# Will Florence outcomes impact midterm elections? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 12, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232 "2018-09-12T17:55:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/1 "2018-09-12T17:55:39Z")
I may be way off base with this, but I admit I’m watching with morbid fascination to see what happens in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Naturally, the best outcome would be that all the hype turns out to be wrong and there is very little damage to life or property. That seems unlikely, though. So, if Florence is pretty catastrophic, and it is up to the Feds to provide an emergency response, how do you think it will play out? Would a spectacularly competent response help the Republicans? Would a slow, disorganized response help the Dems? Mind you, I don’t wish disaster on anyone. For the sake of all the people in the path of the hurricane, I hope they are helped immediately to whatever extent is necessary. But it’s going to be interesting to see what happens over the coming weeks. Am I the only one thinking this way? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/2 "2018-09-12T18:01:49Z")
I wish the Democrats would play hardball and run ads showing all the red state senators who voted against Sandy relief and yet will support money for Florence. Ted Cruz in particular. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/3 "2018-09-12T18:19:00Z")
The number of drowning deaths in [the prison South Carolina won’t evacuate](http://fortune.com/2018/09/12/south-carolina-prisoners-hurricane-florence/) might have an effect. But it might even \*help \*the Republicans. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/4 "2018-09-12T18:45:54Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I wish the Democrats would play hardball and run ads showing all the red state senators who voted against Sandy relief and yet will support money for Florence. Ted Cruz in particular. I am sure they will. Beto’s odds seem to be improving… ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/5 "2018-09-12T18:49:46Z")
Knowing how Trump is an stenographer of FOX, and Hannity has the ear of Agent Orange, this bit of news is disturbing: > **[Hannity: Trump Will Soon Fire Mueller](https://www.newsweek.com/sean-hannity-donald-trump-hurricane-florence-1118526)** > > Hannity and Trump enjoy such a close relationship that the Fox News host has reportedly been referred to as the president's unofficial chief of staff. > [@](#): > > “Listen, I think all of that’s going to happen,” Hannity said about whether he thought Trump would end the investigation and fire Mueller. The transcript and audio of a portion of Hannity’s Tuesday radio show was published by Media Matters for America. “I think it’s going to happen sooner than later.” > > Hannity went on to explain that he believed Trump would not make such a move around the anniversary of 9/11 and with Hurricane Florence barreling toward the Carolinas as a Category 4 storm. > > “But afterwards, I would expect that he will do that,” Hannity said. > > It’s unclear what knowledge, or lack thereof, Hannity is using to make his prediction. > > Phone calls between Hannity and Trump are frequent occurrences, discussing everything from Hannity’s show to Trump’s frustration with the Mueller investigation and to what the president should tweet, according to more than a dozen friends, advisers and associates of Trump and Hannity who told The Washington Post in April. > > The Daily Beast also reported in February that the pair had frequent phone conversations about whether the president should release a controversial GOP memo by Congressman Devin Nunes that was critical of both the FBI and Justice Department. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/6 "2018-09-12T19:19:25Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > So, if Florence is pretty catastrophic, and it is up to the Feds to provide an emergency response, how do you think it will play out? Would a spectacularly competent response help the Republicans? Would a slow, disorganized response help the Dems? I think what is likely to happen is that Dems will view the response as slow and disorganized, while Republicans will veiw the response as spectacularly competent. So in the end they will go on as if nothing had happened. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/7 "2018-09-12T19:22:05Z")
Immediately following Florence might be a good time to fire Mueller - everyone’s attention will be focused on hurricane damage, so maybe it would get less coverage. A horrifying thought. ETA - that was a comment related to post #5. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-florence-outcomes-impact-midterm-elections/821232/8 "2018-09-13T17:09:56Z")
Wait, can he fire Mueller directly and effective immediately? Because if not, if he needs some kind of Saturday Night Massacre or anything close to it, then it would take longer than the typical news cycle. If he’s unlucky, the actual firing would hit RIGHT when hurricane interest wanes and the media is looking for the Next Big Story.