In future elections, I would like to see more emphasis on down ballot races.

[dlk]

The presidency is important. So are congress and the state legislatures.

[jimfields33]

1. True.

Losing state legislative seats and a governor sucks especially during redistricting year. The house is going to be closer and the senate a tie most likely. Thankfully kamala will break ties IF every democratic senator agrees to changing to 50 votes.

[dlk]

3. Sometimes, I think we get tunnel vision

States, especially, have considerable power when it comes to elections.

[jimfields33]

9. True.

[TwilightZone]

2. There was a ton of emphasis on down ballot races.

The state houses of several states, including Texas and Florida, were heavily targeted this cycle, and some of the highest-profile, expensive races ever took place at the Congressional level.

Could there have been more? Probably, though districts were targeted specifically because it was believed they were flippable and they were key to regaining state houses. It remains to be seen why so many voters seem to have split tickets, especially in places like Maine.

[dlk]

4. Some of my lifelong, dedicated Democratic friends would beg to differ

It needs to come from the top of the ballot.

[H2O Man]

10. It is true that,

for example, the "mid-term" elections usually have lower numbers than in the years of presidential elections. At the same time, there are lots of us who work equally hard -- at the very least -- on local and state elections.

[dlk]

29. I'm not discounting the hard work of regular Democrats on local races

There also needs to be more support for down ballot races from the top of the ticket. They could easily mention their importance and with their national presence, it would have an impact.

[TwilightZone]

12. Explain why Collins won.

There was plenty of emphasis on that race, and Biden is going to win the state easily.

Why were so many voters splitting tickets? Emphasis isn't necessarily the end all solution. We need to understand why we won states at the top of the ticket but lost high-profile races like hers down-ballot. It's not because it didn't get enough emphasis.

Similar situation in races like the Wendy Davis and MJ Hegar campaigns in Texas. They got national attention, millions were spent, their opponents were perceived (perhaps incorrectly) as vulnerable and in the end, it wasn't even close in either case. We also spent millions on targeted state house races in TX, MI, FL, and others that were considered flippable, mostly to no avail.

[Blue_true]

22. In the last month of the election, I became concerned about the swelling enthusiasm

that I saw going toward the Trump campaign. I started to see flashbacks to 2016. Trump was holding 3, sometimes 4 rallies a day, our side was doing maybe 1 a day, very infrequently 2. I really believe that shift in enthusiasm and the republican ground game using actual people to knock on doors, made this race a lot closer than it should have been, some marginally Biden people shifted toward Trump in those closing weeks, and I believe that hurt down ballot races significantly. We can’t have a repeat of the Obama Presidency, where national races were won easily while Congressional, state level and local democrats were wiped out - in the end, that makes making needed change very difficult and empowers people like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell to throw roadblocks up.

[dlk]

23. It can't be overlooked that Trump received so much free, in kind, air time for his campaign

It all adds up.

[Blue_true]

34. A President, even one as lousy as Trump is going to get free airtime.

All that person has to do is imply that something important would be said, as Trump did regularly. In addition, Trump got attention due to his unpredictability, there was never certainty about how he would act or what he would say. When a car is on fire on the side of the road, people don’t just breeze by in their cars, they slow down to look - the Trump campaign had the element of impending psychosis constantly following it, that drew media, which in term got him on local news.

[dlk]

31. I think we may have underestimated how very conservative Maine actually is

Rick Wilson has said that outside of Portland, Maine is another Alabama.

[StarfishSaver]

27. There are thousands of down ballot races - the top of the ticket can't focus on those

That has to be done by state and local parties.

From what I've seen, there was a lot of emphasis on the state, county and local races. They just don't get as much coverage nationally, which makes sense, but they do get a lot of of local coverage.

[jimfields33]

6. I think a lot of republicans split ticket

Voted Biden and rest repugs. 3 neighbors did. Anecdotal I know.

[TwilightZone]

14. Definitely happened in Maine.

Biden's going to win it easily, yet Collins won her race easily, as well. We didn't lose because of a lack of emphasis - there was more emphasis on that race than any race in recent memory.

[jimfields33]

17. I'd say out of every race, Collins was a shock to me

I thought she would go down even more so then Senator kelly winning.

[dlk]

32. Republicans get in line

We can’t underestimate that fact which makes emphasizing the importance of down ballot races all the more critical.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. From whom?

[dlk]

8. Biden, Harris, and every Democrat running for senator and congressperson

Also, every spokesperson and in ads.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

24. I'm still not clear on what this would look like. Everyone talking about voting a straight ticket?

[LAS14]

7. Me too!!!! I invite you, and everyone to join my modest campaign.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214494783

[femmocrat]

11. I agree!

Our down ballot races were a disappointment, most going republican while Biden won our state. How did we lose those House and state legislature seats?

We have to buckle down now and work for Ossoff and Warnock so we can get rid of Mitch in January!

[dlk]

15. I think if more attention has been focused on the need to win these races, we might have done better

Something happened and going forward, we need to figure out how to overcome this type of split result. Change can’t happen with one hand tied behind our back.

Yes, to working in Georgia! I’m concerned about the integrity of their electronic machines and not sure the most effective way to address it

[Blue_true]

25. We saw the split result all during the Obama Presidency.

And although wonderful things were done during that Presidency, they were not drilled into concrete because we had lost so many state houses, legislatures and Congressional seats.

[StarfishSaver]

28. People on the national ticket talking about local races is a waste of time and not effective

That needs to be done at the state and local level and that requires people getting involved in their communities.

Too many of us expect the national candidates and parties to do all the work when much of the work should be done by us in our own backyards.

[dlk]

33. Down ballot races include the Senate and the House

I don’t believe messaging their importance is a waste of time. Without a majority in the Senate and House, we can’t get anything done.

[StarfishSaver]

35. You think no one paid attention to the Senate and House races at the national level?

[Blue_true]

13. I agree. One feeling that I had all through the race was that as a party, we

were not using the massive amount of small donor money that was raised, it should have been coordinated better, IMO. What I mean is that locals from the state level to city council should have consistently been featured at rallies, and there should have been a stronger and more diverse ground game than was done. Trump people were out knocking on doors, although we believe in the power of wearing masks and practicing intelligent social distancing, we stayed in our bunkers basically and relied on bought media to deliver our message.

[dlk]

19. Agreed. There is room for improvement in our ground game

Phone banking is all good and well but nothing is better than personal contact.

[KentuckyWoman]

16. I saw a huge effort for down ballot races.

Yes, the presidency got the national media coverage but in my market the key races were WELL covered.

A huge presidential decision actually helped in the efforts toward getting votes down ballot. Not enough to flip any seats because unfortunately Ohio and Kentucky both I believe are getting "redder".

I could be wrong, but I believe some of this is because enough people of color are moving out of this part of the country. Quite frankly it's leaving a void of educated people and leaving behind too many who think the Bible is the only ejukation they need.

[dlk]

20. I'm glad you saw that effort

I don’t think it wasn’t the same all across the country. That’s why this message has to be given from the top, so everyone hears it.

[GoneOffShore]

18. Tme to bring back the 50 state strategy.

[dlk]

21. We need to improve our strategy

Our country can’t survive with the continued minority rule in so many areas.

[GoneOffShore]

36. Absolutely. And the crazy conspiracies have to be countered.

[Etherealoc1]

26. I agree

Some Republicans voted for Biden but chose Republicans down ticket.

Still the margin for the Senate race should have been closer.

[dlk]

30. It's a given Republicans will cheat

However, I strongly believe if Biden/Harris had made more mention of the importance of down ballot races, it would have made a difference.

[left-of-center2012]

37. Zillions of emphasis here in New Mexico

Tons of TV coverage, televised debates, and news coverage of 'down ballot', ballot initiatives, etc.

[dlk]

38. That's really great

I’m thinking that’s what was needed on a national basis, from the top.

[left-of-center2012]

39. As someone once said ...

"All politics is local."