“Donald Trump will never admit it, but… he was crushed and repudiated tonight in a way that few presidents ever have been.”
[I]t was a solid victory — and a clear repudiation of the odious politics of the Republican Party. The Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives with an estimated 7-point popular vote margin and won a number of key structural races at the state level. Michigan will now have automatic voter registration and nonpartisan redistricting, while Florida will re-enfranchise some 1.4 million ex-felons, just for starters.
As I wrote before the polls closed, the most important thing to keep in mind about this election is that Republicans had massive structural advantages at every level. For one, this is a midterm election, which heavily favors the older, whiter Republican electorate, as seen in the 2010 and 2014 results. (Stated differently, there was no high-profile presidential candidate at the top of the ticket to drive up turnout among young people and minorities). For another, the economy — which is historically the strongest driver behind electoral outcomes — is doing better than it has done in at least a decade and perhaps 20 years.
Republicans are going to lose three dozen seats in the House and cede control to the Democrats. Has any party ever done so badly in the midst of such strong economic performance?
I guess there was LBJ in 1966, after passing the Civil Rights Act and losing the South forever. But that’s about it.…
In raw numbers this might not be the biggest wave election ever, but once you account for the economy it’s one of the great political blowouts of modern history. Donald Trump will never admit it, but don’t be fooled. He was crushed and repudiated tonight in a way that few presidents ever have been.
Savor the schadenfreude, and welcome to Repudiation Nation!