Besides #MASen & #MA01, some Gov. Baker allies face important challenges. This is the moment to familiarize yourself with the night's agenda, as two dozen races feature interesting ideological stakes.
1. I'll update on the latest as information comes in (so follow me if you want updates!). 2. Results on whatsontheballot.com as they are called. 3. Likely end the night with a recap on my weekly live video stream.
And I'll add: I just moved out of Massachusetts just two days ago after living there for 2 years, so having this night follow so quickly feels bittersweet.
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Macron chose Michel Barnier, a conservative politician from the LR party.
This makes explicit the long-tacit alliance between Macronists + conservatives. *And* Macron is choosing someone he thinks the far-right (RN) won't bring down.
Step-back: Left coalition (NFP) won most seats on July 7 (roughly 190). But a priority for Macron was to avoid NFP governing.
Barnier's LR (right) have roughly 40 seats. Macronists only have roughly 170. Even combined, that's far from the majority of 277.
RN has 140.
Trick is: Even if you don't have an affirmative majority in France, you can (mostly) govern as long as there isn't a majority *AGAINST* you, a majority willing to depose you.
Macron was trying to find someone who'd avoid being taken down (=it's called "being censored").
This month was maybe the best stretch of content since we launched @boltsmag 2 years ago.
I'm really proud of all of these stories, & how they're bringing so many different facets of local politics, and their high stakes on criminal justice & voting rights, to life! ↓
1. Arizona voters face major choices in November, on whether election deniers will take over some of the most important election offices in the state — nay, in the country.
The article only gives the margins among likely voters, take or remove one point depending on the state, but not the numbers in an easy way. (link via @JoshuaGreen) bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Morning Consult's national poll has Harris up 4%. Other than WI these are all within a couple of points of what you'd expect out of 4%. Separate polls with margins of errors & discrete polling errors can't align exactly, hence you throw them together!
Political situation in France is fairly jaw-dropping.
1. Elections were 7 weeks ago, & in France transition is quick. But still no new government, & it's not just bc there's no solution: Macron stalled, then announced a bizarre "Olympic truce," & is now stalling again.
2. The PM + Cabinet resigned promptly... but remain in office. There's something called "regime of ordinary affairs" in France, where a resigning Cabinet just does routine stuff. But this has been longest such regime ever in France. & resigned Cabinet working on next budget.
3. Ministers aren't supposed to vote in Parliament while in Cabinet. The outgoing Ministers had tended resignation and were sworn in to new Assembly, & voted in Assembly's July leadership elections... but a month later they're still serving in the Cabinet!!
Things remain stalled in France since July 7th elections.
Those saw Macron's party lose roughly 100 seats, & so any semblance of majority or plurality. And yet his outgoing cabinet remains in office despite ostensibly resigning in July.
But things moving more quickly now. ⬇️
No bloc or coalition got ANYTHING near a majority (277). An unprecedented situation in this institutional regime.
Left coalition (NFP), you'll recall, won most seats on July 7—around 190.
The outgoing Macronist PM, Gabriel Attal promptly resigned, as is tradition—but Macron signaled he had no interest in a transition, & declared a weird "Olympic truce." Attal has still be in office—this is longest a resigning Cabinet has been allowed to govern, ever in France.
2️⃣ In Arizona’s biggest county, there’s a big prosecutor election where the candidates differ starkly on abortion.
The GOP incumbent was prosecutor tapped by the Senate Republicans in 2018 during the Kavanaugh hearings to ask questions of Ford. boltsmag.org/arizona-aborti…