Shocking early voting turnout as the revolution against Donald Trump is underway
Early voting began in Georgia on October 12. The turnout was somewhat shocking. Normally, voting on the first day of early voting is a proverbial cakewalk. Today, two major early voting venues had seen over 300 people each by 8:00 a.m. Will these massive numbers bode well for Joe Biden? Time will tell us, but many believe that Biden is sewing up this race early.
Politico’s election forecast puts Biden above the 270 votes needed to win the electoral college and discusses instances in which “president” Trump might still prevail, though it will be tough. He must win five toss-up states plus either Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, both of which are now considered “lean Democratic.”
Politico bases its prediction on Biden’s national lead and what they term “a stable advantage” in the Great Lakes States: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These are also the three states that put Trump on top in 2016, but his chance of taking those three states are looking slim. Republicans are hoping that their push to get Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court will “shift things in their favor,” I believe this over-the-top push will hurt them. At the same time, Politico sees signs of a “Democratic wave.” Living in a predominantly Black area and seeing the crowds on the first day of early voting, I tend to agree.
Biden continues to hold his lead and, in many cases, is widening it. Millions have already voted, and Politico believes that Democratic voters “are highly motivated.” It still appears possible for Democrats to take the Senate, though Cal Cunningham’s sexting scandal could hurt his chances in North Carolina. Jamie Harrison, on the other hand, has become a fundraising machine, raising $57 million in the final quarter. Lindsay Graham, trying to cripple Harrison, is claiming that “Black people can go anywhere in this state provided that they are conservative, not liberal,” HuffPost reported.
Graham used Tim Scott as an example of a successful conservative candidate, but both Graham and Scott might want to pay heed to the current trends: Republicans are not winning anyone over. They are all being described as haters of healthcare and fairness in general. That sentiment is prevalent in many Democratic ads, and they are not that far from the truth. It does not help their cause to see “president” Trump rage-tweeting and otherwise behaving even more bizarrely than usual. As Politico writes, Republicans had best hope to retain the Senate, as they have little else going for them.
All signs are pointing to a Democratic victory in November, but we must keep working toward that goal. Politico has moved 11 additional electoral votes into the Biden column, including Wisconsin and Nebraska, both of which have moved from “toss up” to “lean Democratic.” Ohio and Iowa have also been recategorized “toss up,” with Republican strongholds Alaska and Arizona moving from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican.” Things are going well with respect to the 2020 election, but we must all do our parts to keep it going. Pray, vote, march—whatever works for you. As Nike would say, “just do it.”
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years