# 2018 is looking more and more interesting. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 8, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821 "2017-09-08T16:54:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/41 "2017-09-27T12:33:04Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > The Corker thing is mildly interesting. Tennessee is a heavy lift for team D and any run of the mill Republican should win Corker’s old seat handily. However, in today’s political climate there’s no guarantee that a run of the mill Republican can win a primary. There’s a decent chance that the R nominee will be so far right that an decent (or at least not horrible) D candidate can win a senate seat in a red state. > > It’s happened before… > [Legitimate rape guy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Akin) > [Sometimes God intends for rapes to result in pregnancies guy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mourdock) > > If some Republican tries to out-Trump Trump I could see him winning the nom and losing the general. Apparently all the Dems have to do is put someone forward who is as blandly acceptable [Joe Donnelly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Donnelly). Who? What? Sorry I dozed off there. Missouri’s population is just barely moderate enough to punish a man for claiming that some rape is legitimate. Tennessee, however, not so much. Tennessee is Alabama’s northern border, and we saw what happened in Crimson Tide country last night. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/42 "2017-09-27T13:02:24Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > When you have to drill all the way down into state legislature seats to find your glimmer of hope . . . It was the state legislatures that did the gerrymandering that got the Republicans where they are today. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/43 "2017-09-27T15:39:10Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > It was the state legislatures that did the gerrymandering that got the Republicans where they are today. [House Republicans won about 1.4 million more votes than Democrats in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016#Results_summary). That’s what got them where they are today. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/44 "2017-09-27T15:56:21Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > It was the state legislatures that did the gerrymandering that got the Republicans where they are today. Maybe the Democrat Party should clean up their own house first? Or not. Whatever gives them an edge in elections is OK, but those other guys definitely shouldn’t be doing the same thing? _“The Economist calls Illinois’ fourth congressional district one of the most strangely drawn and gerrymandered congressional districts in the country.”_ > **[33 Maps That Explain The United States Better Than Any Textbook](https://allthatsinteresting.com/maps-that-explain-america)** > > From the prevalence of meth labs to the real size of Alaska, these fascinating maps truly explain the United States of America. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/45 "2017-09-27T16:10:49Z")
OK, yeah, that’s pretty gerrymandered. But as you said, it’s _one of the most_ gerrymandered. One of the most _how many_? And what are the other districts on that list? Are we looking at “one of the top ten”, where entries 1-9 are all Republican districts? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/46 "2017-09-27T16:17:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [House Republicans won about 1.4 million more votes than Democrats in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016#Results_summary). That’s what got them where they are today. Got numbers on '12 and '14 too? I mean, I know in Michigan, the popular vote results in the past few elections comes no where close to how the parties actually represent us in Congress and Lansing. Dems consistently draw more votes than Pubs, yet somehow the Pubs have more members of Congress and run the state legislature. Funny, that. And the results of 2016’s election are no where near “what got [Democrats] where they are today,” and I’m pretty sure you know this. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/47 "2017-09-27T16:20:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, yeah, that’s pretty gerrymandered. But as you said, it’s _one of the most_ gerrymandered. One of the most _how many_? And what are the other districts on that list? Are we looking at “one of the top ten”, where entries 1-9 are all Republican districts? The important thing is that both sides do it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/48 "2017-09-27T16:25:20Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And the results of 2016’s election are no where near “what got [Democrats] where they are today,” and I’m pretty sure you know this. I have no idea what you’re trying to say here. And I’m on a mobile now, so no, I don’t have handy access to numbers from previous elections. They also don’t have much to do with the composition of the House in 2017, but if you want to use them to make some point about gerrymandering, I’m sure you could look them up for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/49 "2017-09-27T16:30:52Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [House Republicans won about 1.4 million more votes than Democrats in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016#Results_summary). That’s what got them where they are today. Popular vote: GOP-49.1 %, Dems - 48% Seats GOP-55.4%, Dems - 44.5% ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/50 "2017-09-27T16:34:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, yeah, that’s pretty gerrymandered. But as you said, it’s _one of the most_ gerrymandered. One of the most _how many_? And what are the other districts on that list? Are we looking at “one of the top ten”, where entries 1-9 are all Republican districts? The linked article said, “The Economist calls Illinois’ fourth congressional district one of the most strangely drawn and gerrymandered congressional districts in the country.” Are you suggesting that gerrymandering is OK if it’s only a little gerrymandered? Or that gerrymandering is OK if the Democrat Party does it? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/51 "2017-09-27T16:46:55Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The important thing is that both sides do it. :rolleyes: The important thing to remember is that both sides do it, but some Democrats, or maybe some Hillary-worshippers, demand that the other side must stop. Maybe they don’t like the competition? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/52 "2017-09-27T17:53:11Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The important thing to remember is that both sides do it, but some Democrats, or maybe some Hillary-worshippers, demand that the other side must stop. Maybe they don’t like the competition? What a stunningly disingenuous comment. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/53 "2017-09-27T18:17:22Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [House Republicans won about 1.4 million more votes than Democrats in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016#Results_summary). That’s what got them where they are today. [Just like in 2012 when House Democrats won about 1.4 million more votes than Republicans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2012). This resulted in house seats being split 234 - 201 in favor of the Republicans. Wait… what? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/54 "2017-09-27T19:11:37Z")
**doorhinge** , I think you must have made a copy-paste mistake in post #50. You quote me, but then what you said after that has nothing at all to do with what I said in the quote. What were you intending to say? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/55 "2017-09-28T08:07:05Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [House Republicans won about 1.4 million more votes than Democrats in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2016#Results_summary). That’s what got them where they are today. The redistricting happened after the 2010 census, and affected the 2012 elections. ([REDMAP provides a clear description of the strategy](http://www.redistrictingmajorityproject.com/) to focus on those state races.) But actually, I really was referring more to the kind of the voters they rely on, as part of successful redistricting and House control, (as well as to get out the vote). It is because of their debt to this base, for example, that they’re willing to rush through poorly designed bills to replace the ACA at any cost. Even if they wanted to, Democrats wouldn’t be able to generate votes from a base with that much success. Yes, everyone tries to benefit from redistricting, but the Republicans shrewdly took it to a whole new level, and have been riding the wave of that windfall since. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/56 "2017-10-19T09:34:02Z")
[Another one apparently quitting.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/us/politics/tiberi-republican-resign-ohio.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront) > [@](#): > > In a sign of mounting frustration among Republicans in Washington, Representative Pat Tiberi of Ohio, a senior lawmaker with close ties to his party’s leaders, is expected to resign and take up an executive post with a business group in his home state, according to three Republicans briefed on his plans. [One who’s _not_ planning to go](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/18/thad-cochran-says-not-retiring-senate-243918), but probably should. > [@](#): > > Mississippi GOP Sen. Thad Cochran insists that he is not retiring from Congress, despite widespread speculation about the veteran lawmaker’s health and political future. > The 79-year-old Cochran appeared frail and at times disoriented during a brief hallway interview on Wednesday. He was unable to answer whether he would remain chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and at one point, needed a staffer to remind him where the Senate chamber is located. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/57 "2017-10-24T19:06:35Z")
[Jeff Flake](http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/2017/10/24/republican-senator-jeff-flake-announces-not-running-senate-reelection-gop-primary-ward-trump/793952001/) not running for reelection. ETA: I’m listening to him live right now. He’s slamming Trumpism. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/58 "2017-10-24T19:18:00Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > [Jeff Flake](http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/2017/10/24/republican-senator-jeff-flake-announces-not-running-senate-reelection-gop-primary-ward-trump/793952001/) not running for reelection. > > ETA: I’m listening to him live right now. He’s slamming Trumpism. Much talk of fighting back and not letting the savages win. Without him. Flake is flaking out. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/59 "2017-10-24T21:14:18Z")
Arizona already looked like a winnable Senate seat for the Democrats – now it looks even better. The very slim chances of a Democratic takeover of the Senate are now slightly less slim. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821/60 "2017-10-24T21:30:24Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Much talk of fighting back and not letting the savages win. Without him. Flake is flaking out. He won’t be leaving till his term ends in January 2019, right? So he can stick around sticking spanners in the Trump works for over a year without fear of electoral blowback. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-is-looking-more-and-more-interesting/795821.md?page=4)