(09-02-2026 03:26 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  

(09-02-2026 06:24 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  This is not a good omen for R's.

womp womp

I sure hope so.

I cannot for the life of me understand why people think the Democrat Party is going to improve their quality of life.

The Democrat Party record as of late shows the opposite.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

Quote:Even though Donald Trump professes confidence that the nation loves him and his policies, he isn’t putting his money where his mouth is – and that has Republicans running scared, especially if they are running for office.

With midterms just 57 days away, Trump is almost 17 points underwater in the RealClearPolitics Average; Republican Senate candidates are at risk of losing what should be safe seats in Texas, Iowa, and Ohio; and MAGA Inc. – the Trump-supporting super PAC – is sitting on over $400 million that could make all the difference.

In the meantime, Vice President JD Vance’s campaign stop in Michigan to support Mike Rogers in his uphill battle against socialist Abdul El-Sayed was notable mainly because it was one of the few such events attended by either Vance or Trump.

It’s enough to make you ask a simple question: Does President Trump really want Republicans to win the midterms and keep control of the House and Senate?

Read more: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articl...54477.html

Or, if you don’t wish to read more, the gist of this opinion piece is that Trump only knows how to operate in the context of defining and attacking villains. And it is his unstated preference to be able to blame others for problems than it is to do the hard work of addressing those problems himself.

Donald Trump knows how to run an effective campaign. He did it masterfully in the year preceding the 2024 election. He now has < two months before the midterms. Time to see if he really cares about what is best for our nation or best for him personally.

So far, this horse-**** renaming nonsense is not looking very promising.

"the Trump-supporting super PAC – is sitting on over $400 million that could make all the difference"

AI for your reading pleasure.

The Supreme Court's emergency intervention on September 4, 2026, handed a massive financial victory to the GOP's national campaign committees. By blocking a lower court ruling, the justices restored an FCC policy that allows political party committees to buy television and radio ads at the heavily discounted "lowest unit charge" normally reserved exclusively for individual candidates.

Because of the September 4 ruling, the GOP can now flood the airwaves using their massive national committee war chests at a fraction of the cost. Every dollar they held on to suddenly has vastly more purchasing power, effectively neutralizing the individual fundraising deficits their candidates faced.

Quote:After the 2020 election, Republicans were poised to hold the Senate majority if they won merely one of two January runoff races in Georgia. President Trump proceeded to make the races a referendum on his claim that the November election had been stolen. GOP turnout slumped, and Democrats won both seats and a 50-seat majority (plus Vice President Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote). Is Mr. Trump about to cost the GOP the Senate again?

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/gop-senate-e...opin_pos_1

Or, if you prefer not to read more, here is the nub of the opinion piece:

Quote:The President could be campaigning for more defense spending, or more government reform, or more pro-growth policies to raise real incomes. Instead he’s fixated on his Washington vanity projects, including the White House ballroom and the District of Columbia Trump Arch. Polls show these don’t matter to swing voters, who can be forgiven for wondering what Republicans want to do if they keep Congress.

More bad news for the dems. The NH senate race is very close, and the dems are going to have to pump cash that they dont have into that senate race. Dems in the state are sounding the alarms that they need money quickly, and that they are behind.

Interesting latest Harvard Harris Poll….

Republicans more enthusiastic about Midterms and voting than Democrats….

https://harvardharrispoll.com/assets/upl...esults.pdf

(09-07-2026 08:17 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  Interesting latest Harvard Harris Poll….

Republicans more enthusiastic about Midterms and voting than Democrats….

https://harvardharrispoll.com/assets/upl...esults.pdf

C.J. you and I both know why the other dire Trump is screwing it up for the midterms junk was out there. The Dems need the same tired lies to cover another attempted steal of some seats with election fraud. It just gets older and stinks more every time it is tried.

(09-03-2026 01:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

The reason its close is Paxton was, and still is, a crook.

That does damage as well.

(09-09-2026 09:49 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(09-03-2026 01:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

The reason its close is Paxton was, and still is, a crook.

That does damage as well.

I'll say this, tanq. It doesn't help that he has all this baggage. Wesley Hunt was a great candidate, and we (the Texas GOP) cast him aside for this guy.

Now I don't know about anybody else, but I'm voting for Paxton as soon as early voting starts. I don't like Talarico for reasons I've already mentioned have no desire to rehash. That said, I ain't gonna like it.

(09-09-2026 09:55 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 09:49 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(09-03-2026 01:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

The reason its close is Paxton was, and still is, a crook.

That does damage as well.

I'll say this, tanq. It doesn't help that he has all this baggage. Wesley Hunt was a great candidate, and we (the Texas GOP) cast him aside for this guy.

Now I don't know about anybody else, but I'm voting for Paxton as soon as early voting starts. I don't like Talarico for reasons I've already mentioned have no desire to rehash. That said, I ain't gonna like it.

So, you're voting for the lesser of two evils...or just voting against Talarico. Basically what a sizeable share of 81 million voters did in 2020 with Biden.

(09-09-2026 10:11 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 09:55 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 09:49 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(09-03-2026 01:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

The reason its close is Paxton was, and still is, a crook.

That does damage as well.

I'll say this, tanq. It doesn't help that he has all this baggage. Wesley Hunt was a great candidate, and we (the Texas GOP) cast him aside for this guy.

Now I don't know about anybody else, but I'm voting for Paxton as soon as early voting starts. I don't like Talarico for reasons I've already mentioned have no desire to rehash. That said, I ain't gonna like it.

So, you're voting for the lesser of two evils...or just voting against Talarico. Basically what a sizeable share of 81 million voters did in 2020 with Biden.

So Trump was the lesser of two evils in 2024?

(09-09-2026 09:55 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 09:49 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(09-03-2026 01:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/stat...592286007/

“"...Some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough — stop your bi---ching,” Cruz said. “We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won — and one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage....""

The reason its close is Paxton was, and still is, a crook.

That does damage as well.

I'll say this, tanq. It doesn't help that he has all this baggage. Wesley Hunt was a great candidate, and we (the Texas GOP) cast him aside for this guy.

Now I don't know about anybody else, but I'm voting for Paxton as soon as early voting starts. I don't like Talarico for reasons I've already mentioned have no desire to rehash. That said, I ain't gonna like it.

You are correct, in more ways than you know, in your first para. Hunt would have been, for me, an instant 'voting first day' person, and Cornyn would have been a 'voting on fourth day'.

But as you say -- that isnt on the dance card.

My choice comes down to one thing -- since I know I could, and wont, ever vote for Paxton. Do I vote Libertarian and simply 'dont give paxton an added vote', or is the issue that paxton is so far out of the norm in terms of sheer corruption that I layer in a 'dont vote for Paxton' with a vote that Paxton actually has to make up.

Two things sway me.

One exemplified by an example -- Kind of like a CEO hunt. When the binary pick is between a person who is somewhat effective, you agree with their policies for the most part, but you know will usurp the company away from shareholders and towards himself and his buddies, and another person who might be less effective, you agree with their policies on a limited basis, but in no way will take from the company for their own benefit — which does one choose?

Ive had it with allowing fundamental dishonesty and accepting fundamental criminal behavior from public servants. And Paxton is at the tip of that spear. Probably the most blatant Ive ever seen in Texas bar none over the 40+ years Ive been voting.

I leaning to not voting libertarian and voting Talarico, simply on that basis.

Second issue --

I am very well acquainted with a gentleman named David Maxwell. Have had coffees in groups with him, and lunches in groups. He had been the Director of Law Enforcement at the Texas AG office under Paxton. Literally, the AG's top cop -- directed and was responsible for *all* law enforcement efforts operating out of the Texas AG.

38 years in DPS, including 24 years as Texas Ranger. Kind of a legend in texas LE circles.

Well, he dropped a commercial yesterday detailing his interactions with Paxton. I think Im going to use his guidance in my voting decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OenUZk05OA

Gemini, I dont have an issue in the manner that you choose to vote, and/ or vote. That is your personal calculus, and your decision. I would suggest that you and I have very different priorities in the characteristics we want from a sitting US Senator.

It's not really that. It's a lesser of two issues thing again, which I hate. Basically, we have two bad candidates (in my view, anyway) and it's a "pick your poison" sort of thing. Just how I see it.

Be well, and good luck.

(09-09-2026 12:05 PM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  It's not really that. It's a lesser of two issues thing again, which I hate. Basically, we have two bad candidates (in my view, anyway) and it's a "pick your poison" sort of thing. Just how I see it.

Be well, and good luck.

Well, you can easily leave that race blank on your ballot.

(09-09-2026 12:15 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 12:05 PM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  It's not really that. It's a lesser of two issues thing again, which I hate. Basically, we have two bad candidates (in my view, anyway) and it's a "pick your poison" sort of thing. Just how I see it.

Be well, and good luck.

Well, you can easily leave that race blank on your ballot.

Or... I could vote for Paxton.

We know you're going to vote for the Muslim in Michigan, Tom.

(09-09-2026 02:23 PM)BirdHawkEagle Wrote:  We know you're going to vote for the Muslim in Michigan, Tom.

Let a Muslim buy Trump a plane and watch the MAGAs discover a 24-hour xenophobia cure.

Whichever side wins will have likely an incredibly slim majority

Dems won't abolish the fillibuster under Trump because it would be pointless and he would veto everything anyways

GOP won't abolish the fillibuster so basically you are looking at judges - which with a slim GOP majority leaves it in the hands of the Bobsy Twins

Whomever wins not much will change

(09-10-2026 08:56 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Whichever side wins will have likely an incredibly slim majority

Dems won't abolish the fillibuster under Trump because it would be pointless and he would veto everything anyways

GOP won't abolish the fillibuster so basically you are looking at judges - which with a slim GOP majority leaves it in the hands of the Bobsy Twins

Whomever wins not much will change

Two years of Congress doing nothing.

All the while both parties start looking for their candidate for POTUS.