2018 Midterm Election Thread

[Sour Masher]

Now, Ellison's ex-girlfriend has posted a medical record where she shared with her doctor about being abused by Ellison and feared retribution.

http://www.fox9.com/news/ellison-dom...ord-on-twitter

I just don't know how anyone can continue to support him.

Not saying this to disagree with you, but as a sincere question for anyone--why won't she release the video of the incident? Again, not defending him with that question as much as I'm truly perplexed. We know from the Ray Rice thing how different people treat these allegations when they actually see them played out on video. She clearly wants him to be held accountable for his actions, and she says she has the evidence that would ensure he would be. Yet she won't release it, because she doesn't want to set up the expectation that all future victims have to have video to be heard and believed? Hard for me to understand that reasoning. What if he wins and maintains his position, because of her decision to not release the video? Does anyone think she has a responsibility to release evidence supporting her claim, if she has that evidence?

Again, not defending him. Not saying he didn't do it or that he should be in Congress. I just really don't understand her having video evidence of the event and not releasing it, if what she really wants is for everyone to believe her and for him to be held accountable for his actions. Especially since he denies the incident and calls her a liar. If someone called me a liar, and I had video that proved I wasn't, I'm gonna release that video, just out of spite to prove that SOB is the liar, and to shut up all the trolls attacking me.

[In the Corn]

Not saying this to disagree with you, but as a sincere question for anyone--why won't she release the video of the incident? Again, not defending him with that question as much as I'm truly perplexed. We know from the Ray Rice thing how different people treat these allegations when they actually see them played out on video. She clearly wants him to be held accountable for his actions, and she says she has the evidence that would ensure he would be. Yet she won't release it, because she doesn't want to set up the expectation that all future victims have to have video to be heard and believed? Hard for me to understand that reasoning. What if he wins and maintains his position, because of her decision to not release the video? Does anyone think she has a responsibility to release evidence supporting her claim, if she has that evidence?

Again, not defending him. Not saying he didn't do it or that he should be in Congress. I just really don't understand her having video evidence of the event and not releasing it, if what she really wants is for everyone to believe her and for him to be held accountable for his actions. Especially since he denies the incident and calls her a liar. If someone called me a liar, and I had video that proved I wasn't, I'm gonna release that video, just out of spite to prove that SOB is the liar, and to shut up all the trolls attacking me.

This has not been in the news recently here in Minnesota. IIRC, she stated that she had the video on a flash drive, but she had misplaced it.

Let me ask this, why would a women who goes to the doctor for anemia decide to bare her sole and bring up Ellison to the doctor. I just don't see her being so calculated about what to reveal to the doctor. Why isn't this statement from the doctor's note enough evidence?

[B-Fly]

Why isn't this statement from the doctor's note enough evidence?

Enough evidence for what? For a prosecutor to indict? For a voter to reject him? For the House to expel him? For the House to censure him? For the party leadership to call on him to step aside/step down? Those are all very different potential thresholds.

[chancellor]

Enough evidence for what? For a prosecutor to indict? For a voter to reject him? For the House to expel him? For the House to censure him? For the party leadership to call on him to step aside/step down? Those are all very different potential thresholds.

It’s a crap ton more evidence than has been presented to eliminate a SCOTUS Justice, that’s for damn sure.

[In the Corn]

Enough evidence for what? For a prosecutor to indict? For a voter to reject him? For the House to expel him? For the House to censure him? For the party leadership to call on him to step aside/step down? Those are all very different potential thresholds.

In this case, Ellison will be leaving his House seat in January, so I don't want Congress wasting their time. Not for prosecution, either.

This is about the Party. Again, IIRC, there was some hand wringing when the DFL met after the primary about Ellison and this allegation. IMO, the Party should drop him.

On a tangent, it seems neither party wants to find the moral high ground, and run of the mill party voters don't hold their party accountable.

[Sour Masher]

This has not been in the news recently here in Minnesota. IIRC, she stated that she had the video on a flash drive, but she had misplaced it.

Let me ask this, why would a women who goes to the doctor for anemia decide to bare her sole and bring up Ellison to the doctor. I just don't see her being so calculated about what to reveal to the doctor. Why isn't this statement from the doctor's note enough evidence?

I hadn't read she misplaced it and couldn't find it, so that makes sense, if that is the case. All I'd read is she had it somewhere but didn't really care about trying to find it, and was choosing not to release it, because she didn't want to set up the expectations that victims should have video evidence to be believed. I just don't get that logic at all. If you have the evidence, release the evidence. But if she looked for the evidence and cannot find it, then that makes perfect sense. But I hope she finds it to be able to shut all the haters up.

To answer the question, my question, again, wasn't about believing her or not. It was about me really not understanding why anyone would have a video proof of a claim they are making and not wanting to find and release that proof. It is a strategic question that could just as easily be divorced from this specific case and asked as a hypothetical, and maybe it would be better to discuss it as such--not trying to dispute her claim as much as understand that decision. But if she has said she would release it if she found it, that makes a lot more sense. If the video exists, I really hope it gets released.

[B-Fly]

It’s a crap ton more evidence than has been presented to eliminate a SCOTUS Justice, that’s for damn sure.

Again, evidence to do what, chance? Removing someone from an office they possess clearly requires a higher threshold than voting 'no' on a nominee. Whether Ellison should be pressured to step down voluntarily is another issue. I'm already at 'yes' on that one.

[nots]

Again, evidence to do what, chance? Removing someone from an office they possess clearly requires a higher threshold than voting 'no' on a nominee. Whether Ellison should be pressured to step down voluntarily is another issue. I'm already at 'yes' on that one.

Just curious..... would you vote for him if you lived in Minn? I remember you saying you would vote for Menendez in spite of his legal troubles. How about Ellison?

[B-Fly]

Just curious..... would you vote for him if you lived in Minn? I remember you saying you would vote for Menendez in spite of his legal troubles. How about Ellison?

I'd certainly have voted against him in the primary and would probably vote third party in the general.

[chancellor]

Again, evidence to do what, chance? Removing someone from an office they possess clearly requires a higher threshold than voting 'no' on a nominee. Whether Ellison should be pressured to step down voluntarily is another issue. I'm already at 'yes' on that one.

Initiate a real investigation.

[B-Fly]

Initiate a real investigation.

I'm in favor.

[B-Fly]

I had figured Gillum was going to be a pretty clear underdog in the Florida Governor's race given my sense of the state's redshift, but the polls have been surprising so far, consistently showing Gillum as leading and that lead appearing to be expanding:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2018/governor/fl/florida_governor_desantis_vs_gillum-6518.html

[Teenwolf]

I had figured Gillum was going to be a pretty clear underdog in the Florida Governor's race given my sense of the state's redshift, but the polls have been surprising so far, consistently showing Gillum as leading and that lead appearing to be expanding:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...llum-6518.html

It's too bad hes undercutting his progressive background, backed off Medicare for all.... he's even getting Hillary Clinton to campaign with him, so it's not too late for him to implode.

I've been disappointed in his campaign, despite the growing polling lead, and the fact he could be the difference maker for Bill Nelson... just wish he could stick to progressive principles.

[chancellor]

I had figured Gillum was going to be a pretty clear underdog in the Florida Governor's race given my sense of the state's redshift, but the polls have been surprising so far, consistently showing Gillum as leading and that lead appearing to be expanding:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...llum-6518.html

I'm not overly surprised. DeSantis has run a pretty bad campaign so far, and has reorganized his staff, bringing in the lead he should have from the get-go. His best hope is that Wiles work garners 2-3 poll points and the Kavanaugh nomination energizes his base enough to get him another 2-3 points, and he carves out a razor-thin win. I doubt it'll happen, though. Gillum's team has run a solid campaign.

[B-Fly]

Cramer seems to be pulling away from Heitkamp in North Dakota, which makes a two seat pickup for the Democrats (which they need to take the majority) highly unlikely. They'd need to hope McCaskill, Nelson and Donnelly all can squeak out victories. (I think Manchin, Tester and Menendez will win). And then they need Sinema and two more from Rosen, Bredesen or O'Rourke to come through. That's a tough needle to thread.