1/ Ok, imho, looking like a pretty huge win for the Dems. Yes Beto lost (but won a lot in the loosing). Florida was disappointing, and some kind of polling issue there. GA proved to be an epic case of voter suppression that should be litigated in courts and press. But...
2/ Dems trounced in House, and they did it by electing a far more diverse group of people—re race, gender, religion, Native heritage, and class—and that will have lasting impact far beyond the sum of those races.
3/ Dems also picked up a lot of governor's races, if not the ones that got the most press. Ousting Scott Walker is huge. Nevada turning blue is huge. etc.
4/ Dems lost a few Senate races, which was probably always in the cards. It was insanely tough map. Still a bunch of races out. We'll see.
5/ A bunch of state houses or entire legislatures have flipped blue. That will be huge re redistricting and etc.
6/ Medicaid expansion in at least two states. Maybe more by end of night: motherjones.com/politics/2018/… Ditto minimum wages increases.
7/ Some states, like Maine have become trifectas for Dems.
8/ Also the GOP elected TWO Congressmen under federal indictment and a dead pimp. That's at least three special elections in the offing.
9/ Many candidates who ran openly on gun control won. Including victims of gun violence. @lucymcbath within 57 votes. That'll probably go to recount etc.
10/ Even with some still out, Dems have flipped seven Governor's seats...and most are big, key states.
11/ 1.4 million ex-felons can now vote in Florida. It was a bipartisan, multiracial effort. Still, the dynamics in Florida will never again be the same. motherjones.com/politics/2018/…
12/ Colorado and Michigan (and maybe Utah?) have passed measures that establish non-partisan commissions to oversee redistricting maps. And Michigan (and maybe NV?) passed auto voter registration. (on the downside, NC and AR passed loathsome voter ID laws.)
13/ But most of all, the Dems have oversight power. @RepAdamSchiff @RepMaxineWaters @RepCummings and others can now start digging into to Russiagate, Trump's taxes, DeVos, Zinke, Ross, etc etc etc. motherjones.com/politics/2018/…
13/ in the last two days, Dems have picked up more house seats, including victories for two parents of gun violence victims like @lucymcbath and lots of other gun control advocates motherjones.com/politics/2018/…
