The blame game
Lots to go around … The ballots keep coming … And at least someone’s getting rich on this election.
Donald Trump’s decisive comeback and his resounding defeat of Kamala Harris Tuesday left a lot of Democrats standing around in a circle pointing fingers.
Everyone’s got a theory on who’s to blame.
Here’s our running tally for the day.
The Republic’s Greg Moore blames the Democrats for not picking someone who could “plausibly win a fistfight.” (And for the pre-written alternate-reality version in which Harris won, he blames Trump, who says “far too many things that embolden racists.”)
Conservatives and liberals alike blame Harris and the party for living in a elitist liberal bubble. Bernie Sanders in particular blames “big money interests and well-paid consultants” who abandoned the working class.
Latinos share blame for voting for Trump, an “angry, frustrated and exhausted,” Elvia Diaz tells us, adding from her platform as a Republic columnist that she “won’t be silenced as a journalist or human being” but she no longer wants to hear about it when Trump “comes after your undocumented relatives or friends.”
You can put Yuma County on the blame list for turning into “the Next Mohave County” as Latino voters shift away from Democrats and to the party of Trump.
Blame it on the media, of course, for getting suckered into believing that Harris’ ground game was better than Turning Point Action’s ground game, per Turning Point leader Charlie Kirk.
Blame it on Gen Z and their lack of magic. In fact, you can blame it on most demographic groups, including white women, young women, Latino women and men of most races.
But you can’t blame Black women. Or the Electoral College. They’re clear on this one.
Blame it on the far left, and their lack of support for Israel, like moderate Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez. Or blame it on the administration for being too tight with Israel.
Blame it on the country’s rightward shift and a global embrace of authoritarianism. Blame it on the bros of crypto, tech and podcasting.
Blame it on President Joe Biden and Harris’ short runway. Blame the bad interviews, sexism and racism like the Washington Post. Or blame it on Harris for blaming Trump for racism and sexism, like Politico.
Blame it on the high-minded intangible pitch to voters about saving democracy, and the rising rents, like the New York Times.
Blame it on abortion not being the motivator Democrats hoped, somehow lagging behind “democracy” on voters’ list of worries, per a CNN poll.
Blame it on the pollsters, who underestimated Trump in three straight elections but still trash Nate Silver in their apologies.
Or blame it on the economy, specifically, the price of eggs, stupid.
The big races we’re still watching
Generally, Republicans gained ground on Wednesday as officials tallied another half-million ballots.
Donald Trump increased his strong lead, and Kari Lake picked up ground against Ruben Gallego in the U.S. Senate race, though she’s still trailing by a significant, if not totally insurmountable, margin.
The Associated Press hasn’t called either race and Arizona still has around a million ballots left to tally.
Races that flipped or settled since yesterday
In Southern Arizona’s CD6, Republican U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani pulled ahead of Democrat Kirsten Engel yesterday and now leads by a small margin.
In Central Phoenix’s Legislative District 4 Senate race, Democrat Christine Marsh fell behind Republican Carine Werner and is now trailing by more than a thousand votes.
In Pima County, the lone Republican Supervisor, Steve Christy, regained a narrow lead over Democrat Vanessa Bechtol, who was ahead of him yesterday.
Finally, Democrat Tim Stringham conceded the race for Maricopa County Recorder to election skeptic Republican Justin Heap. Democratic Maricopa County Sheriff candidate Tyler Kamp conceded to Republican Jerry Sheridan.
A few races we didn’t get to yesterday
Progressive State Sen. Anna Hernandez has a sizable lead over her three competitors, including former state Rep. Marcelino Quiñonez, for Phoenix City Council’s District 7 seat. Quiñonez was Mayor Kate Gallego’s1 preferred choice for the job. Phoenix propositions adjusting the city spending limit, increasing mayor and council salaries and approving the city’s general plan are also poised to pass.
Early results show Scottsdale citizens are ready to dump Mayor David Ortega. He’s trailing Lisa Borowsky, and he sent an email to Scottsdale Progress congratulating his competitor on the win, then walked back his statement and said he wasn’t conceding, Tom Scanlon writes. Meanwhile, former Republican state lawmaker Adam Kwasman and Maryann McAllen are leading for two open Scottsdale City Council seats, and the two city propositions that would create a sales tax to fund parks and up Scottsdale’s spending limit are set to pass.
Mesa mayoral candidate Mark Freeman, a city council member and former firefighter, is ahead of Scott Smith, a former mayor and failed former gubernatorial candidate.
And former Democratic state Rep. Leezah Sun may be making a political comeback. After getting pushed out of the Legislature for threatening to push a lobbyist off a balcony, she’s narrowly leading for one of three seats on the Tolleson Union High School District Board.
An Agenda subscriber is now a millionaire, courtesy of Elon Musk.
Remember Musk’s challenge to swing state voters to sign his petition supporting the First and Second amendments?
Well, part of that deal was that Musk’s America PAC would pick one swing state voter per day to win a $1 million prize.
To be honest, we didn’t actually believe Musk would pay out.
And neither did Arizona lawyer, politico (and loyal Agenda subscriber) Josh Offenhartz, at least until the Musk crew showed up at his door with a giant check.
“I got that text message, and I was still skeptical. And my wife was like, ‘Well, what if it's the million dollars?’ And I was like, ‘Don't plant that seed. I don’t want to get my hopes up,’” Offenhartz told us.
“And lo and behold, a black SUV pulls up. They had a media team that sort of jumped out. A guy in a suit jumps out. They pop the trunk, and, you know, then there's the big check.”
“And I was like — you’ll get this joke — is this my Andy Biggs moment?”2
What’s he gonna do with the money? He says he’s donating some to St. Mary’s Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters, pay off student loans and mortgage and fill his two young kids’ college funds.
But what’s his big splurge item? A cruise for his mom.
“I read one of those stories (about lottery winners) that said, you know, the number one rule … is do not quit your job. Do not change your lifestyle. You know you will regret it.”
Gallego has claimed victory in her reelection bid.
If you don’t get that joke, click here. You’re welcome.
I'm not an economist (and I don't play one on TV) but I don't think the days of "cheapier prices" are ever coming back especially with wage increases/negotiated union contracts. If a McDonald's employee is make $15 an hour, the Big Mac is never going back to pre-2020 prices.
Carville nailed it. Blame it on the economy. Chump offered hope for lower prices. Kamala said (rightfully so) things are on the right track. But, people aren't feeling it. Estimates are that 150 million of us are living paycheck to paycheck. That makes for a pissed-off electorate.