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Jaime Harrison before his appearance in North Charleston (South Carolina): The democrat attacks the seat of Lindsey Graham. Image: keystone
Wendehals Graham has got to shake: Most Republicans in the Senate are shaking
In addition to the president, a large part of the US parliament has recently been elected. Democrats have a good chance of winning a majority in the Senate. Things are getting tough for Republicans in South Carolina, for example.
Like a fireworks top ripped from its stand, the entire Trump family farts across the states, no mask. Joe Biden also went to the campaign tour in the last days before the election, the attachment in the car to the self-service rally reunited, introduced by former President Barack Obama as the previous speaker, and with Stevie Wonder as the attraction.
The waves of the parliamentary elections wave under the white presidential caps. The entire House of Representatives (435 members, two-year term) and a third of the Senate (100 members, six-year term) will be re-elected on Tuesday. Biden’s Democrats currently have a majority in the House and Republicans in the Senate. That makes it difficult for the government: as in Switzerland, in the US You need the approval of both houses of parliament to pass a law (unlike in Switzerland, the executive, the president, can veto a law, which the congress, to turn, may two-thirds majority in both houses).
Amy Coney Barrett’s quick confirmation shows the importance of the Senate. Image: keystone
The importance of these majorities can be seen these days in two examples: the first is Amy Coney Barrett. The extremely conservative lawyer was quickly confirmed by the Senate as Supreme Justice after Trump proposed her as the successor to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Conservative in this context mainly means “against abortion” and “against Obamacare”, both in cases pending before the Supreme Court, but also “right to vote”: it is very possible that the result of the elections in judicial disputes will end in the Court Supreme, and Mrs. Coney Barrett voted the Conservative majority.
“Soft” Majority of Republicans
The other example is the second edition of a Corona aid package. The Senate refuses to appear even before the elections. The House of Representatives passed a comprehensive $ 2.2 trillion (correct: 2,200,000,000,000) program, but Mitch McConnell, the majority leader Senate, has closed the door.
True, Democrats will maintain or expand their majority in the House of Representatives. The majority of Republicans in the Senate, on the other hand, are not only the scarcest but also the softest. They have more seats to defend than Democrats, and polls rate more Republican seats as “wavering” or “level” than Democrats. Currently, Republicans have 53 seats out of 100. 35 are up for Tuesday’s election, 23 are currently held by Republicans and 12 by Democrats.
One should change the political color, in Colorado from red (Republican) to blue (Democrat), in Alabama the other way around. Nine seats are recognized by survey analysts at realclearpolitics.com tossups rated – unpredictably tight. Seven are Republicans and two are Democrats. “I think Republicans will lose the Senate,” says Kansas City activist Randy Steinman.
One self-service rally from Jaime Harrison, here at Columbia last week. Image: keystone
Samstag, 17. Oktober, The Bend Park in North Charleston, South Carolina. No man’s land far from the city. A mile away is the county jail, next to it a police station and a bouquet link-Offices that grant instant credit for deposits. Here was Jaime Harrison, the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. self-service rally loaded. So the events of the dense corona election campaign in the car are called. You drive the car to a precisely assigned location and you can see the performance through the windshield on a screen. Harrison’s people, all young, were strict. I had to assure them that I would only come out to urinate and then with a mask.
Two black senators?
The rush was less overwhelming than the caution, the candidate less attractive than his polls. Harrison, a man in his forties, lawyer, congressional worker, lobbyist, high-party Democratic party, serves political home cooking: “My story,” middle class to poor, it’s not about me, it’s about you, the insurance company, Education, hospitals, a plan against the virus, also a slight blow to the racial score: South Carolina would be the first state with two black senators. The other senator, Tim Scott, a Republican, is black. Harrison too.
That alone would be a political sensation. Of all places, South Carolina, the quintessential slave state in which the American Civil War began, would have two black senators if Harrison were elected. Jaime Harrison would occupy the same Senate seat as John Calhoun, the most powerful defender of slavery in the American Parliament. But that’s not what makes Harrison’s election campaign a national phenomenon. It’s his opponent Lindsey Graham. The, a Republican, appeared in 2016 as a sharp critic of Donald Trump (quote: downright dangerous, crazy), but after the elections he had become one of the most disgusting behind the president.
Referendum on Trumpism
As chairman of the judicial committee, Graham was at the forefront in appointing Justice Coney Barrett, again a political somersault: In 2016, when President Obama appointed a Supreme Court justice to fill a vacancy, they had Republicans refused. even to listen to the man. At that time Graham solemnly promised that he would always stay that way. That year, however, her weather vane waved in the opposite direction and Mrs. Coney Barrett received the signal to pass under Graham’s leadership.
Lindsey Graham has to fight hard for her re-election. Image: keystone
Harrison’s TV commercial has it easy. She juxtaposes old and new quotes and plays with the man: “Lindsey Graham is only interested in one thing: Lindsey Graham.” For the gallery, the South Carolina Senate election is a referendum on the opportunism and immorality of Trumpism. Harrison has already won a victory in this competition. A candidate for the United States Senate has never asked for more money than he has. In the third quarter of the report (American politicians, unlike Switzerland, have to disclose their funds by law), it raised it to a staggering $ 57 million, 90 percent of it from out-of-state donations. .
$ 42 per inhabitant
Graham is falling behind financially. Election finance analysts at opensecrets.org estimate that the South Carolina Senate election campaign will cost $ 164 million. According to the same source, a total of $ 14 billion will be spent on US election campaigns. That is about $ 42 per capita. For comparison: if the same ladle were used in Switzerland, an election to the National Council or a voting campaign would cost 360 million francs.
South Carolina is just one of the Senate elections whose result is rated as “close” or “equal.” Sequentially:
Arizona: This is the headquarters of the late Republican John McCain. Martha McSally, named successor by the governor, is challenged by former astronaut Mark Kelly. The Democrat is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was seriously injured in an assassination attempt in 2011. Kelly is ahead.
Georgia: Here, a special case, two elections to the Senate take place, one by rotation and the other by special choice after the resignation of the holder due to illness. Both seats are held by Republicans and Democrats have a good chance in both elections. At special choice What is special is that there are not two but several candidates to choose from and the best two will run for the second round. The race for Republicans is interesting. The incumbent appointed by Governor Kelly Loeffler is an avid Trump supporter. She is harassed by the more moderate Doug Collins.
Theresa Greenfield wants to conquer the Republican seat of Joni Ernst in Iowa. Image: keystone
Iowa: Republican incumbent Joni Ernst made it impossible because she did not know the price of soy when it appeared on television. It’s bad in the agricultural state of Iowa. Challenger Theresa Greenfield is ahead.
Maine: Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who often opposes President Trump (she voted against the abolition of Obamacare health insurance), has been questioned by Democrat Sara Gideon.
Michigan: Democrat Gary Peters is harassed by Black Republican John James, a helicopter gunship pilot from the Iraq war.
Minnesota: Here incumbent Tina Smith, a Democrat and Republican Jason Lewis are practically on the same level.
Montana: Acting Gov. Steve Bullock, Democrat, is chasing Acting Senator Steve Daines, Republican.
North Carolina: Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, is behind Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham, according to polls. The North Carolina Senate election campaign is the most expensive in history, according to opensecrets.com. Independent political groups and candidates have contributed more than $ 260 million.
Surprises are expected. How tossups Defined Senate elections are not the only ones worth considering. Kansas for example, where the previous one no longer competes. Since 1932, the seat has always been held by Republicans, but Democrat Barbara Bollier has an outside chance. OR Texaswhere Republican incumbent John Cornyn has to fight for the re-election of Democrat MJ Hegar, military pilot (Afghanistan, medical evacuation missions, wounded) and mother.
too Nebraska It is worth a look. Acting Senator Ben Sasse, a Republican, will be re-elected, but the question is how good. Sasse is verbally the strongest critic of President Trump in his party, but when the moment came, for example, in the impeachment process, he showed the stick to the president. If Trump loses, Sasse’s vote could gain weight at the Grand Old Party. Also Mitch McConnell, as majority leader the authorized architect of Trump’s legislative process is available for the election. In Kentucky. His opponent is Amy McGrath of the Democrats, an F / A18 fighter pilot in Afghanistan, a lieutenant colonel, a mother of three.
