Top Items:
Ezra Klein / Vox:
Republicans are paying the Trump tax — Trump's political strategy is failing. — At this point, Democrats look certain to take back the House. But due to geography and gerrymandering, their majority in the chamber will fall far short of their majority at the polls.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Scripting News, Weekly Standard, The Atlantic, NPR, Washington Monthly and The Guardian
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Sarah Kendzior / Globe and Mail:
If the midterms were a test of the country's character, Americans failed — Sarah Kendzior is the author of The View From Flyover Country and the co-host of the podcast Gaslit Nation. — On Monday, former president Barack Obama tweeted: “Tomorrow's elections might be the most important in our lifetimes …
Discussion:
New York Times and Vox
Peter Beinart / The Atlantic:
The Harsh Truth Exposed by the Midterm Elections — The story line coming out of Tuesday's midterm elections will be: The two Americas drift further apart. Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate by cleaning out Democrats in states that voted for Donald Trump.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, New York Times and Axios
New York Times:
Democrats Capture Control of House; G.O.P. Holds Senate — Democrats harnessed voter fury toward President Trump to win control of the House and capture pivotal governorships Tuesday night as liberals and moderates banded together to deliver a forceful rebuke of Mr. Trump …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Politico, Los Angeles Times, Just Security, The Week, Boing Boing, NPR, The Atlantic, The Colorado Sun, Washington Post, Gothamist, CNN and Vox
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Some Democrats are complaining about the ‘Senate popular vote.’ It's still not a thing. — And it doesn't say what Democrats think it does. — Democrats didn't win everywhere Tuesday night, despite their clear momentum. They won over the House and some governor seats …
Discussion:
National Review, Hit & Run, Outside the Beltway, Raw Story, New York Times and Conservative News Today
Steven Shepard / Politico:
7 takeaways from a wild midterm election — Driven by massive voter turnout, the 2018 midterm election was both a blue wave and a red wave. It just depended on which map you were looking at. — Democrats blazed a suburban trail to wrest control of the House from Republicans …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Washington Post and Politico
Axios:
Two Americas: amplified, tearing apart — The midterms produced a divided Congress that's emblematic of a split America, drifting further apart and pointing to poisonous years ahead. — The net result: Two parties with two wildly different bases and philosophies are pulling farther and farther apart …
Discussion:
New York Times and Politico
Ronald A. Klain / Washington Post:
The first five things the Democrats should do with their House majority
Charlie Mahtesian / Politico:
Trump's Narrative vs. Pelosi's Subpoenas
Trump's Narrative vs. Pelosi's Subpoenas
Discussion:
ABC News, The Atlantic, New York Times, The Moderate Voice, Washington Post and Axios
CNN:
Paul Ryan: “Tonight history has repeated itself”
Paul Ryan: “Tonight history has repeated itself”
Discussion:
Politico, The Atlantic and Washington Post
Colby Itkowitz / Washington Post:
How to argue about whether these midterms were a ‘blue wave’
How to argue about whether these midterms were a ‘blue wave’
Discussion:
Politico, The Atlantic, CNN, Vox and Althouse
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Democrats Won the House Because of Obamacare
Glenn Harlan Reynolds / USA Today:
Election results 2018: Forget the blue wave and behold the purple puddle
Election results 2018: Forget the blue wave and behold the purple puddle
Discussion:
New York Times
New York Times:
Midterm Election Results: 4 Key Takeaways
Midterm Election Results: 4 Key Takeaways
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Post, The Atlantic and Aleteia
Jonathan Lemire / Associated Press:
Democratic House win poses challenges, chances for Trump
The Daily Beast:
Dana Rohrabacher, Putin's Favorite Congressman, Loses his Seat to Democrat Harley Rouda — Rep. Dana Rohrabacher—the pro-Russia Republican who once boasted about a drunken arm-wrestling contest with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the 1990s—has lost his seat to Democrat Harley Rouda.
Discussion:
Vox, Shakesville, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Raw Story, POLITICUSUSA and Voice of OC
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Tony Evers denies Scott Walker a third term as Wisconsin's governor — MADISON - After upending Wisconsin politics and infuriating liberals across the country, Gov. Scott Walker narrowly lost his bid for a third term Tuesday to Tony Evers, the leader of the education establishment Walker blew up eight years ago.
Discussion:
NBC News, Lawyers, Guns & Money, BloombergQuint and Political Wire
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Carol Anderson / The Atlantic:
Brian Kemp's Lead in Georgia Needs an Asterisk — The Democrat Stacey Abrams, a black woman, made a valiant effort to win the governor's race in Georgia, one of the original 13 states, whose commitment to human bondage ensured that the U.S. Constitution would treat slavery with kid gloves.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, USA Today, Shakesville, The Root, HuffPost and Jezebel
RELATED:
Veronica Stracqualursi / CNN:
Stacey Abrams refuses to concede Georgia governor's race — (CNN)Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams is not conceding the Georgia governor's race to Republican candidate Brian Kemp, arguing that the high stakes contest is too close to call. — CNN has not projected a winner in the Georgia governor's race …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The Root, Law & Crime, Daily Kos, WTVR-TV, Splinter, The American Mirror, Hullabaloo, Mediaite, The Daily Caller and NBC News
Lauren Egan / NBC News:
Abrams doesn't concede in Georgia, predicts runoff in governor's race
Abrams doesn't concede in Georgia, predicts runoff in governor's race
Discussion:
CNN, Jezebel, Daily Wire, Splinter and CBS News
Darren Samuelsohn / Politico:
Mueller has powerful new House allies as he bears down on Trump — Special counsel Robert Mueller is set to emerge from his midterm campaign hibernation period with a powerful new ally as House Democrats surged back to the majority in Tuesday's elections. — The lead Russia investigator …
Discussion:
Raw Story
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Catherine Boudreau / Politico:
Schiff: Democratic House will tackle the oversight that GOP ‘abdicated’
Schiff: Democratic House will tackle the oversight that GOP ‘abdicated’
Discussion:
ABC News, The Daily Beast and Breitbart
Washington Post:
With the midterms over, Mueller faces key decisions in Russia investigation
With the midterms over, Mueller faces key decisions in Russia investigation
Discussion:
emptywheel
David Corn / Mother Jones:
House Dems Already Have Their List of Trump Scandals to Investigate. Here It Is.
House Dems Already Have Their List of Trump Scandals to Investigate. Here It Is.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed News, VICE News US and Townhall
Matt Dixon / Politico:
Nelson, Scott race headed to recount — The razor-thin Florida Senate race between Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and the state's Republican Gov. Rick Scott is headed to a recount, Nelson's campaign announced Wednesday morning. — With more than 8 million votes cast, the two candidates …
Discussion:
Townhall, CNN, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Week
RELATED:
Orlando Sentinel:
Florida U.S. Senate race could be heading for recount — Florida Gov. Rick Scott takes to the stage as he stands with his wife, Ann Scott, (L) and daughter Alison Guimard (R) during his election night party at the LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort on November 06, 2018 in Naples. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
Discussion:
Breitbart and Sun-Sentinel
NBC News:
Dennis Hof, the brothel owner who died last month, wins election — The reality TV star was found dead on Oct. 16 after a weekend of parties celebrating his 72nd birthday. — LAS VEGAS — A Nevada brothel owner and reality TV star who died last month after fashioning himself …
Discussion:
Daily Wire, Washington Post, The Week and CNBC
Julia Manchester / The Hill:
House GOP fight begins: Jordan challenges McCarthy — Conservative Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) announced his bid for House minority leader on Wednesday, challenging Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) hours after Democrats regained control of the lower chamber. — “I plan to run for minority leader …
Wendy Underhill / ncsl.org:
A Modest Shift to the Dems — Democrats scored significant wins Tuesday in 2018 legislative elections—but it was hardly a blowout. Republicans continue to have a robust advantage in legislative and state control, as they have since 2010. And the elections held few surprises.
Discussion:
Associated Press
RELATED:
Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
The Senate is so rigged that Democrats may never control it ever again
The Senate is so rigged that Democrats may never control it ever again
Discussion:
Weekly Standard and Vox
Brian Flood / Fox News:
Beto O'Rourke wins on Election Day...even if he loses his race, Reuters says — International news service Reuters informed its 20 million Twitter followers Tuesday afternoon that Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke is a winner, regardless of whether or not he pulls off a shock victory over Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Discussion:
Reuters, Politico, VICE News US, Washington Post, ABC News and Daily Wire
RELATED:
Mimi Swartz / New York Times:
The Success in Beto's Failure
The Success in Beto's Failure
Discussion:
Politico, VICE News US, RedState and Althouse
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
We're Finally Going To Have Native American Women In Congress — Democrats Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas won their House races and made history. — WASHINGTON Two Native American women won their congressional races on Tuesday night, making history …
Discussion:
USA Today, Kansas City Star and New Republic
RELATED:
Yvonne Wingett Sanchez / Arizona Republic:
Sinema vs. McSally … For Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally, Tuesday night was supposed to mark the end of a hard-fought battle that tested vastly different visions for the nation. — But as Election Day came to an end, the race for Arizona's open U.S. Senate seat ended exactly how it has played …
Discussion:
Axios, The Daily Caller, Political Wire and USA Today
Mikhael Smits / Washington Free Beacon:
Alyssa Milano Refuses to Speak at Next Women's March, Cites Anti-Semitism — Actress Alyssa Milano said in a recent interview that she does not intend to support the Women's March so long as it defends “bigotry or anti-Semitism.” — In an interview with The Advocate, a gay community magazine …
Discussion:
Chicks On The Right and The Daily Caller
McClatchy Washington Bureau:
This is how Republicans lost the House — It was special election day in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District, and the Republican candidate was missing. — Never mind that national Republicans were spending millions on the Pittsburgh-area race, desperate to avoid a humiliating defeat …
Discussion:
Politico and Washington Post
John Harwood / CNBC:
Republicans declared war on Nancy Pelosi — and she won — For the second time in a dozen years, a Democratic campaign she oversaw ousted the Republicans who ridiculed her from control of the House. — “They've been doing that for a long time,” Pelosi told CNBC's John Harwood …
NBC News:
Out of many, several trailblazing ‘firsts’ elected across country — The first Muslim women and Native Americans, among others, will be headed to Congress. — WASHINGTON — The first two Native American and Muslim congresswomen are headed to the U.S. House, and Massachusetts is getting …
Eli Stokols / Los Angeles Times:
Trump tells confidants Ryan is to blame for Republican election setbacks — Hours before polls closed on Tuesday, President Trump already was blaming retiring Speaker Paul D. Ryan for not doing enough to support his agenda and keep the House in Republican hands.
Discussion:
Hot Air
Nancy A. Youssef / Wall Street Journal:
Pentagon Dropping Use of ‘Faithful Patriot’ as Name for Border Deployment — Mattis's office issues new instructions on name for Pentagon mission — WASHINGTON—The Pentagon no longer will publicly refer to its border mission by the name “Operation Faithful Patriot,” officials said Wednesday …