Ye Olde "Special Election"
Aug. 8th, 2018 12:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rain_gryphonIf you're at all interested in politics, you'll have seen the OH-12 special election that's taking place. That used to be my district. I got moved to OH-3 in the 2k redistricting in an effort to pack all of the democrats into OH-3, so that the surrounding districts could be safely Republican. I was one of the sacrificial voters, more or less. I was okay with that. I'm willing to take one for the team, plus it saved me the emotional pain of having to vote for Patrick Tiberi, who, despite always being preferable to his opponent, nonetheless represented the very worst of the Republican Party - fanatically opposed to letting gay people marry, or women have abortions, and backing free trade to the hilt, regardless of its effect on the American worker. It wasn't that great of a surprise when he rage-quit back in January, unwilling to work with a POTUS who puts ordinary Americans, as opposed to billionaires, foetuses, and televangelists, first.
Anyway, his quitting when he did required a special election for the vacant seat. This, as per the usual practice, will be a "referendum on Trump", unless the Republican candidate wins, in which case it will have been a mere local election. There are a few things that the news media are studiously avoiding mentioning about it, though. First, due to peculiarities of Ohio law, there won't be an official (as opposed to announced) winner for another ten days at least, to allow all absentee ballots to arrive. At best, a winner can be sworn no earlier than Aug 19th. If there's a recount or provisional challenges (both are almost certain), then it may be closer to mid-Sept. Currently, the House is in recess, and won't resume until Sept 4th. Once they do resume, you have Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur, so that the 2nd and 3rd weeks of September are toast. House takes its final recess on Oct 4th,and is out until January. So, all this foofaraw for a two-week term of office.
Now, the Donkey team outspent the Elephant team about 15 to 1 on this. If their guy wins, it's going to be by a razor-thin margin, and only because a lot of people are rolling their eyes and not bothering to vote this time. Regardless of who wins this one, come the real election in November, the Democrat will get crushed in this district, 100% guaranteed.
So, while the entire exercise is pointless and wasteful, I'm still pleased to have it unfolding right on my doorstep. A lot of this is holdover from my childhod, when I was fascinated by the news and politics, but everything was always happening far away. For the last 12 years or so, the whole show has been taking place just outside my door, in all its sound and fury. I'm pleased.
Anyway, his quitting when he did required a special election for the vacant seat. This, as per the usual practice, will be a "referendum on Trump", unless the Republican candidate wins, in which case it will have been a mere local election. There are a few things that the news media are studiously avoiding mentioning about it, though. First, due to peculiarities of Ohio law, there won't be an official (as opposed to announced) winner for another ten days at least, to allow all absentee ballots to arrive. At best, a winner can be sworn no earlier than Aug 19th. If there's a recount or provisional challenges (both are almost certain), then it may be closer to mid-Sept. Currently, the House is in recess, and won't resume until Sept 4th. Once they do resume, you have Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur, so that the 2nd and 3rd weeks of September are toast. House takes its final recess on Oct 4th,and is out until January. So, all this foofaraw for a two-week term of office.
Now, the Donkey team outspent the Elephant team about 15 to 1 on this. If their guy wins, it's going to be by a razor-thin margin, and only because a lot of people are rolling their eyes and not bothering to vote this time. Regardless of who wins this one, come the real election in November, the Democrat will get crushed in this district, 100% guaranteed.
So, while the entire exercise is pointless and wasteful, I'm still pleased to have it unfolding right on my doorstep. A lot of this is holdover from my childhod, when I was fascinated by the news and politics, but everything was always happening far away. For the last 12 years or so, the whole show has been taking place just outside my door, in all its sound and fury. I'm pleased.
