Just over a week to go before November 4. Who Will Win?

[MineralMan]

For Senate elections in particular, there are a number of races where the outcome can't yet be predicted. In every one of those states, a hard week of work doing GOTV can swing the vote to the Democrats running.

The same is true for many House races, along with state legislative races, even in some red states. If you can, and if you care, call your local Democratic Party organization and ask how you can help. Call the campaign office for any candidate and ask how you can help in this last week. It could make the difference.

Don't pay any attention to people who tell you it doesn't matter. It does. It matters incredibly much anywhere any race is close.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[DCBob]

1. Its going to be a nail biter and yes indeed it does matter. Anyone who thinks otherwise is..

lying or a fool or both.

I'm predicting a 50/50 split with Biden being the deciding vote.

[MineralMan]

2. I'm not making any predictions.

I'll be holding my breath a lot on election day and keeping my fingers crossed.

[DCBob]

8. What's mind boggling is why anyone who understands politics thinks this is a meaningless election.

No matter what side you are on this has tremendous implications. I know many on the left are disgruntled and think the party has gone too far to the right but if the GOPers take over the Senate it will get really ugly indeed for any progressive or liberal agenda. If they get control of both chambers I suspect the President will have to compromise just keep to the RW maniacs from blowing up the place. Threatening not to vote is not going to gain them anything and will just make matters worse... much worse.

[MineralMan]

9. I doubt anyone thinks that. Some people, though, do seem to think

that GOTV doesn't work any more. I'm guessing those people aren't interested in doing the work required for it to work.

[DCBob]

10. No doubt GOTV works. Some people just need a little nudge to convince them to GOTA and vote.

GOTA (get off their arse!)

We are all so busy and distracted that many need to be reminded how important this election is.

[Zambero]

11. Senator Franken's 2008 victory comes to mind

And after the Florida 2000 debacle and all that followed it once the fix was in, I am surprised that some even question whether GOTV is important. Sometimes the margin of victory is smaller than the voting rolls of a single precinct, and often a fraction of a vote per precinct between candidates decides the outcome. And yes, if it's close enough to contest it's close enough to steal, especially when a fox oversees the chicken coop.

[MineralMan]

12. That is an outstanding example. Franken won by only 300-odd

votes. A statewide recount was required to make sure he won. It took months, and that seat in the Senate was vacant until the recount was finished. If those 300-something voters had not gone to the polls, Minnesota would have a Republican sitting in the Senate, instead of two Democrats.

Even though President Obama won Minnesota easily in 2008, Al Franken barely won at all. Every vote in that election counted, as so often happens.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[customerserviceguy]

22. There are a lot of people who only seem to pay attention every four years

You are absolutely correct in your predictions that if the President has to deal with both houses of Congress being in GOP hands that it will get messy. He won't have any other elections to worry about (he probably knows that if Hillary runs, she's got it) and his last two years will be about doing something in addition to the ACA for his legacy. I'm sure he doesn't want that legacy to consist only of whipping out his veto pen, and he will try to shape legislation that he can defend signing.

[DCBob]

23. Concur on your veto comment and I doubt there will be enough votes to filibuster anything.

If the GOP wins both chambers these next two years will swing this country even farther right.

[customerserviceguy]

24. Filibusters and vetoes

Gridlock elevated to an art form. The GOP would love it, and they'd sell it like crazy: "Hillary is coming, you know those goofy people who love the Clintons are going to bring her back, make sure you vote Republican in at least your House and Senate races in 2016, to protect yourself from her radical agenda!"

[MineralMan]

3. GOTV Threads Need Recs.

If you're for GOTV, please click the DU Rec button on all GOTV posts.

[flamingdem]

4. gotv

like you mean it

[MineralMan]

5. Thanks!

[Wounded Bear]

6. K & R...for exposure...nt

[MineralMan]

7. Thank you very much!

[brooklynite]

13. I don't know and neither do you...

The races in play will be close up to the end. Depending on voter turnout and voter suppression we could win and we could lose.

[MineralMan]

14. Which is why I'm encouraging people to GOTV.

I thought that was fairly clear in what I wrote.

[MoonRiver]

15. I think we're going to keep the Senate.

We'll also take a lot of governorships (including KS!!!). That's my prediction, and I'm sticking to it!

[graywarrior]

16. It ain't looking good for Martha Coakley

These damn independent voters in MA are gonna vote Baker in. He's 8 points ahead in the polls right now. Plus, Seth Moulton beat John Tierney in the primaries and I am going to have a very difficult time voting for him. MA is no longer the liberal state is used to be.

[MineralMan]

18. I'm afraid she's not a winning candidate. If she loses, this

will probably be her last political outing. I think her previous one should have been her last. These days, most states are not reliably anything any longer. There are no lock-ins for most political offices, frankly. I'm still hopeful that MA will come to its senses, but I'm less optimistic than I was. Still, a strong Democratic GOTV campaign can still pull it out for her.

[graywarrior]

20. Yeah, her only hope is getting the ground forces out on election day.

Dems are good at that, but Tierney had a ton of support and now he's gone. I may have to move to VT. Eastern MA is so red now, it's sickening. Hopefully Western MA will get out in droves and vote.

[cali]

17. you post 3 or 4 threads a day that a virtually indistinguishable from one another

that's fine, but what's the point? DUers vote and many of us engage in GOTV activities. We're already aware of the information in your posts. I'd think your time would be better spent engaging in GOTV rather than posting the same op over and over.

[MineralMan]

19. If my threads do not appeal to you, you needn't read them.

Truly. I will post as I see fit on DU. You are more than welcome to reply to my posts. I can't see the problem, frankly.

As for my GOTV efforts, you are not here in my precinct, so you have no idea what I'm doing. But thanks for your advice.

[customerserviceguy]

21. I'm very pessimistic

I think anything that is close within the margin of error will go to the GOP, and I expect that there are at least one or two that would be thought of as "in the bag" for the Democratic candidate will turn out to be a surprise win for the Repubs, too. I don't see us getting any surprise wins, or even close calls.

Ebola fever is the October surprise that moves the needle here. The Democratic base (nor the GOP one, either) will be shaken by it, but if you've read my posts, then you know I absolutely believe that the mushy middle is moved most strongly by fear. Right now, they're whipped into a frenzy, and looking for someone to blame.

[KMOD]

25. I have Gov. Cuomo and Rep. Paul Tonko

I'm very confident that both will win.

I will vote, I always do.

[peacebird]

26. If we manage to keep the senate and turn the house would Obama become the transformational man

We hoped he would be back on 2008?

I would hope so, but I wouldn't expect it.