2026 Elections

[GoCubsGo]

Always knew she was a nutjob.

Senate Candidate Michele Tafoya Wildly Claims ‘Almost 30% of Californians Are Homeless’

[Vrede too]

Always knew she was a nutjob.

Senate Candidate Michele Tafoya Wildly Claims ‘Almost 30% of Californians Are Homeless’

"the (real) figure lies around 0.47%."

A MN RepuQ has zero chance of winning this year. Great job, ICE and MAGA.

[GoCubsGo]

Always knew she was a nutjob.

Senate Candidate Michele Tafoya Wildly Claims ‘Almost 30% of Californians Are Homeless’

"the (real) figure lies around 0.47%."

A MN RepuQ has zero chance of winning this year. Great job, ICE and MAGA.

She's an idiot.

[Vrede too]

You're not alone, O Really.

White woman tearfully says she didn’t vote for Crockett in Senate primary because ‘We need somebody who can win’




We'll see. The primary is close and I'll bet the results will be, too.

It is close-ish, with Talarico leading Crockett, 53-46. However, Dallas County is a mess for some reason - GQP gerrymandering, I think - and we may not have a winner until tomorrow or later. The courts are involved.

[GoCubsGo]

You're not alone, O Really.

White woman tearfully says she didn’t vote for Crockett in Senate primary because ‘We need somebody who can win’




We'll see. The primary is close and I'll bet the results will be, too.

It is close-ish, with Talarico leading Crockett, 53-46. However, Dallas County is a mess for some reason - GQP gerrymandering, I think - and we may not have a winner until tomorrow or later. The courts are involved.

Even if the two hours votes are counted, I don't think it's going to be enough.

[Vrede too]

Even if the two hours votes are counted, I don't think it's going to be enough.

You're probably correct.

[GoCubsGo]

Even if the two hours votes are counted, I don't think it's going to be enough.

You're probably correct.

I'll miss Jasmine, i like her.

But I do want to win more,

[Vrede too]

I was thinking Jasmine would bring some hell-raising energy, but Talarico was pretty fiery in his 'Goodnight' (not victory) speech . CNN agrees with you and has projected Talarico to win. The RepuQs have a runoff, which will eat up more of their money.

Note: If you don't care about mostly WNC primaries, stop reading here.

So, I picked a GQP ballot again. This partly due to the dearth of Dem candidates in some races . My plan:
Pick the worst RepuQ in races that have Dem opposition in Nov.
Pick the best RepuQ IMO where the primary is the final word.

https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=03/03 ... ntest=2147

US Senate
Dems - Roy Cooper scored 92.00% in a 6-way race.
GQP -
I voted for Don Brown, a total wingnut, without any hope he'd win, 15.60%.
MAGAt and former RNC Chair Michael Whatley won the privilege of getting stomped by Roy Cooper with 64.60%.

US House District 11
GQP -
The horrible incumbent MAGAt Chuck Edwards 70.09%, no surprise.
I voted for Adam R. Smith, 29.91%.
Dems -
Jamie Ager 64.69% had the DNC endorsement and the most money.
I liked family MD Richard Hudspeth, 2nd with 15.85%.
Ager has a tough road in NC11, but maybe this year . . .

NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1
Matt Smith looked the worst to me, 48.46%.
Michael C. Byrne won with 51.54%.
Oooh, I almost made the difference.

NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 03
No GQP primary.
Dems -
I heard that Christine Marie Walczyk was the better Dem, 62.35%.
James Weldon Whalen took 37.65%.

NC House of Representatives District 117
Christopher Lamar Wilson, poor campaigner, Black, got my vote, 23.81%.
Jennifer Capps Balkcom won with 76.19%.
There is a Dem opponent.

Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3
No Dems running.
Steven D. Wyatt leaned heavily into his vast and credible experience - 15 years as county manager - but was thin on declared policy, 43.65%.
I voted for young Rudd Orr because he took some green positions. To my pleased amazement he won with 56.35%!

Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4
No Dems running.
I voted for curmudgeon Tom Appleby, 32.42%.
Incumbent Rebecca K. McCall pissed me off because she had no online presence - no website, nothing on ballotpedia or branch.vote, 67.58%.

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TRANSPORTATION BONDS REFERENDUM
I almost always vote for bonds unless they're for jails. Passed 66.98% to 33.02%.


SOUPYSALES - If you want to post here I'll unblock so we can compare.

[supesalemgr2]

I was thinking Jasmine would bring some hell-raising energy, but Talarico was pretty fiery in his 'Goodnight' (not victory) speech . CNN agrees with you and has projected Talarico to win. The RepuQs have a runoff, which will eat up more of their money.

Note: If you don't care about mostly WNC primaries, stop reading here.

So, I picked a GQP ballot again. This partly due to the dearth of Dem candidates in some races . My plan:
Pick the worst RepuQ in races that have Dem opposition in Nov.
Pick the best RepuQ IMO where the primary is the final word.

https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=03/03 ... ntest=2147

US Senate
Dems - Roy Cooper scored 92.00% in a 6-way race.
GQP -
I voted for Don Brown, a total wingnut, without any hope he'd win, 15.60%.
MAGAt and former RNC Chair Michael Whatley won the privilege of getting stomped by Roy Cooper with 64.60%.

US House District 11
GQP -
The horrible incumbent MAGAt Chuck Edwards 70.09%, no surprise.
I voted for Adam R. Smith, 29.91%.
Dems -
Jamie Ager 64.69% had the DNC endorsement and the most money.
I liked family MD Richard Hudspeth, 2nd with 15.85%.
Ager has a tough road in NC11, but maybe this year . . .

NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1
Matt Smith looked the worst to me, 48.46%.
Michael C. Byrne won with 51.54%.
Oooh, I almost made the difference.

NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 03
No GQP primary.
Dems -
I heard that Christine Marie Walczyk was the better Dem, 62.35%.
James Weldon Whalen took 37.65%.

NC House of Representatives District 117
Christopher Lamar Wilson, poor campaigner, Black, got my vote, 23.81%.
Jennifer Capps Balkcom won with 76.19%.
There is a Dem opponent.

Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3
No Dems running.
Steven D. Wyatt leaned heavily into his vast and credible experience - 15 years as county manager - but was thin on declared policy, 43.65%.
I voted for young Rudd Orr because he took some green positions. To my pleased amazement he won with 56.35%!

Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4
No Dems running.
I voted for curmudgeon Tom Appleby, 32.42%.
Incumbent Rebecca K. McCall pissed me off because she had no online presence - no website, nothing on ballotpedia or branch.vote, 67.58%.

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TRANSPORTATION BONDS REFERENDUM
I almost always vote for bonds unless they're for jails. Passed 66.98% to 33.02%.


SOUPYSALES - If you want to post here I'll unblock so we can compare.

The NC primary was a yawner this year. The races turned out as I anticipated.

[Vrede too]

So, I picked a GQP ballot again. This partly due to the dearth of Dem candidates in some races . My plan:
Pick the worst RepuQ in races that have Dem opposition in Nov.
Pick the best RepuQ IMO where the primary is the final word.

https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=03/03 ... ntest=2147



Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3
No Dems running.
Steven D. Wyatt leaned heavily into his vast and credible experience - 15 years as county manager - but was thin on declared policy, 43.65%.
I voted for young Rudd Orr because he took some green positions. To my pleased amazement he won with 56.35%!



SOUPYSALES - If you want to post here I'll unblock so we can compare.

The NC primary was a yawner this year. The races turned out as I anticipated.

You thought Rudd Orr was going to beat Steven D. Wyatt for Commissioner 3? Smart. Why did that happen? Is that how you voted?

[Anonymous too]

You cannot make this up.

I was hoping Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) would win the Democratic primary for the US Senate because it would have provided endless content. I mean an ocean of material, but obviously it didn’t happen. She was defeated easily by Texas State Rep. James Talarico. However, Crockett didn’t concede last night. She followed the example of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris after their election night losses: she thanked her supporters, told them to enjoy their evening, and stated no further announcements would be made that night. Essentially, that’s a lengthy way of saying, ‘I lost.’
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa ... y-n2672267

[supesalemgr2]

So, I picked a GQP ballot again. This partly due to the dearth of Dem candidates in some races . My plan:
Pick the worst RepuQ in races that have Dem opposition in Nov.
Pick the best RepuQ IMO where the primary is the final word.

https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=03/03 ... ntest=2147



Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3
No Dems running.
Steven D. Wyatt leaned heavily into his vast and credible experience - 15 years as county manager - but was thin on declared policy, 43.65%.
I voted for young Rudd Orr because he took some green positions. To my pleased amazement he won with 56.35%!



SOUPYSALES - If you want to post here I'll unblock so we can compare.

The NC primary was a yawner this year. The races turned out as I anticipated.

You thought Rudd Orr was going to beat Steven D. Wyatt for Commissioner 3? Smart. Why did that happen? Is that how you voted?

Quite frankly, I did not vote in this primary. First time I have not voted since moving here 29 years ago. I will not lose sleep over Rudd beating Wyatt.

[Vrede too]

You thought Rudd Orr was going to beat Steven D. Wyatt for Commissioner 3? Smart. Why did that happen? Is that how you voted?

Quite frankly, I did not vote in this primary. First time I have not voted since moving here 29 years ago. I will not lose sleep over Rudd beating Wyatt.

I am BRD's face of the GQP.

[GoCubsGo]

Behind the Curtain: America's big lie
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/11/americ ... larization

Watch TV, scroll social media or listen to politicians, and the verdict seems clear: Americans are hopelessly divided and increasingly hateful.

It's a ubiquitous, emphatic, verifiable ... lie.
Why it matters: Most Americans are too busy for social media, too normal for politics, too rational to tweet. They work, raise kids, coach Little League, go to a house of worship, mow their neighbor's lawn — and never post a word about any of it.

This isn't a small minority. It's a monstrous, if silent, majority. Most Americans are patriotic, hardworking, neighbor-helping, America-loving, money-giving people who don't pop off on social media or plot for power.

The hidden truth: Most people agree on most things, most of the time. And the data validates this, time and time again.
Oh, but you're so naive, so delusional and detached from reality. Everywhere I look, I see dispute and decline!

But it's the terminally online news junkies who are detached from the actual reality.

We've been manipulated by algorithms and politicians amplifying the worst of humanity. Our feeds and screens spread a twisted, inaccurate view of America.
It makes it seem like the nation is hopelessly broken ... Political enemies are evil ... Facts are no different than fiction ... Morality, honesty and service don't matter ... And salvation can only come from magical technologies or a powerful few.
What if we told you it's a big lie that makes you stop believing your own two eyes?

Every day, people battle over outrageous things said on X. Did you know that four out of five Americans don't use X, and therefore don't see what you see? Pew Research Center found last year that only 21% of U.S. adults use X, and just 10% visit it daily. The loudest platform in politics reaches barely one in five Americans.
But what about the wacky claims made on cable TV? Did you know that during most hours of most prime-time nights, less than 1% of the country watches Fox News, CNN or MS NOW, combined?
Maybe, just maybe, it's the very people on these platforms who are the crazy ones.

Maybe, just maybe, most people are simply normal, sane, real.
A Gallup World Poll out last week found Americans are more anxious about their political system than citizens of almost any other country — yet the data consistently shows this anxiety is driven by the noise, not the neighbors. The system feels broken. The people are not.
Here's a good test: In a given year, you see hundreds of people frequently enough to appraise their character. Are they good people? Would they help shovel after a snowstorm or lift groceries for an aging neighbor? Do they volunteer and give to others?


We bet the answer is a resounding yes. This is America's Super Majority.
The numbers back this up. Americans gave $592.5 billion to charity in 2024 — a record, with individuals accounting for two-thirds of it.

Over 75 million Americans formally volunteer each year, and 130 million informally help their neighbors. Gallup research out last month found that 76% of U.S. adults gave money to a religious or other nonprofit organization in the past year, and 63% volunteered their time.
This isn't a broken nation. This is a generous one, where the vast majority quietly do the right thing every single day.
The bottom line: The next time your screen tells you America is broken, close it. Walk outside. Talk to your neighbor. Coach the team. Go to the town meeting. That's the real America — and it's a hell of a lot better than the one being manufactured for clicks, clout and cash.

[Anonymous too]

Officer, you up late again patrolling.

Searching the internet.

[Vrede too]

Behind the Curtain: America's big lie
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/11/americ ... larization

Fuck off.

[O Really]

Nice rosy article and maybe true. But why aren't these people voting at least occasionally? And if they are voting for what we have in office, then the article is bs. Those people described are not trumpers or MAGA sorts or right wing fascists. If they don't care that their own neighbors are being hauled off from the school pick up queue, maybe they're not so nice after all.

[Anonymous too]

Most Americans are too busy for social media, too normal for politics, too rational to tweet.

BRD's officer posted it at 1:22am.

[Vrede too]

Nice rosy article and maybe true. But why aren't these people voting at least occasionally? And if they are voting for what we have in office, then the article is bs. Those people described are not trumpers or MAGA sorts or right wing fascists. If they don't care that their own neighbors are being hauled off from the school pick up queue, maybe they're not so nice after all.

Good points. Should we give nonvoters a pass even if they are otherwise valuable members of the community?

[GoCubsGo]

Nice rosy article and maybe true. But why aren't these people voting at least occasionally? And if they are voting for what we have in office, then the article is bs. Those people described are not trumpers or MAGA sorts or right wing fascists. If they don't care that their own neighbors are being hauled off from the school pick up queue, maybe they're not so nice after all.

Goes back to what I said repeatedly about the 2024 election and how numbnuts won.

His voters in the electorate are a combination of mostly lazy and tuned out, racist and misogynistic.

An outsized part tune in for the last five minutes and whoever is yelling loudest and telling them what they think they want to hear gets their vote.

And the same people are blissfully unaware their neighbors are being hauled off.