Coop Scoop: Five Early Takeaways

The hyped Red Wave fails to crash

November 8, 2022 10:30 pm PST

By Marc Cooper

#1. There appears to be a pro-democracy, anti-Trump majority as we go into the 2024 cycle and that is very good news. Any hope – and there was plenty—among the extreme right that the mid-terms would properly set the table for a jiggered Trump win in 2024 were badly damaged.

#2 The Red Wave turned into a minor red leak, at best.  Given the overall political environment, with Biden languishing in popularity, with inflation unchecked and with the media beating its knuckles to the bone over violent crime and an over-run border, the GOP had a chance to deliver a generational body blow to the Democrats.  But that was hard to do with an Albatross named Donald strapped around the necks of the Republicans. With a few exceptions, what Trump pushed, failed. Mitch got it right a few weeks ago when he publicly lamented poor “candidate quality.”  As I write at 10:30 pm Tuesday night on the Pacific Coast we obviously cannot call the final results.

But everything appears to come down to a TIE.  Dems stand to lose a max of 15 seats and might not lose any., which is totally unexpected.  The Senate will also remain tied or close to tied.  Republicans might come out with a one seat majority.  Not a world-changing data point.

#3 Abortion is a ticking time bomb for a precarious GOP.  Every anti-abortion referendum lost tonight including in deep red states like Kentucky and Montana among others including Michigan.  But the incoming class to Congress will include a number of rabid anti-abortion advocates who will push for a ban while more establishment types know this is suicide.

#4 This is the worst possible outcome for Kevin McCarthy.  If the GOP winds up with a majority of only 5 or 6 seats, or less, you can count on the Gaetz-Greene faction sinking his candidacy.  Even if elected, it’s going to be two years of Holy Hell for him to hold the delegation together.

#5 The table is set for 2024 if not in the way the GOP desired it,  The next two years will be a might confrontation to decide the course of the country.  We can see tonight the Democrats, if strategic, can push back the Republicans, giving those fighting for social justice some more room.  Fetterman is a great example of the type of candidate who can win with a multi-racial liberal coalition.

In short, the Democrats have been given a second lease on life. They better cherish it and act accordingly.  They need a totally renewed and much younger leadership. They need to move away from the WOKE bullshit on race and get back to building a class-based strategy that unites rather than divides ordinary Americans. And…can they find a candidate who can inspire a little bit better than Joe Biden? ++