Finding Our Way Forward | 2017 and Beyond

[Lord Admirale]

Finding Our Way Forward

2017 and Beyond

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Awesome title card!

[Lord Admirale]

The November 2017 Elections

Despite their huge loss in 2016, and their losses in multiple special elections prior to June of 2017, the Democrats remained optomistic in New Jersey's and Virginia's gubernatorial elections. In New Jersey, Republican Governor Chris Christie was the least popular governor in the entire country, making it an easy target for a Democratic pickup in a strongly Democratic state. In Virginia, the hopes of Democrats relied on the opposite issue. Governor Terry McAuliffe maintained relatively positive approval ratings shortly following the clashes in Charlottesville between Neo-Nazis and Klansman versus counter-protestors. His Lieutenant Governor, Ralph Northam, ran to carry the torch for McAuliffe, and maintained a steady, yet narrow lead throughout the summer and fall.

When November 7 arrived, the Democrats were met with good news.

New Jersey gubernatorial election
✓ Phil Murphy (Democratic) - 59.3%
Kim Guadagno (Republican) - 38.8%

Virginia gubernatorial election
✓ Ralph Northam (Democratic) - 48.5%
Ed Gillespie (Republican) - 47.1%
Cliff Hyra (Libertarian) - 4.9%

New York City mayoral election

Bill de Blasio (Democratic-Working Families) (inc.) - 48.4%
Bo Dietl (Independent) - 23.0%
Nicole Malliotakis (Republican-Conservative) - 18.1%
Sal Albanese (Reform) - 5.4%

[The Govanah Jake]

Awesome title card!

[Lord Admirale]

Deep Down South

In Alabama, the special election between former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones (Democratic) and former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (Republican) carried on. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence came to Alabama multiple times to stump for Moore between September and November, however few "big-name" Democrats came to the state to help Jones.

Jones continued a vigorous campaign all around the State of Alabama, attempting to swing undecided voters and drive up turnout in the "black belt." In every speech, Jones reiterated his support for bipartisanship in Washington, and that he would be an independent voice for Alabama. But, Jones had yet to see himself overtake Moore in the polls. In every new poll, Moore continued to run ahead of Jones. However, the federal attorney realized something in every new poll he saw: Moore was slipping. Every day, Jones would flip through polls on his phone, and kept reviewing how close he was to his Republican rival.

Polls as of November 24, 2017

Gallup
Roy Moore (Republican) - 44%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 40%
Undecided - 14%

Strategy Research
Roy Moore (Republican) - 46%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 43%
Undecided - 11%

Emerson College
Roy Moore (Republican) - 44%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 41%
Undecided - 15%

"Maybe, just maybe, I'll pull this thing off," Jones told himself.

[TheSaint250]

I know where this is going

Looks like it's gonna be great!

[Kamala]

Looking great. How'd you make the maps?

[Lord Admirale]

Looking great. How'd you make the maps?

This is gonna sound really stupid lmao

I copied and pasted a county map from a previous gubernatorial election (or any other statewide election), then pasted it into PowerPoint, then created a square with the color of the background of posts and sent it into the background, formatted it to be the size of the shape, then selected all the objects and copied them into MS Paint and filled in the counties by popular vote totals.

(PowerPoint is actually a great makeshift photo editor)

[Lord Admirale]

A Snowball's Chance in Hell

"I can't believe it," thought Justice Roy Moore, "That son of a bitch won."

December 12, 2017, would live in the mind of Democrats across the nation that things were pulling together. Former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones had just scored a narrow upset victory over former State Chief Justice Roy Moore, with just two points separating them.

U.S. Senate Special Election in Alabama

✓ Doug Jones (Democratic) - 50.2%

Roy Moore (Republican) - 48.4%

In his victory speech, Jones thanked the people of Alabama for their decision and said he looked forward to representing his state in the Senate until at least 2020. For Moore, it took nearly a week for him to concede the race to Senator-elect Jones. Many of his supporters accused the Democrats of voter fraud, however the claims were proven false, and Moore was forced to concede the race to the new Senator.

With a Democratic victory in one of the most Republican states in the country, this was a sign of things to come in the new year.

[Blackacre]

Go Doug Jones!!

[Lord Admirale]

The Coming Wave

House Speaker Paul Ryan nervously reread the data collected by the NRCC. The reports indicated a very bad sign for him and House Republicans, they were in for a rough ride in November. The Trump administration had few accomplishments, yet many scandals. Several cabinet members resigned between January of 2017 and January of 2018, most notably Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who publicly stated he grew frustrated with the Trump administration.

Ryan himself grew frustrated with the administration, and began to publicly criticize the president, however this only caused the president to fume at the speaker via Twitter. Many of Trump's loyalists in the House called on Ryan to step down, but he refused. However, according to the NRCC, it seemed like voters were going to remove Ryan from his speakership.

[Cactus Jack]

Any timeline detailing a wave in 2018 is, in my estimation, a good timeline.

[West_Midlander]

Great so far! Keep it up!

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Any timeline detailing a wave in 2018 is, in my estimation, a good timeline.

[The Govanah Jake]

Paul Ryan always looks like he did weed in high school

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Paul Ryan always looks like he did weed in hasn't done weed since high school

ftfy

[tomhguy]

Great work! Keep it up!

[Lord Admirale]

Trump in 2018

The Trump administration proved itself to be a dull one. The only major achievement in the year of 2018 was the collapse of ISIS in the Middle East and the Syrian Civil War beginning to flame out, however Iraq grew continuously more unstable as the Kurdish people demanded independence.

Obamacare repeal and replace had failed multiple times, with Republican Senators saying it was either too extreme or didn't do enough. Eventually, by June of 2018, the Republican Senate gave up on passing any form of "repeal and replace." The Trump administration also attempted to focus on stricter immigration standards on the U.S.-Mexican border, however that too crashed in the Senate.

The lack of accomplishments drove Trump's supporters away, and pushed more voters to look to the Democrats for something different. His approval ratings continued to drop, even hitting the mid-20s in some polls. With such a tumultuous presidency, both President Trump's and Vice President Pence's hopes of being a great administration, were dashed.

[libertpaulian]

If you have Paul Ryan defeated in his district, you will be my eternal hero.

[OBD]

If you have Paul Ryan defeated in his district, you will be my eternal hero.

[libertpaulian]

Deep Down South

In Alabama, the special election between former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones (Democratic) and former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (Republican) carried on. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence came to Alabama multiple times to stump for Moore between September and November, however few "big-name" Democrats came to the state to help Jones.

Jones continued a vigorous campaign all around the State of Alabama, attempting to swing undecided voters and drive up turnout in the "black belt." In every speech, Jones reiterated his support for bipartisanship in Washington, and that he would be an independent voice for Alabama. But, Jones had yet to see himself overtake Moore in the polls. In every new poll, Moore continued to run ahead of Jones. However, the federal attorney realized something in every new poll he saw: Moore was slipping. Every day, Jones would flip through polls on his phone, and kept reviewing how close he was to his Republican rival.

Polls as of November 24, 2017

Gallup
Roy Moore (Republican) - 44%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 40%
Undecided - 14%

Strategy Research
Roy Moore (Republican) - 46%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 43%
Undecided - 11%

Emerson College
Roy Moore (Republican) - 44%
Doug Jones (Democratic) - 41%
Undecided - 15%

"Maybe, just maybe, I'll pull this thing off," Jones told himself.

Well, it happened!!!

[West_Midlander]

U.S. Senate Special Election in Alabama

✓ Doug Jones (Democratic) - 50.2%

Roy Moore (Republican) - 48.4%

Wow. The margin was D+1.5, you predicted D+1.8, very impressive.

[Bidenworth2020]

U.S. Senate Special Election in Alabama

✓ Doug Jones (Democratic) - 50.2%

Roy Moore (Republican) - 48.4%

Wow. The margin was D+1.5, you predicted D+1.8, very impressive.

he also predicted moores exact percentage