I decided to make a few abstract images to commemorate the Blue Wave in the 2018 Midterm Elections.
I was quite the historical night and a very successful night for the Democrats.
Consider:
- Despite facing tremendous gerrymandering in many states, Democrats gained between 37-39 House seats. The most since the post Watergate Midterm.
- Despite the worst Senate map that any party has faced since 1960, the Republicans only managed to flip deep red states North Dakota, Missouri, and Indiana. They were unable to flip Montana and West Virginia. Meanwhile, the Democrats flipped Senate seats in traditional red states of Arizona and Nevada. When all is said and done, the Republicans will probably also flip Florida. Which will be by far the greatest Republican accomplishment of the night.
- Democrats flipped over 300 state legislative seats.
- Democrats flipped 7 governors.
- 15 Represenatives with A Grades from the NRA* lost. All lost to Moms Demand Action Candidates.
- Jared Polis became first openly gay governor when he was elected in Colorado
- First Native American women elected to Congress. Sharice Davids in Kansas. Deb Halaland in New Mexico. Davids is a lesbian, which makes her the fist openly LGBT member of Congress from Kansas as well.
- The first two Muslim women were elected to Congress in Rashida Tlaib and Ihan Omar.
- Krysten Sinema became the first openly bisexual woman elected to the Senate when she won in Arizona.
- Democrats currently lead the House popular vote by 6.8%. That number will be closer to 8% when all votes are counted.
- Voters in Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah all voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Those are all red states by the way.
- Michigan voted to expand voting rights. Approving same-day voter registration, made it easier to request absentee ballots, and reinstated straight-ticket voting.
- Maryland passed a measure to implement same-day voter registration.
- Florida passed Amendment 4 which restores voting rights to 1.4 million formerly incarcerated Floridians that served their times and paid their debts to society. That leaves only Iowa and Kentucky as the only backward states that don’t.
- Trump’s campaigning, fearmongering, and constant lying had next to no effect on the results. Trump endorsed candidates won about 50% of the time. Which is about the same as just flipping a coin. For the record, he came to Iowa to campaign for Rod Blum. Rod Blum lost.
- Midterms usually have little effect on the Presidential election, but a few things that will make it easier for the Democrats to win in 2020 (besides a historically unpopular President). The states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania all elected Democrat Governors. While that doesn’t mean that they will go blue in 2020, but if they would’ve went blue in 2016, Hillary would be the President right now. It is much easier for a Presidential candidate to win a state when they can attach to a governor’s existing campaign apparatus. Florida is considered a swing state, it consistently votes red. However, by the slimmest margins. Amendment 4 could easily swing Florida blue. While Ohio has become increasingly red, Virginia is now solidly blue. They almost offset each other. While people have claimed that Texas is purpling for years, it isn’t quite there yet. However, traditional red states Arizona and Nevada are now definitely swing states. New Mexico has become a blue state.
- If you were to move the vote 6% towards the Republican candidate in 2 years, the Democrat candidate would still win the White House.
- Turnout for the midterm election was historically high. More than 49% of eligible voters actually voted.
- For the first time in history more than 100 women will serve in Congress.
- Young voter turnout increased by 188% If you ware wondering if you are a young voter, you are if you between the ages of 18 and 29.
All in all, it was an incredible midterm with many fascinating, historical results. Below are my abstract salutes to the Blue Wave:
*A domestic terrorist organization