The New York Times gave some helpful tips to its liberal readers on how to deal with election stress before the “Red Wave” was reduced to a red trickle on Election Night. The “5 ways to soothe election stress”, a silly list of suggestions, included the suggestion to “Plunge your head into a bowl of ice water This certainly sounds emotionally healthy.
Democrats didn’t need ice baths unless they were in Florida or Texas, where Republican governors won huge re-election victories for conservatives.
Texas Republican Greg Abbott won re-election easily against Beto O’Rourke, a perennial also-ran Democrat. J. David Goodman, a reporter, seemed to sympathize with Democrats about the sad state the party in Texas: “Across Texas. Neither a red wave nor a blue one.”
Beto O’Rourke is the Democratic challenger for Governor. Greg Abbott failed to attract enough supporters to improve his performance in 2018’s U.S. Senate race, earning him a second state loss and raising questions about his political future.
These smears are disguised as Republicans descriptors.
The Trump-endorsed and criminally indicted attorney general of state Ken Paxton was re-elected to a third term. Dan Patrick, the hard right lieutenant governor, was also re-elected. He had faced some opposition from his party over his leadership of State Senate but not enough to make a significant difference in his reelection.
These victories were likely to result in a new round conservative proposals when the Republican-dominated State Legislature meets next ….
Goodman also wrote a story that looked beyond Beto, who has now lost three consecutive elections.
A few months ago, Texas’s cherished Republican Party hold seemed vulnerable. Mr. O’Rourke was the obvious choice to take on that challenge. He returned to El Paso Tuesday as the most well-known Texas Democrat to never win a race beyond his hometown.
Goodman’s words here beg the question: “Deflating blow” to whom? It sounds like Goodman.
In an election where anger over abortion restrictions, gun violence, and other issues seemed to be destined for Democratic turnout in the next election, Mr. O’Rourke’s defeat was a crushing blow.
His better-than-expected 2018 run for the U.S. Senate had given Democrats hope of a breakthrough in Texas for years.
All hail Beto! He gave his life so that others could win!
The Democratic Party did not go home empty-handed after the election. Some saw Mr. O’Rourke’s candidacy early on as a sacrifice effort. He might lose, but he could draw Democrats to the polls and help other win. Although he did not get the expected turnout in the polls, some Democrats with difficult races — including those in South Texas — did win.
The paper had to acknowledge Florida’s overwhelming Republican Gov. status by moving east. Ron DeSantis won reelection by nearly 20 points over Charlie Crist.
The Times’ usual labeling bias kicked in in its online elections updates, pitting Democrat Charlie Crist, who has cast herself as a centrist Democrat, against Gov. Ron DeSantis is “a hard-right conservative.”
