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There have been only 4 midterm elections since 1934 in which a President's party has gained even a single Senate seat.
Republicans dominated the Senate thanks to Trump's rallies.
Trump didn't have time to campaign for House seats, except for his visit to Kentucky, and it led to victory.
Meanwhile Obama and Oprah went to Georgia and got destroyed.
Trump is the WINNER, the most powerful campaigner America has ever seen, literally winning races with his personality.
Sure, you can say that Trump lost this battle. But if not for his stumping, Tester would have won easily in a landslide. Trump basically went there and said "vote for this carpetbagger who doesn't give a **** about Montana, not for the guy you've known and loved for a decade". And they almost did.
Sure, you can say that Trump lost this battle. But if not for his stumping, Tester would have won easily in a landslide. Trump basically went there and said "vote for this carpetbagger who doesn't give a **** about Montana, not for the guy you've known and loved for a decade". And they almost did.
You don't know Montana.
Tester does.
He knew going in he was in for a fight this time no matter what Trump did or didn't do.
The fact is John Tester has stayed in closer touch with his constituency back home than just about everyone else in the Senate. Everyone in the state knows him by sight whether they like him or not, and he's exactly the same guy now as when he was first elected.
Despite being a Senator, he always shows up at his family farm every year to bring in his harvest, just like his neighbors. At other times of the year, he comes back to do other stuff, getting his hands dirty, driving his old truck, and being neighborly. A man still tied to the soil he was born on.
While that doesn't make him loved by everyone, it makes him fully Montanan, and those who do love him, love him for that quality.
He knew going in he was in for a fight this time no matter what Trump did or didn't do.
The fact is John Tester has stayed in closer touch with his constituency back home than just about everyone else in the Senate. Everyone in the state knows him by sight whether they like him or not, and he's exactly the same guy now as when he was first elected.
Despite being a Senator, he always shows up at his family farm every year to bring in his harvest, just like his neighbors. At other times of the year, he comes back to do other stuff, getting his hands dirty, driving his old truck, and being neighborly. A man still tied to the soil he was born on.
While that doesn't make him loved by everyone, it makes him fully Montanan, and those who do love him, love him for that quality.
You basically proved my point. That Trump could get almost half the people to vote for an East Coast real estate developer out of touch with Montana is impressive.
You basically proved my point. That Trump could get almost half the people to vote for an East Coast real estate developer out of touch with Montana is impressive.
Not so much. Those voters would have voted the same whether Trump came or not.
That's always how it is in Montana.
But I have to say it's a lot more civilized now than it once was there; 100 years ago, Montanans threw bombs into polling places during contested elections.
The state has always been split down the middle politically. The only thing that's changed is they're now much more peaceful than they once were in general. Read the state's history sometime.
Historically, beating an incumbent in Montana has always been difficult. Montanans are strong on "seniority", believing it is in their best interests to keep it!
For example, Mike Mansfield...
When Mike voted FOR the 1968 gun control bill, stating that he knew his constituents didn't like it but he had to vote his conscience, many (if not most) Montanans wanted to lynch him, or stated that they would never vote for him again.
However, when the next election came along, Mike won handily. Why? "Oh, but Mike has SO much seniority, we NEED him in Washington D.C.!"
But then, tester's minions harped incessantly on the "Maryland Matt, the East Coast developer, he's not one of us!" statement. Perhaps that is one reason why this "Pennsylvania mechanic" (I came to Montana from PA in 1948) did not vote for tester! I guess I am not a REAL Montanan, either.
Yeah, I found tester's campaign slogans quite offensive.
Historically, beating an incumbent in Montana has always been difficult. Montanans are strong on "seniority", believing it is in their best interests to keep it!
For example, Mike Mansfield...
When Mike voted FOR the 1968 gun control bill, stating that he knew his constituents didn't like it but he had to vote his conscience, many (if not most) Montanans wanted to lynch him, or stated that they would never vote for him again.
However, when the next election came along, Mike won handily. Why? "Oh, but Mike has SO much seniority, we NEED him in Washington D.C.!"
But then, tester's minions harped incessantly on the "Maryland Matt, the East Coast developer, he's not one of us!" statement. Perhaps that is one reason why this "Pennsylvania mechanic" (I came to Montana from PA in 1948) did not vote for tester! I guess I am not a REAL Montanan, either.
Yeah, I found tester's campaign slogans quite offensive.
I have to admit, that ad was kind of funny even if it was maybe a bit offensive. The Kathleen William ad (with the talking fish and public land) also gave me a bit of a chuckle even so I did not vote for her.
Trump was not running in Montana, so I fail to see how he defeated him.
It’s crazy. Many of these races were simply about which candidate was more likable to the people in that state, and had absolutely nothing to do with Trump.
I thought Montana was a conservative state. I guess not.
It seems like an odd state to dump money into. there are not very many voters in Montana. Probably could have just paid $500 per vote and won while spending less money.
Be careful not to conflate the notion of being Republican with being conservative, or being Democratic with being liberal.
They are still separate concepts.
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