A 2016 Downticket Thread

[DarkAudit]

Because wait, other people are running besides Hillary and The Cheeto That Walks Like A Man?

It's hard for me to care about the WV races this year. There's no Senate race this year. The House race is nearly uncontested. The incumbent McKinley has raised and spent orders of magnitude more than his opponent, Mike Manypenny. Which isn't so impressive when you find Manypenny hasn't even raised $10K. Suggests the Democrats are giving up on this race. Or gave up before it started. Manypenny was the only candidate on the primary ballot.

Governor? Fuck 'em both. Bill Cole and Jim Justice are nothing but water carriers for Big Coal. Justice went so far as saying the answer to the domestic violence problem was "more coal jobs." Justice is another one of those businessmen with no political experience and a trail of unpaid bills running for office this year. I'm inclined to either go for Charlotte Pritt of the Mountain Party (WV's version of the Greens), or just write in 101-year-old Ken Hechler.

The state legislature races are the usual suspects that wind up on the ballot every year. Only this time the Democrats are the ones on the outside looking in. I can only write in Ken Hechler once, you say? Then write him in once I shall and leave the other 3-4 choices blank.

I thank my lucky stars that there is no television in the lobby at work. That plus not watching local stations after means I've been able to avoid nearly all political ads this year.

Anyway, WV looks to be screwed come November. You guys looking any better/worse?

 

[Cheesy1]

I live in the Central Valley in California.
My county always goes Republican because of all the farmers, and the state government always gets dominated by Democrats because . . . California.
The only thing that is ever up in the air is when the Governor's Office is up for grabs, depending on whether a celebrity is running or not (ugh).

 

[jwhouk]

The Kochs are apparently getting out of Wisconsin, and it is entirely possible that Russ Feingold may re-take his senate seat from Ronnie J.

 

[DarkAudit]

Forgot to mention because he's not in my district, but when the worst floods in a generation hit the state, and his district in particular, what does Congressman Mooney do? Immediately take off on a junket to the Middle East.

And by the way, he's only here because he couldn't get elected in Maryland and went district shopping looking for new suckers, er, voters.

 

[blotsfan]

Well, my local congressman is running. You know how everyone says congress is fucked up, but their local congressman is good? Not me. Mine is an anti-semetic asshole who was the first congressman to support Trump. I also went to high school with his kids. Back when he was county executive I loved seeing official taxpayer funded cars at high school parties. Not like this guy is worth 10s of millions of dollars or anything. Taxpayers gotta pay for his kids to get around. I know next to nothing about his opponent but she'll get my futile vote.

Also we are electing one senator. The incumbent has been around for awhile, but his opponent seems to be a standard republican. Nothing really appealing about her to me so I guess I'll vote for the incumbent.

I'll have to look into the state senators and state house members more. Honestly, at this point my pet issue is to make Uber legal in Buffalo. Anyone who promises that will most likely have my vote.

I mostly made this post to comment how much I can't stand that congressman.

 

[Denbrought]

Manypenny hasn't even raised $10K.

At least he stayed true to his name

 

[Bubble181]

Because wait, other people are running besides Hillary and The Cheeto That Walks Like A Man?

It's hard for me to care about the WV races this year. There's no Senate race this year. The House race is nearly uncontested. The incumbent McKinley has raised and spent orders of magnitude more than his opponent, Mike Manypenny. Which isn't so impressive when you find Manypenny hasn't even raised $10K. Suggests the Democrats are giving up on this race. Or gave up before it started. Manypenny was the only candidate on the primary ballot.

Governor? Fuck 'em both. Bill Cole and Jim Justice are nothing but water carriers for Big Coal. Justice went so far as saying the answer to the domestic violence problem was "more coal jobs." Justice is another one of those businessmen with no political experience and a trail of unpaid bills running for office this year. I'm inclined to either go for Charlotte Pritt of the Mountain Party (WV's version of the Greens), or just write in 101-year-old Ken Hechler.

The state legislature races are the usual suspects that wind up on the ballot every year. Only this time the Democrats are the ones on the outside looking in. I can only write in Ken Hechler once, you say? Then write him in once I shall and leave the other 3-4 choices blank.

I thank my lucky stars that there is no television in the lobby at work. That plus not watching local stations after means I've been able to avoid nearly all political ads this year.

Anyway, WV looks to be screwed come November. You guys looking any better/worse?

Sooo....Cole, in favor of Big Coal, Justice as a corrupt and unjust dick, and Manypenny the politician with no money. Are you sure you're living in the real world and not in a cheesy movie universe?

 

[Eriol]

Sooo....Cole, in favor of Big Coal, Justice as a corrupt and unjust dick, and Manypenny the politician with no money. Are you sure you're living in the real world and not in a cheesy movie universe?

Ya, I'll admit when I saw that "Manypenny" had no money, I laughed. I can't believe I didn't pick up the Cole=Coal thing though.

 

[Hailey Knight]

Gonna stick with our current House rep for my county, but I honestly haven't paid enough attention to the Senate, so I don't even know if mine are up for re-election. Probably not or else I'd have seen the signs on the side of the road.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

My state primary is tomorrow. I early voted to remove all the state court judges appointed by Republicans, and voted in the Republiican primary so I could vote against two Trump Delegates for state legislature, as well as the guy with anti-refugee / ISIS scaremongering mailers running for State Senate. My US House Rep is super safe democrat, but I still voted for the least-bad republican challenger because it's dangerous to legitimize extreme viewpoints

 

[DarkAudit]

Bill Cole's solution to the opioid abuse problem? More prisons.

These dudes aren't offering any solutions. They're offering perks to their financial backers. No wonder places like McDowell County aren't any better off than they were when JFK's trip through the state for the 1960 WV primary highlighted the poverty. No wonder any young person with the means to do so gets the hell out as soon as they possibly can. I don't have the means, but the moment I did...

 

[blotsfan]

I'm voting for Charlotte Pritt. One time Democratic nominee for governor (lost to Cecil Underwood), and now running under the Mountain Party (WV's Green affiliate) banner.

I have 0 thoughts or knowledge about this election but I love that party name.

 

[Krisken]

Well, my local congressman is running. You know how everyone says congress is fucked up, but their local congressman is good? Not me. Mine is an anti-semetic asshole who was the first congressman to support Trump. I also went to high school with his kids. Back when he was county executive I loved seeing official taxpayer funded cars at high school parties. Not like this guy is worth 10s of millions of dollars or anything. Taxpayers gotta pay for his kids to get around. I know next to nothing about his opponent but she'll get my futile vote.

Also we are electing one senator. The incumbent has been around for awhile, but his opponent seems to be a standard republican. Nothing really appealing about her to me so I guess I'll vote for the incumbent.

I'll have to look into the state senators and state house members more. Honestly, at this point my pet issue is to make Uber legal in Buffalo. Anyone who promises that will most likely have my vote.

I mostly made this post to comment how much I can't stand that congressman.

Is it Grothman?

 

[blotsfan]

Nope. Chris Collins.

Also, I found out I'm actually right on the other side of the district border so I'm not voting in that election anyways.

 

[Hailey Knight]

I have no idea the differences between Board of Education members. I guess I need to do some research.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

The incumbent Republican State Senator in my district walked away from Trump after pressure from his challenger and the state Dem party. He took his sweet time but I have no faith that it will hurt him or change his gerrymandered landslide.

 

[AshburnerX]

Man, I live in Columbus, Ohio. You don't even want to know the fuckin' voting issues I have.

About the only race I know I'm 100% sure on is for State Representative and that's because I've known my choice all my life and know his politics well.

 

[jwhouk]

I spoke too soon. The Kochs, realizing that the presidency is lost, are trying their damndest to at least pay for their senators.

 

[Dave]

One of my senators - Deb Fischer - and one of our representatives - Jeff Fortenberry - each condemned Trump and pulled their support. For three days. Now they are backing him again.

Party over country. It's the republican way.

 

[PatrThom]

Party over country. It's the republican way.

Only way that's going to change is if voters do something.
You know what to do.

--Patrick

 

[Dave]

Only way that's going to change is if voters do something.
You know what to do.

--Patrick

I do all I can but I live in Nebraska. Backwards-assed country fucks who vote against their own interests because of the letter (R).

 

[Hailey Knight]

But what about my county's Board of Education? There aren't political parties. For one seat, neither nominee even has any info online.

Most of the issues I get to vote on are bureaucratic bullshit about how many special elections are needed for shortened terms in various positions. Woo and hoo.

 

[Covar]

Party over country. It's the republican way.

Do you honestly believe that's unique to the Republicans?

 

[Dave]

Do you honestly believe that's unique to the Republicans?

This year it's certainly more noticeable on that side.

 

[Gruebeard]

This year it's certainly more noticeable on that side.

Since Trump is the first ever halfway legitimate candidate who might actually be anti-American, this is the first test that the members of any party have faced in this regard.

 

[Covar]

This year it's certainly more noticeable on that side.

Fair enough

 

[Eriol]

Party over country. It's the republican way.

Do you honestly believe that's unique to the Republicans?

This year it's certainly more noticeable on that side.

Given the number that say "fuck no, he's horrid, vote for somebody else other than Hillary and/or write-in," I'd ask how many Democrats are doing that? So I'd say it's the opposite with regards to party loyalty this year, in that Republicans are more willing to go against it in the face of... that horrificness. The Dems as a whole are not doing the same for nearly-but-not-quite-as-bad horrificness.

 

[Dave]

True. I think a lot of the republicans jumping ship are putting the country first. Just not the republican establishment or leaders.

 

[Bubble181]

 

[Dei]

I got my mail ballot yesterday. (Every voter in Colorado gets their ballot in the mail) I'm just looking and sighing at the amount of things I would vote yes for if not for the hideous implementation of said ideas.

 

[Dei]

I finished my mail in ballot. I ended up leaving some things like judge retentions blank because I don't know enough about any of it to feel confident enough to vote. I know my local Republican Rep will get re-elected because I live in a pretty red district. When I don't have to try to pick between the lesser of two evils, my votes on local laws and amendments split pretty evenly between the view points of the 2 parties. Please dear god let this election be a wake up call to the bullshittery of the 2 party system.

 

[GasBandit]

My local ballot consists of the county Tax Assessor, county Sheriff, and county Attorney, each of which have a republican running unopposed. Also, our mayor has hit his term limit, so there's currently a knock-down-drag-out slugfest for who will take over after him.

There are two main factions in our city council, each which has put up a puppet to run for mayor: the pro-development bloc which is often accused of being in the pocket of developers and only trying to enrich themselves at the expense of the city, and the pro-REdevelopment bloc, which digs in its heels and tries to stop almost all new business development in favor of rebuilding aging infrastructure, especially where flood control is concerned. Also, the devbloc's candidate has a scandal from his past because the software development company he founded and then sold to oracle got into trouble with the SEC and some copyright infringement, whereas the redevbloc's candidate was city manager 10 years ago and basically got run out by the then-mayor (and whether that's a mark for or against her depends on your opinion of said mayor). For my part, I've witnessed first hand some of the things the redevbloc's candidate has accomplished (she was responsible for turning an eyesore of an abandoned mall in my neighborhood into a now thriving commercial center), so I lean toward her as a candidate. Also, my grandpa who lives here is FIRMLY in the redevbloc's corner because he likes how they want to enforce city ordinances to limit parking on the street, stop the building of "Ag Shacks" (high end 6-8 occupancy student housing which annoy townies), and put more into parks and city beautification projects. Normally I'm not one to back a heavy handed government, but as I said, I saw what the redevbloc's candidate can do, and frankly, it's likely after the election that the devbloc will also control 6 of the 7 city council seats, so it's important to me to prevent one side from controlling everything.

On the state level, though, there's more to like. 7 of the 8 positions (Railroad Commissioner, 3 supreme court justices and 3 criminal appeals court judges) have Libertarians running! However, our representative to the state house is a Republican running unopposed.

 

[Dave]

We have only one real close run between Brad Ashford (D) and Don Bacon (R). I'm still on the fence a little, but I'm rapidly falling on Ashford's side. I know Don Bacon (he works at my university) but the ads that are being put out on his behalf by Super-PACs have been really, really dirty and have been just plain not telling the truth. Now, the OFFICIAL Don Bacon ads have all been about him and his military background. But those from shadow groups have just turned me off.[DOUBLEPOST=1477935429,1477935306][/DOUBLEPOST]Although I have to say that I was pissed at Ashford's people for a while. I was leaning Brad because I'd met him and liked him, then one of his cronies with whom I'd spoke put a sign in my yard. I didn't okay this. So I've flipped a few times between these two. I like both of them as people.

 

[SpecialKO]

The only other notable race on my ballot is for congresscritter. The incumbent is a Dem, and I voted against him in the primary because I think he's kind of a complacent moron most of the time and votes in favor of the Patriot Act the rest of the time. That being said, since he won the primary, the only folks left are an (R) who basically wants to shift tax burdens to the poor while increasing military spending and has no other clear policy positions, an (L) whose policy positions are all about 5 words long with no details and who has zero history of actually doing anything, and one guy who has no website or known policy positions.

In other words, the incumbent is the only one who actually takes any real stances on policy besides making a few issue-oriented statements.

And people wonder why nothing changes.

 

[Dei]

We have a couple of amendments, single payer healthcare, right to die, trying to make it harder to amend the state constitution, bringing back primaries instead of caucuses, allowing independents to vote in party primaries, and a couple of local elections like raising town sales tax to fund a new police office, and a mill levy for the school district because most of the schools are overcrowded.