Democrats got millions more votes - so how did Republicans win the Senate?

[mysteryowl]

...Democrats led Republicans by more than 12 million votes in Senate races, and yet still suffered losses on the night and failed to win a majority of seats in the chamber.
Constitutional experts said the discrepancy between votes cast and seats won was the result of misplaced ire that ignored the Senate electoral process.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/08/democrats-republicans-senate-majority-minority-rule

[GulfCoast66]

1. Everyone on DU understands how the senate works.

We don’t necessarily like it. But understand it.

[mysteryowl]

2. You are making an asumption that might not be true.

This is good information.

[GulfCoast66]

3. No doubt and it was a good OP

And if it helps even a few members it has value.

If it sounded like I was criticizing you post I apologize. I meant it as a compliment to the intelligence of DU readers.

I should have made that more clear. Please consider my post corrected.

[mysteryowl]

6. Thanks for the clarification

[trueblue2007]

4. U R WRONG ///// i don't understand

[RockRaven]

5. The numbers from this year don't accurately capture the point this article is trying to make

because of the jungle primary in CA. Every single vote cast in the Senate general election in the highest population state in the country (1/8 of the nation's total population) was cast for a Democrat.

This article illustrates a real issue/problem inherent to the Senate, but the numbers are overly dramatic.

[ecstatic]

7. So how do we get this fixed? This isn't a democracy

and we will continue to be the laughingstock of the world until this is fixed. The electoral college needs to be abolished, and the Senate numbers for each state should directly correspond to the population of the state. I honestly think fixing this should be our top priority ahead of EVERYTHING else. If we don't move into the a popular vote model, any legislation we pass could be overturned by the republicans. Also, if the united states are going to remain united, there has to be a sense of fairness.

[LovingA2andMI]

9. The Dems had a DEEPER Map to defend....

And when all is said and done in the Senate (If Arizona Holds and Nelson wins his recount) ONLY two seats might be lost while defending 12 with a Pick-Up in Nevada.

This is a Damn good result with now 30 gained seats in the House for a Majority and 11 outstanding races -- where many are leading for the Dems. Also, now there are 25 Democratic Governors from a previous total of 18.

Folks need to stop listening to the Media on this and look at the numbers. The Blue Wave was real and happened.

[ecstatic]

12. I agree there was a wave. But in 2020, trump could lose the popular vote by millions AGAIN

and still get re-elected. I don't want to live in a country where that happens. Where my vote doesn't matter because of where I choose to live.

[LovingA2andMI]

13. Remember This...

Two states that Trump won turned BLUE: Michigan and Wisconsin on Tuesday Night.

Pennsylvania where Tom Wolf is now Governor picked up Democratic Congressional Seats on Tuesday. Pennsylvania is another state that went to Drump in 2016.

Michigan 14 + Wisconsin 10 + Pennsylvania 20 + New York 29 + Illinois 20 is 103 before adding California at 55 for a total of 158 before counting all other states that were in Hillary Clinton's Column in 2016.

270 (Electoral College) - 158 = 112 Left for the Electoral College which are Blue or Lean Blue - with if Florida or Ohio -- or Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona lean Blue in 2020-- Drump cannot win over the 2020 Democratic Nominee.

[Gore1FL]

14. 50 state strategy.

Howard Dean had it right. If you run in 50 states, a great deal of opportunities arise. We had the 2006 and 2008 waves because of it.
It was abandoned in the middle of its success.

[Thrill]

8. Same as always. They win where there are less people

[LBM20]

10. They got the votes they needed in very RED areas. Period.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. They won in the more rural lesser populated states