r/politics Dec 19 '17

Democrat wins Va. House seat in recount by single vote; creating 50-50 tie in legislature

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/democrat-wins-va-house-seat-in-recount-by-single-vote-creating-50-50-tie-in-legislature/2017/12/19/3ff227ae-e43e-11e7-ab50-621fe0588340_story.html?utm_term=.82f2b85b50fa
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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '17

[deleted]

146

u/john_doe_jersey New Jersey Dec 19 '17

GOP just went from a supermajority to a tied house and anyone that was even somewhat moderate was basically replaced by a Democrat.

It's probably gonna be a shitshow.

227

u/cespinar Colorado Dec 19 '17

anyone that was even somewhat moderate was basically replaced by a Democrat.

no, we replaced the most bigoted anti-lgbt statesman with a trans woman who ran on the traffic problem.

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u/DrTardis89 Dec 20 '17

Can confirm I spent an hour on that road today. I live in the district next to hers but my god does 28 need fixed

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u/cespinar Colorado Dec 20 '17

Between 28, 29, 66, 95, 495 and route 1 it is a miracle anyone gets anywhere in NOVA.

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u/DrTardis89 Dec 20 '17

Maybe if we charge every one 40 dollars it will get better.

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u/nonu731 Dec 19 '17

That's one candidate though.

What happens usually is that the most extreme crazies somehow manage to get elected in their super red districts while moderate Republicans get voted out. This makes the party even more crazy.

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u/TzunSu Dec 20 '17

This is bad in the short term, but probably good in the long term.

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u/Lowbacca1977 Dec 20 '17

I'd say it's the reverse. It's that pattern that got us the GOP of today.

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u/TzunSu Dec 20 '17

Well the GOP of yesterday were not nearly as disconnected from the electorate as they are today. Being more radical in a country that's turning more Liberal every year means you can entrench your supporters, but you will lose moderates and new voters. Simply said there are not that many more racists and idiots out there that aren't already Republicans.

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u/Lowbacca1977 Dec 20 '17

My point, though, is that the reason there's that disconnect is that the moderate GOP candidates lose, and those would be the ones that would be able to moderate the party. You're treating 'the party' as a fixed set of values, but it's going to reflect who's in it. I think having more moderates in that to influence that discussion is going to be more beneficial in the long run because it increases the odds that the party adopts some moderate views or has moderate leadership.

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u/ryancleg Dec 20 '17

I think he's saying that in the long run the GOP can't survive if the party is too extreme. The internet and social awareness is slowly reducing the number of new racists, and most of the current ones are already registered with the GOP.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '17

anyone that was even somewhat moderate was basically replaced by a Democrat

Moderate republicans are now democrats.

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u/qwerty622 Dec 19 '17

This may well be the story of US politics in 2018

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u/theriibirdun Dec 20 '17

Checking in.

6

u/socialistbob Dec 19 '17

If I was a Republican senator in VA I would be seriously worried right now and seriously considering jumping ships to the Dems.

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u/Timthos Dec 19 '17

Republicans play nice in a state that's gradually becoming more and more liberal? That would be surprising.

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u/[deleted] Dec 20 '17

As some others have stated the last time this happened was in 1998

When the undertaker threw manki-

Here's r/icedino comment about what happened then 

Oh