Can we take consolation if we lose the Senate but win key governorships?

[RandySF]

In the past few years all of our progressive gains from marriage equity to higher minimum wages have come from the states. If things hold up, we stand poised to take seat in Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, Kansas and things are tight in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan. If we can take them as well some state legislative chambers, we might yet be able to advance our agenda on the state levels, even if we lose the Senate.

[HeiressofBickworth]

1. While you may be right about gains in the States

I think that more pressing is keeping the Senate out of the hands of the Republicans. If they control both the House and the Senate, I believe we would see more and more effort by Repubs to cancel/repeal/re-write any national gains that have been made since Obama took office. It will be a two-year battle between the President's veto and a Senate over-ride of the veto. For example, Ted Kruz has said a priority would be to repeal every word of Obamacare. Impeachment is a foregone conclusion if they have both houses, regardless of the fact that there are no impeachable charges, just their general wish to change the outcome of the last two elections.

So, no, there is no consolation in winning governorships.

[jaysunb]

2. We won't be losing the Senate...no matter how hard

the echo chamber tries to convince us otherwise. And yes, we will make significant gains at the State level. Bookmark it.

[rock]

13. I believe you're right

We'll soon see.

[longship]

3. I'd rather have both.

But you are right about the state legislatures. Here in MI we are so screwed because of Snyder and the loonies in Lansing who pretend to be lawmakers. The minority is the Democratic Party. They fight hard but the religious right and the DeVoss family (AmWay pyramid fraud and Blackwater) are very strong here. It's hard to separate DeVoss from the religious right. Calvanism is strong in Grand Rapids and west Michigan (where I live).

If we cannot turn this state around we may be screwed.

And Snyder is a fucking jerk.

[cascadiance]

11. Yeah, some way needs to be found to shut down Hillsdale College

Which is where the right wing hacks like Blackwater's Erik Prince, Amway's Steve Van Andel, Club for Growth's Chris Chocola (who I knew personally in high school), and congressman Phil Crane attended.

Should have used this scandal to do it!

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/15/us/scandal-rocks-a-conservative-campus.html?pagewanted=all

or more recently its president's racist remarks...

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/5869/dawsey_hillsdale_s_sorry_apology_is_worse_than_president_s_racist_remark#.VDFPw-CUnyc

[vlyons]

4. Losing the Senate would not be so bad

If the GOP gets the senate, it will only be by 1 or 2 chairs, and it still takes 60 votes to get anything done, and even more chairs to override a veto. Just cross your fingers that Ruth Bader Ginsberg's health stays well, because no way will a GOP senate confirm even a halfway decent Obama court nominee. Taking some govs would be sweet, because we could roll back some voter suppression.

[CincyDem]

8. It takes 60 in Harry Reid's Senate.

You can bet, however, that Rethugs will have no issues instituting the nuclear option for all issues. With a GOP house and senate, this administration will lose virtually every step forward they've created in a daily series of 51-49 votes.

[Freddie]

5. Yes and we will take back the Governors seats!

I can see a wave election in favor of the Dems on a statewide level at least here in PA where Corbett is utterly loathed. And if we can get a Dem majority in the state legislature we can reverse much of the ridiculous gerrymandering come the 2020 census.
Since Washington is gridlocked and nothing can get done, it's here in the states that people feel the real-world consequences of conservative politics. And they're finding out fast that these consequences suck for the average family! Unfortunately our Tea Party Senator Pat Toomey is not up for election this year or he'd be out on his ear too.

[Major Hogwash]

6. Not much. This election needs to be a national referendum on the Do-Nothing Republicans in Congress!

I mean, what else do people need to get them to go to the polls and vote??

The status quo of gridlock in Washington has to come to an end in January!!

How can anyone vote for the status quo of gridlock??!!!!??

Grrrrriddlock!!!

<--- Look how clenched my teeth are when I say the word gridlock that way!!

[mmonk]

7. Yes. I'm a gerrymandered voter. My political power was taken from me on the state level.

[davidpdx]

9. I think we will hold the Senate and pick up quite a few governorships

We may end up with 51 or 52 seats.

[cascadiance]

12. If we get 51 or 52 seats, then do filibuster reform the way Merkley wanted it...

And if Merkley is reelected now, which I think he will against that pretty weak Monica Wehby here, perhaps he can lead the fight again, as he won't face reelection for another 6 years then.

[davidpdx]

17. That would be nice

I think it maybe wishful thinking though.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Not a big fan of the folks who push 'we will lose' at those who are working to win

nt

[KamaAina]

14. Uh, no.

The federal budget would be a disaster. How about no Section 8 housing -- not just no increase, but zeroed out? Yesterday's Hoovervilles will become tomorrow's Bonervilles.

[MineralMan]

15. No. If we lose the Senate, we lose so much that

there isn't any way to make it up with a few governorships. We need to hold or grow our Senate majority or we're going to have many setbacks in the next two years.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

16. What distinguishes key from non-key governorships? N.T.

[Savannahmann]

18. In a word, no.

Anything else?