Opinion: Pink and Blue Waves Sweep Nation
(Results from the 2018 Midterms are described as the effect of Pink & Blue waves, photo courtesy of the National Park Service and Wikimedia Commons)
Andrew Dalton, Emma Love, Eli Morton, and Brianna Bruccoleri unpack the 2018 Midterm elections.
“Tuesday was a strong showing almost across the board for Democrats. Many pundits have rushed to the conclusion that because Democrats lost between two and three Senate seats, it was an underperformance. However, this statement could not be further from the truth. Democrats won the House popular vote by about 8 points – a margin greater than the GOP’s dramatic 2010 wave and the Democrats’ rebuke of George W. Bush in 2006. The party lost statewide in Texas by around 3 points – a feat unheard of since the early 1990s. Democrats picked up a Senate seat in Nevada, where Democrats not named Harry Reid have struggled profoundly in midterm years, and one in Arizona, the onetime Republican stronghold, home of John McCain and Barry Goldwater. Multiple governorships were flipped from Republican-controlled to Democratic-controlled, including those in Kansas and Wisconsin, which had both been incubators of Republican-proposed policies for the past decade. In short, Tuesday was a blue wave, regardless of the results yet to come in.”
– Eli Morton, Columnist
(Part of the pink was was the U.S. Representative-elect for New York’s 14th congressional district – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
“Although the anticipated Blue Wave did not hit quite in the capacity that was expected, the overall diversity and progression of those elected to office is significant to take in to account. Society consistently notes the progression of women within politics, but a remarkable increase in data supports this claim for the 2018 Election even further.
Statistical pieces of importance are as follows:
- More women than ever both ran and were elected to represent constituents in Congress.
- In 2014, only 15 women were elected to Congress. In 2016, there were 85 elected. Now, in 2018, 100 women have been granted seats on Capitol Hill. Out of these 100 women, 34 are first-time representatives.
- A record number of women filed to run for office, and the amount of money raised by women for women was also an all-time high.
- Republican voters shifted towards a more Democrat-leaning ballot according to midterm exit polls amongst married voters, independent women, and suburban voters—showing a decline in Trump’s support. However, due to the underwhelming Blue Wave, there is still evidence of a sufficient amount of support for Trump and his administration. Looking forward, in order for Trump to win the 2020 Presidential Election, he must appeal more strongly to suburban women. The 2018 Midterm Elections prove that, thus far, this is not the case, and the 2020 Presidential Election may pose difficulty for Trump due to this demographic that finds limited appeal in his policies.
America did not face a Blue Wave; however, a Pink Wave did encompass the American political and social spheres. To add, the 2018 Midterm Elections have provided statistically evidence that Trump’s 2020 presidential bid may not be so safe after all.”
– Brianna Bruccoleri, Guest Columnist
(Post-election analyses, Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College)
“Youth turnout was big last Tuesday, and that should scare Republicans as we look toward 2020. Here on campus, turnout among Democrats was 90%. For Republicans, it was around 50%. Both numbers are high for a midterm election year, but 90% is almost unheard of. Statewide, it was very heartening to see Pennsylvania reject Scott Wagner so forcefully in the governor’s race. Wagner adopted Trumpian tactics, especially late in the race. He threatened to “stomp all over” Governor Tom Wolf’s face with golf spikes. Really classy, right? Well, he lost by 17 points. That is a bad sign for Donald Trump and the Pennsylvania Republican Party.
Looking at the results, Democrats carried Erie County by about a 20-point margin. Trump won Erie County in 2016, and he will need it again to win Pennsylvania in 2020. But those votes seem to have disappeared, or flipped to the Democrats. This is blue-collar, working-class PA. It should have been Trump/Wagner country, but the Democrats won there–and won it big. I think that working people can see through this President’s empty promises and divisive rhetoric. I think they are ready for someone who can deliver actual results–a leader in Washington who isn’t crippled by narcissism and incompetence. Overall, it was a great night for Democrats and we are proud of all the outstanding candidates who won–Bob Casey, Tom Wolf, John Fetterman, and hundreds of others all across the country.”
– Andrew Dalton, Columnist
(Beto O’Rourke, File Photo)
“In deep-red Texas, Beto O’Rourke’s 48.3 percent was an impressive showing to Ted Cruz’s 50.9 percent in last Tuesday’s unexpectedly close Senate race. O’Rourke predictably polled well in metropolitan areas like Houston and Dallas, as well as a few surprise wins in battleground suburbs. Cruz was able to carry the state thanks to victories in rural counties in West Texas, East Texas, and the Panhandle. O’Rourke’s loss is nevertheless a testament to the growing influence of Democrats in the historically Republican-dominated state. While Texas is still safely in Republican hands, cracks are beginning to show that can eventually lead to the return of two-party rule. O’Rourke’s high-energy grassroots campaign had captured the imagination of Democrats nationwide, with some pointing to him as the party’s strongest contender for a 2020 presidential bid. It remains to be seen whether the Democrats will choose O’Rourke’s unabashed progressivism over more moderate candidates as the best way to reach the White House.”
– Emma Love, Guest Columnist
