-terms in my new state. Their bar association must've passed a neat trick to get the wording of "Should Fred Bubbles be retained on the bench?"

No other candidate, no other choice. Just a "keep him or vote him out."

No wonder the incumbency rate is so high.

I voted "No" for every last one of them. There was only one judge that I definitely wanted gone, but I voted that way to show my displeasure with the system.

As if the system cares.

Oh, and my local 16-term GOP (RINO actually) congresscritter was one of the few Republican losses of the night. In a close one where he just conceded a few hours ago, he was beaten by an uber-liberal. I suspect it's not so much support for the Democrat (every other race was a solid GOP win), but a loud "You did nothing" vote plus a really crappy campaign (again).

[silverscreenselect]

Regarding judges, this is the first time I've voted in mid-terms in my new state. Their bar association must've passed a neat trick to get the wording of "Should Fred Bubbles be retained on the bench?"

No other candidate, no other choice. Just a "keep him or vote him out."

No wonder the incumbency rate is so high.

Ethical and professional rules make it difficult for judges to run campaigns in the same manner that other candidates do. In addition, if they say the wrong thing during their campaign about specific issues or cases, it can be used against them as evidence of bias or worse.

[Bob78164]

AFTER I voted, I heard a great suggestion from a local radio station that if you didn't want to vote for someone on the ballot or they were unopposed, for everyone to write in "Chuck Norris."

That would've been hilarious to have him win multiple races. Add to the urban legend/myth.

Regarding judges, this is the first time I've voted in mid-terms in my new state. Their bar association must've passed a neat trick to get the wording of "Should Fred Bubbles be retained on the bench?"

No other candidate, no other choice. Just a "keep him or vote him out."

No wonder the incumbency rate is so high.

I voted "No" for every last one of them. There was only one judge that I definitely wanted gone, but I voted that way to show my displeasure with the system.

As if the system cares.

Oh, and my local 16-term GOP (RINO actually) congresscritter was one of the few Republican losses of the night. In a close one where he just conceded a few hours ago, he was beaten by an uber-liberal. I suspect it's not so much support for the Democrat (every other race was a solid GOP win), but a loud "You did nothing" vote plus a really crappy campaign (again).

Are you in Lee Terry's district? He's been in Congress for 16 years, not 16 terms. --Bob

[Flybrick]

Yes, Lee Terry. Typo of terms vs. years.

Chuck Norris would not have made that mistake.

Or lost an election.

Chuck Norris would decide the election.

[jarnon]

My favorite protest vote, from 2012:

Dr. Broun won re-election, as no Democrat bothered to run against him. Charles Darwin got 4,000 write-in votes.

Charles Darwin gets nearly 4,000 write-in votes in Athens against Rep. Broun

[Bob78164]

Yes, Lee Terry. Typo of terms vs. years.

Chuck Norris would not have made that mistake.

Or lost an election.

Chuck Norris would decide the election.

I've been in districts represented by "uber-liberals." I really wouldn't characterize Brad Ashford that way. I'm pretty sure his voting record will be that of a right-of-center Democrat. --Bob

[Flybrick]

Jeezuz, Bob, just let it go.

Ashford may not be uber-liberal compared to Nancy Pelosi, but for Nebraska he is. He still won, can't you just be happy with that?

Don't take a mildly amusing thread and turn into a shout-fest, please.

[jarnon]

I used to live in a Congressional district with competitive elections. Then redistricting put our area (a mile away from the city line) in a city Congressional district where the Democratic incumbent is a shoo-in. Meanwhile, our Congressman's top aide pleaded guilty to campaign fraud. He's still a shoo-in for reelection.

A second aide has pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, the Congressman was reelected with 87% of the vote.

[Bob78164]

Jeezuz, Bob, just let it go.

Ashford may not be uber-liberal compared to Nancy Pelosi, but for Nebraska he is. He still won, can't you just be happy with that?

Don't take a mildly amusing thread and turn into a shout-fest, please.

Nothing I've said should turn this thread into a "shout-fest." It's not as though I were, say, exaggerating the political views of someone I disagreed with politically. --Bob

[Flybrick]

Chuck Norris would not pick up a turd.

[mellytu74]

I used to live in a Congressional district with competitive elections. Then redistricting put our area (a mile away from the city line) in a city Congressional district where the Democratic incumbent is a shoo-in. Meanwhile, our Congressman's top aide pleaded guilty to campaign fraud. He's still a shoo-in for reelection.

A second aide has pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, the Congressman was reelected with 87% of the vote.

I suspect we were both redistricted out of the same competitive district. We were moved into the other gerrymandered safe Democratic seat. My Congressman-elect - who is squeaky-clean - won 68% of the vote. That's about right - it will always be between 67% and 72%.

Even before redistricting/gerrymandering, there hasn't been a competitive election in jarnon's new district since the Eisenhower Administration. There was a long-serving Congressman who took a job with FDR's administration at the start of World War II. After that, the district changed hands every election until the 1948 election when it became a Democratic district in perpetuity.

Many years, the Congressman (not just the current one) has run unopposed. There are some really good public servants in that district. Really good people who don't play any shenanigan games. Any one of them will make a FINE Member of Congress to replace the current Congressman when he resigns in the not-to-distant future. That person will be a Democrat. Into perpetuity.

Meanwhile, the Republican won what HAD been jarnon's and my district, 56-43. As a point of contrast, the results of the pre-gerrymandered/competitive elections in that district:

2002: Now-retiring Congressman defeated Dem, 51.4-48.6 in a district that was supposedly drawn up to favor the Republicans (but NOTHING like it is now)
2004: Republican Congressman wins 51.0 -49.0 (Kerry got 51%)
2006: Republican wins rematch 50.6 - 49.4. the heavily Democratic Montgomery County portion of the district.[26]
2008: Republican wins 52.7-47.9 over a guy NOBODY knew. Had the likely Dem not dropped out (IIRC, it was family health concerns but I am not sure), the Republican congressman loses his seat. (Obama 58%)

The retiring Republican Congressman had a reputation as a moderate - he moved right as the years went on and has crossed party lines in a decreasing amount since 2008.

So, it had been a competitive district but not anymore. And the 7th District, to its south was even MORE competitive over the years but not anymore.

[mellytu74]

Ashford may not be uber-liberal compared to Nancy Pelosi, but for Nebraska he is.

And flybrick reinforces what I have said for years -- long before I worked on the Hill.

I spent eight years in Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley Democrats were not the branch of the party that I had known growing up. But they were Democrats, just the same.

What might be a RINO in Texas is a perfectly acceptable Republican in Bucks County, PA.

[Bob78164]

I used to live in a Congressional district with competitive elections. Then redistricting put our area (a mile away from the city line) in a city Congressional district where the Democratic incumbent is a shoo-in. Meanwhile, our Congressman's top aide pleaded guilty to campaign fraud. He's still a shoo-in for reelection.

A second aide has pleaded guilty. Meanwhile, the Congressman was reelected with 87% of the vote.

I suspect we were both redistricted out of the same competitive district. We were moved into the other gerrymandered safe Democratic seat. My Congressman-elect - who is squeaky-clean - won 68% of the vote. That's about right - it will always be between 67% and 72%.

Even before redistricting/gerrymandering, there hasn't been a competitive election in jarnon's new district since the Eisenhower Administration. There was a long-serving Congressman who took a job with FDR's administration at the start of World War II. After that, the district changed hands every election until the 1948 election when it became a Democratic district in perpetuity.

Many years, the Congressman (not just the current one) has run unopposed. There are some really good public servants in that district. Really good people who don't play any shenanigan games. Any one of them will make a FINE Member of Congress to replace the current Congressman when he resigns in the not-to-distant future.

Meanwhile, the Republican won what HAD been jarnon's and my district, 56-43. As a point of contrast, the results of the pre-gerrymandered/competitive elections in that district:

2002: Now-retiring Congressman defeated Dem, 51.4-48.6 in a district that was supposedly drawn up to favor the Republicans (but NOTHING like it is now)
2004: Republican Congressman wins 51.0 -49.0 (Kerry got 51%)
2006: Republican wins rematch 50.6 - 49.4. the heavily Democratic Montgomery County portion of the district.[26]
2008: Republican wins 52.7-47.9 over a guy NOBODY knew. Had the likely Dem not dropped out (IIRC, it was family health concerns but I am not sure), the Republican congressman loses his seat. (Obama 58%)

The retiring Republican Congressman had a reputation as a moderate - he moved right as the years went on and has crossed party lines in a decreasing amount since 2008.

So, it had been a competitive district but not anymore. And the 7th District, to its south was even MORE competitive over the years but not anymore.

The 13th? What used to be Lawrence Coughlin's district when I lived there? --Bob

[mellytu74]

The 13th? What used to be Lawrence Coughlin's district when I lived there? --Bob

It's now the 6th - Gerlach's district. Some of it is what used to be Coughlin's district.

Parts of Coughlin's district went to the old Bob Edgar/Curt Weldon area. Now the 7th - Pat Meehan (formerlly Admiral Joe Sestak)

Part of it stayed in Montco and stayed the "13th district."

BUT what is now the 13th is more-or-less what used to be the old PA 3rd-turned-4th (the name "4th district" has moved to western PA, the name "3rd district" went to Erie). Lots and lots of NE Philadelphia but, instead of going south through the city, it went west to the D-friendly suburbs.

When it was redistricted in 2002, longtime NE Philly Congressman Bob Borski retired, rather than face Joe Hoeffel in the primary. That threw the Republicans, who expected a bloodbath and an easy pickup. It's been a more-or-less safe Democratic seat every since.

[Bob78164]

The 13th? What used to be Lawrence Coughlin's district when I lived there? --Bob

It's now the 6th - Gerlach's district. Some of it is what used to be Coughlin's district.

Parts of Coughlin's district went to the old Bob Edgar/Curt Weldon area. Now the 7th - Pat Meehan (formerly Admiral Joe Sestak)

Part of it stayed in Montco and stayed the "13th district."

BUT what is now the 13th is more-or-less what used to be the old PA 3rd-turned-4th (the name "4th district" has moved to western PA, the name "3rd district" went to Erie). Lots and lots of NE Philadelphia but, instead of going south through the city, it went west to the D-friendly suburbs.

When it was redistricted in 2002, longtime NE Philly Congressman Bob Borski retired, rather than face Joe Hoeffel in the primary. That threw the Republicans, who expected a bloodbath and an easy pickup. It's been a more-or-less safe Democratic seat every since.

My old house is now in the 7th. My sister, who lives about a mile from our old house, is on the other side of North Wales Road and therefore is in the 13th.

The gerrymandering looks pretty blatant just from a map of the 6th, 7th, and 13th districts. --Bob

[Appa23]

Ashford may not be uber-liberal compared to Nancy Pelosi, but for Nebraska he is.

And flybrick reinforces what I have said for years -- long before I worked on the Hill.

I spent eight years in Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley Democrats were not the branch of the party that I had known growing up. But they were Democrats, just the same.

What might be a RINO in Texas is a perfectly acceptable Republican in Bucks County, PA.

Just to continue to beat this dead horse, Ashford was a Republican for years, then he fairly recently became an Independent when he failed to win a primary as a Republican, and now he ran for Congress under the Democratic Party banner. (Ashford is/was a State Senator in our non-partisan Unicameral.)

[Flybrick]

Just to continue to beat this dead horse, Ashford was a Republican for years, then he fairly recently became an Independent when he failed to win a primary as a Republican, and now he ran for Congress under the Democratic Party banner. (Ashford is/was a State Senator in our non-partisan Unicameral.)

I did not know that about his background. I only knew of his State Senate background and failed runs for mayor as a Democrat.

Lee Terry ran a terrible campaign and his foot in mouth from last year's shutdown remarks, not to mention his less than stellar Congressional record (AFAIK) doomed him. I voted against him in the primary and with a pinched nose in the general.