GOP Losing Streak Persists in Last Night’s Critical Elections

The Republican Party’s losing streak in the Trump-era persisted in last night’s elections, with their few victories crowded out by higher profile, more meaningful defeats.

In Kentucky, one of the reddest states in the country, Democrat Andy Beshear defeated Republican challenger Daniel Cameron in the gubernatorial race.

Cameron was a political golem who is at once the protege of the state’s most infamous politician (Mitch McConnell) and a fervent supporter of the party’s cult leader (Donald Trump), who publicly endorsed him.

Despite their support and favorable terrain, Cameron failed to win the day against the incumbent Beshear.

In Virginia, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin spent considerable time and resources campaigning across the state, urging conservative voters to grant him majorities in both chambers of the Virginia legislature in order to pass his right wing agenda.

Not only did state Democrats maintain control of Virginia’s senate, they flipped control of its House of Delegates.

As Brian Kilmeade of Fox and Friends noted this morning, this was a colossal failure for Youngkin, who has been touted as a potential successor to the controversial Trump as a national GOP leader.

In Ohio, majorities voted to protect abortion access and legalize marijuana. Both items were ballot measures, subject to direct vote from Ohio voters who decisively affirmed both rights.

Earlier this year, Ohio defeated a nakedly bad faith attempt by the state’s Republicans to preempt this outcome with regards to abortion. In the summer, the GOP scheduled a special election intended to raise the threshold for passing amendments to the state constitution from a simple majority to 60%.

Voters rejected it even as Republicans openly admitted the effort was intended to block a pro-choice constitutional amendment.

Ohio’s House Speaker, mastermind of both attempts to thwart pro-choice protections, vowed that last night’s results were not the “end of the conversation.”

In Pennsylvania, Democrats decisively won a state Supreme Court election, filling the vacancy and granting the court a 5-2 liberal supermajority.

In contrast, the highest profile Republican victory was the reelection of Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. However, this victory seems sour: Hinds County, the state’s most populous county and a black-majority district, was reporting ballot shortages throughout the night, along with 8 others.