thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--A user's guide to Trump's Pennsylvania election challenges

Pennsylvania is ground zero for President Trump ’ s efforts to establish that he won the 2020 presidential race with all legal votes counted .
While it is not the only state where Trump is contesting the results , without Pennsylvania , he has no viable path to a majority in the Electoral College .
Lawyers for Trump ’ s reelection team have raised several issues with how the commonwealth conducted the 2020 election , alleging voter fraud , a two-tiered system for mail-in and in-person voting , a lack of meaningful access for Republican poll watchers , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation of Pennsylvania election law .
Trump , who has not conceded the presidential race , has asked the courts to prevent the certification of the election in Pennsylvania .
Here 's what you need to know .
What does the latest Trump lawsuit allege ?
The Trump campaign says Pennsylvania officials did not allow Republican poll watchers to do their jobs while also doing less to ensure the integrity of mail-in ballots , which favored Joe Biden , than in-person voting , which favored Trump .
“ Democrat-majority counties provided political parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no meaningful access or actual opportunity to review and assess mail-in ballots during the pre-canvassing meetings , ” the complaint states .
Trump ’ s attorneys also argue that Pennsylvania mandates that mail-in ballots be processed and evaluated “ on an entirely parallel track to those ballots cast in person , ” while officials instead created an unconstitutional “ two-track system . ''
“ Pennsylvania has created an illegal two-tiered voting system for the 2020 General Election , devaluing in-person votes , ” the complaint reads .
What about late ballots ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day , but the state Supreme Court ruled they could be counted if they were received by that Friday as long as they were postmarked by the time the polls closed on Nov. 3 .
The Trump campaign would like these additional ballots thrown out .
Republican attorneys general in nearly a dozen states have asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the late votes from being counted .
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito ordered all of the county election boards in Pennsylvania to separate all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots in a Friday night ruling .
While it is unclear whether there are enough such votes to change the outcome in Pennsylvania , many legal experts consider this to be one of the Trump team ’ s stronger arguments for contesting the result .
Pennsylvania election officials were not permitted to process the mail-in ballots before Election Day , contributing to delays that saw Trump leading in the state for an extended period of time before Biden overtook him .
The state ’ s Democratic secretary of state has asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What about Rudy Giuliani ?
The former New York City mayor and Trump attorney held a press conference in Philadelphia alleging voter fraud .
But Giuliani is also less focused on individual illegal ballots than challenging the process by which mail-in ballots have been counted and whether there was appropriate bipartisan supervision as required by law .
“ The people you see behind me are just a few of about , I ’ d say 50 to 60 poll watchers , who will all testify that they were uniformly deprived of their right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots , ” Giuliani said .
“ As you know , from the very beginning , the mail-in ballots were a source of some degree of skepticism , if not a lot of skepticism , as being innately prone to fraud.
” Giuliani has produced poll watchers who say they were made to stand too far away from the counting to see what was going on .
He further alleges that the lack of inspection of the mail-in ballots puts hundreds of thousands of votes in question .
“ Philadelphia is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have a decrepit Democrat machine that you have had in power for 60 years , and it ’ s the reason why you have voter fraud , ” Giuliani said .
What do leaders in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature think ?
While they have been far more reluctant to assert fraud outright , they share concerns about the process and support an immediate audit of the results before they are certified .
`` I have no knowledge of any voter fraud , and I have no knowledge of any misdeeds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the Department of State ran in this election , '' Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman told reporters on a Zoom call .
But state GOP leaders do want Republican poll watchers to have more access and have protested the high number of provisional ballots .
They also disapprove of the court ruling extending the mail-in ballot deadline .
“ This judicial intervention created unnecessary chaos and uncertainty , ” said state House Speaker Bryan Cutler .
“ The current election process has been chaotic and led to legitimate questions being raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff .
What ’ s the bottom line ?
A legal victory for Trump would likely enforce the state ’ s Election Day deadline for mail-in ballots and secure a court-ordered recanvass of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas to weed out irregularities .
Whether that would produce a political victory for the president in Pennsylvania remains to be seen .

Pennsylvania is ground zero for President Trump’s efforts to establish that he won the 2020 presidential race with all legal votes counted. While it is not the only state where Trump is contesting the results, without Pennsylvania, he has no viable path to a majority in the Electoral College.
Lawyers for Trump’s reelection team have raised several issues with how the commonwealth conducted the 2020 election, alleging voter fraud, a two-tiered system for mail-in and in-person voting, a lack of meaningful access for Republican poll watchers, and the acceptance of ballots after Election Day in violation of Pennsylvania election law.
Trump, who has not conceded the presidential race, has asked the courts to prevent the certification of the election in Pennsylvania. Here's what you need to know.
What does the latest Trump lawsuit allege? The Trump campaign says Pennsylvania officials did not allow Republican poll watchers to do their jobs while also doing less to ensure the integrity of mail-in ballots, which favored Joe Biden, than in-person voting, which favored Trump.
“Democrat-majority counties provided political parties and candidates, including the Trump Campaign, no meaningful access or actual opportunity to review and assess mail-in ballots during the pre-canvassing meetings,” the complaint states.
Trump’s attorneys also argue that Pennsylvania mandates that mail-in ballots be processed and evaluated “on an entirely parallel track to those ballots cast in person,” while officials instead created an unconstitutional “two-track system."
“Pennsylvania has created an illegal two-tiered voting system for the 2020 General Election, devaluing in-person votes,” the complaint reads.
What about late ballots? Pennsylvania state law requires mail-in ballots to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, but the state Supreme Court ruled they could be counted if they were received by that Friday as long as they were postmarked by the time the polls closed on Nov. 3. The Trump campaign would like these additional ballots thrown out. Republican attorneys general in nearly a dozen states have filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the late votes from being counted.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito ordered all of the county election boards in Pennsylvania to separate all late-arrival ballots from the rest of the mail-in ballots in a Friday night ruling. While it is unclear whether there are enough such votes to change the outcome in Pennsylvania, many legal experts consider this to be one of the Trump team’s stronger arguments for contesting the result.
Pennsylvania election officials were not permitted to process the mail-in ballots before Election Day, contributing to delays that saw Trump leading in the state for an extended period of time before Biden overtook him. The state’s Democratic secretary of state has asked for the Trump lawsuit to be tossed.
What about Rudy Giuliani? The former New York City mayor and Trump attorney held a press conference in Philadelphia alleging voter fraud. But Giuliani is also less focused on individual illegal ballots than challenging the process by which mail-in ballots have been counted and whether there was appropriate bipartisan supervision as required by law.
“The people you see behind me are just a few of about, I’d say 50 to 60 poll watchers, who will all testify that they were uniformly deprived of their right to inspect any single part of the mail-in ballots,” Giuliani said. “As you know, from the very beginning, the mail-in ballots were a source of some degree of skepticism, if not a lot of skepticism, as being innately prone to fraud.”
Giuliani has produced poll watchers who say they were made to stand too far away from the counting to see what was going on. He further alleges that the lack of inspection of the mail-in ballots puts hundreds of thousands of votes in question.
“Philadelphia is a professional place for voter fraud because you’ll have a decrepit Democrat machine that you have had in power for 60 years, and it’s the reason why you have voter fraud,” Giuliani said.
What do leaders in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature think? While they have been far more reluctant to assert fraud outright, they share concerns about the process and support an immediate audit of the results before they are certified. "I have no knowledge of any voter fraud, and I have no knowledge of any misdeeds, other than the process [by] which the Department of State ran in this election," Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman told reporters on a Zoom call.
But state GOP leaders do want Republican poll watchers to have more access and have protested the high number of provisional ballots. They also disapprove of the court ruling extending the mail-in ballot deadline. “This judicial intervention created unnecessary chaos and uncertainty,” said state House Speaker Bryan Cutler. “The current election process has been chaotic and led to legitimate questions being raised about its integrity,” said House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff.
What’s the bottom line? A legal victory for Trump would likely enforce the state’s Election Day deadline for mail-in ballots and secure a court-ordered recanvass of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas to weed out irregularities. Whether that would produce a political victory for the president in Pennsylvania remains to be seen.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Republican deficit hawks primed to make comeback in Biden presidency

Republicans are expected to renew their opposition to deficits and increases in federal spending if Joe Biden is sworn in as president in January , especially if the Democratic administration is paired with a GOP-controlled Senate as expected .
But with the federal budget deficit reaching an unprecedented $ 3.7 trillion under President Trump , Democrats are likely to point out that GOP deficit hawks fly south for the winter when Republicans are in office .
Even before the pandemic and when unemployment was still only 3.5 % , the deficit was expected to exceed $ 1 trillion — an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans when Barack Obama was president .
Biden , who served as vice president under Obama , has , by some estimates , proposed $ 5 trillion in new spending .
“ There ’ s no question Republicans on Capitol Hill have lost credibility on deficit spending .
They need to begin earning it back , which some of them started doing in the latest round of stimulus talks , ” said GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak .
“ Deficits increased in the Trump era to record levels , with COVID and the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect House and Senate Republicans to make the deficit and the debt an issue again .
They will have to explain why it didn ’ t matter as much the past four years.
” Rory Cooper , a Republican strategist and former communications director for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor , said : “ Republicans have absolutely lost credibility on fiscal issues over the past four years .
The GOP let Trump not only push spending and debt to the back burner but to make matters much worse while they stood by silently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credibility , I still hope they speak up on these issues because somebody has to and Democrats aren ’ t suddenly going to become the fiscal hawks of Congress.
” Sen. Ted Cruz , a Texas Republican who was elected on a fiscally conservative platform in the Tea Party wave , recently told an interviewer he expected his party to begin holding the line on spending and deficits again next year .
`` Is n't that the most cynical , phony thing ? ''
Jonathan Swan of Axios asked him .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , I 've raged against , '' Cruz replied .
`` I 've raged against my own party not genuinely fighting to rein in spending and deficits and debt . ''
This isn ’ t a new development under Trump .
The deficit ballooned , and the national debt doubled , in the early years of Ronald Reagan ’ s presidency before declining again in the mid-1980s .
Reagan had to contend with a Democratic House majority controlling the purse strings for both his terms .
George W. Bush had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office .
He nevertheless presided over the return of annual deficits after a budget surplus had been achieved in Bill Clinton ’ s second term , even before the financial crisis , and another doubling of the debt .
His vice president , Dick Cheney , was quoted as saying Reagan proved that deficits don ’ t matter .
But Trump ’ s nomination came after the Tea Party had pledged to make the GOP more consistent on fiscal policy and House Speaker Paul Ryan had committed congressional Republicans to a budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Trump did promise to eliminate the national debt , he also vowed to increase both defense and nondefense spending while cutting taxes and opposing Ryan-style entitlement reforms .
Under Trump , some conservatives complained the party had previously outsourced too much of its economic thinking to doctrinaire libertarians .
“ They just need to be prepared for the obvious ridicule and hypocrisy charges that they ’ ve earned , ” Cooper said of Republican opponents of a potential Biden spending spree .
“ They can not and should not determine to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Part of being fiscally responsible is better situating the government for needed emergency spending , which that is .
It ’ s also a politically dumb hill to die on when you ’ ve shown no interest in the debt for four years and then regain your religion on the one spending bill that America desperately needs right now.
” Chris Edwards , a tax and budget policy expert at the libertarian Cato Institute , expects opposition to new Biden initiatives but not so much because of the deficit .
“ There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hawks , but politicians found out in 2020 that they could jack up federal deficits from $ 1 trillion to $ 3 trillion a year , with apparently no resistance from global capital markets or the central bank .
More than ever , to politicians , federal spending appears to be free , ” said Edwards .
“ However , there will be resistance to Biden ’ s expansive spending plans because of worries about expanded federal power and intrusion on state and local policymaking .
Biden ’ s biggest spending expansions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , education , and other activities that are all the domains of the states.
” Republican governors and state lawmakers , along with their allies in Congress , will want to defend their prerogatives and limit Biden ’ s regulatory reach .
“ So resistance to deficits has melted away , but there will be strong resistance to the Biden programs themselves , ” Edwards said .
Trump has yet to concede the election and is still contesting the results in several states .
The White House has reportedly directed federal agencies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal .

Republicans are expected to renew their opposition to deficits and increases in federal spending if Joe Biden is sworn in as president in January, especially if the Democratic administration is paired with a GOP-controlled Senate as expected.
But with the federal budget deficit reaching an unprecedented $3.7 trillion under President Trump, Democrats are likely to point out that GOP deficit hawks fly south for the winter when Republicans are in office. Even before the pandemic and when unemployment was still only 3.5%, the deficit was expected to exceed $1 trillion — an amount almost universally deemed unacceptable by congressional Republicans when Barack Obama was president. Biden, who served as vice president under Obama, has, by some estimates, proposed $5 trillion in new spending.
“There’s no question Republicans on Capitol Hill have lost credibility on deficit spending. They need to begin earning it back, which some of them started doing in the latest round of stimulus talks,” said GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak. “Deficits increased in the Trump era to record levels, with COVID and the economic shutdown partly to blame. I do expect House and Senate Republicans to make the deficit and the debt an issue again. They will have to explain why it didn’t matter as much the past four years.”
Rory Cooper, a Republican strategist and former communications director for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, said: “Republicans have absolutely lost credibility on fiscal issues over the past four years. The GOP let Trump not only push spending and debt to the back burner but to make matters much worse while they stood by silently."
“Even with their diminished credibility, I still hope they speak up on these issues because somebody has to and Democrats aren’t suddenly going to become the fiscal hawks of Congress.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who was elected on a fiscally conservative platform in the Tea Party wave, recently told an interviewer he expected his party to begin holding the line on spending and deficits again next year. "Isn't that the most cynical, phony thing?" Jonathan Swan of Axios asked him.
"You're touching into something that, as you know, I've raged against," Cruz replied. "I've raged against my own party not genuinely fighting to rein in spending and deficits and debt."
This isn’t a new development under Trump. The deficit ballooned, and the national debt doubled, in the early years of Ronald Reagan’s presidency before declining again in the mid-1980s. Reagan had to contend with a Democratic House majority controlling the purse strings for both his terms.
George W. Bush had a Republican-controlled House for his first six years in office. He nevertheless presided over the return of annual deficits after a budget surplus had been achieved in Bill Clinton’s second term, even before the financial crisis, and another doubling of the debt. His vice president, Dick Cheney, was quoted as saying Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter.
But Trump’s nomination came after the Tea Party had pledged to make the GOP more consistent on fiscal policy and House Speaker Paul Ryan had committed congressional Republicans to a budget blueprint that would reduce entitlement spending. While Trump did promise to eliminate the national debt, he also vowed to increase both defense and nondefense spending while cutting taxes and opposing Ryan-style entitlement reforms. Under Trump, some conservatives complained the party had previously outsourced too much of its economic thinking to doctrinaire libertarians.
“They just need to be prepared for the obvious ridicule and hypocrisy charges that they’ve earned,” Cooper said of Republican opponents of a potential Biden spending spree. “They cannot and should not determine to play fiscal hawks on COVID recovery bills. Part of being fiscally responsible is better situating the government for needed emergency spending, which that is. It’s also a politically dumb hill to die on when you’ve shown no interest in the debt for four years and then regain your religion on the one spending bill that America desperately needs right now.”
Chris Edwards, a tax and budget policy expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, expects opposition to new Biden initiatives but not so much because of the deficit.
“There will continue to be a few GOP deficit hawks, but politicians found out in 2020 that they could jack up federal deficits from $1 trillion to $3 trillion a year, with apparently no resistance from global capital markets or the central bank. More than ever, to politicians, federal spending appears to be free,” said Edwards. “However, there will be resistance to Biden’s expansive spending plans because of worries about expanded federal power and intrusion on state and local policymaking. Biden’s biggest spending expansions are in infrastructure, healthcare, paid leave, education, and other activities that are all the domains of the states.”
Republican governors and state lawmakers, along with their allies in Congress, will want to defend their prerogatives and limit Biden’s regulatory reach. “So resistance to deficits has melted away, but there will be strong resistance to the Biden programs themselves,” Edwards said.
Trump has yet to concede the election and is still contesting the results in several states. The White House has reportedly directed federal agencies to move forward with Trump's February budget proposal.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Arizona resists allowing GOP video that could prove more in-person votes should be counted

Arizona Republicans and President Trump 's campaign hope to get a boost in their lawsuit over election administration from a video recording taken at a polling place .
The video , though , might not make it into the courtroom as evidence because it is illegal to record video or take photos in an Arizona polling location .
Trump 's campaign and the Republican Party of Arizona filed suit in Arizona on Saturday , alleging that poll workers `` frequently deviated '' from proper protocol `` by pressing , or inducing voters to press , the so-called 'green button ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signaling apparent defects or irregularities . ''
That action , the lawsuit says , would invalidate the ballot rather than count it .
Poll workers allegedly claimed instead that the green button would correct the problem .
The goal for Arizona Republicans is to count more ballots because in-person ballots tend to favor Trump .
The lawsuit could allow more ballots to be tallied .
Lawyers for the Trump campaign filed a motion on Tuesday to allow a video of a poll worker making that action , which would back up the claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the problem .
Attorney Kory Langhofer , who represents the Trump campaign , said that while he “ wouldn ’ t have signed off on '' a voter taking that video , “ now that it exists and it shows the poll worker pressing the green button , that ’ s relevant evidence , '' he told the judge Tuesday , according to Capitol Media Services .
`` And I don ’ t see why it ’ s not admissible . ''
Langhofer , to preserve voter privacy , says the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public .
“ I ’ m uncomfortable with the idea of having a video that shows people ’ s faces , voted ballots , or visible who they voted for , ” Langhofer said .
“ So it seems to me like sealing it is appropriate.
” '' It appears the videographers violated Arizona law : it is a class 2 misdemeanor to take photographs or videos within the seventy-five foot limit around polling locations while voters are present , '' they said in response .
`` Accordingly , these videos can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be needed by the Attorney General or County Attorney should they choose to prosecute this unlawful behavior . ''
`` It would [ be ] counterintuitive to have individuals invade the privacy of voters and violate their right to vote in secret and then use the fruit of that potentially illegal activity to advance a civil case , '' lawyers for the county continued .
`` Moreover , it would be borderline obscene to allow them to do it , then present it to a court in secret . ''
A hearing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 9:30 a.m. local Arizona time , or 11:30 a.m. EST .
The lawsuit , if successful , may help Trump inch closer to overtaking Joe Biden in the state .
Trump trails Biden by about 13,000 votes in Arizona , and as more in-person votes are counted , they tend to favor the president .
Unlike in contested states where Trump 's legal team focuses on contesting illegally cast ballots , the Arizona suit aims to qualify more ballots .
Tangentially related to the lawsuit is a debunked conspiracy theory that in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a way to suppress votes for Trump intentionally .
While the lawsuit does n't mention Sharpies , many of the witness affidavits filed with the lawsuit allege problems with using Sharpies on ballots .

Arizona Republicans and President Trump's campaign hope to get a boost in their lawsuit over election administration from a video recording taken at a polling place.
The video, though, might not make it into the courtroom as evidence because it is illegal to record video or take photos in an Arizona polling location.
Trump's campaign and the Republican Party of Arizona filed suit in Arizona on Saturday, alleging that poll workers "frequently deviated" from proper protocol "by pressing, or inducing voters to press, the so-called 'green button' on tabulation devices when confronted with alerts signaling apparent defects or irregularities." That action, the lawsuit says, would invalidate the ballot rather than count it.
Poll workers allegedly claimed instead that the green button would correct the problem. The goal for Arizona Republicans is to count more ballots because in-person ballots tend to favor Trump. The lawsuit could allow more ballots to be tallied.
Lawyers for the Trump campaign filed a motion on Tuesday to allow a video of a poll worker making that action, which would back up the claims made by voters who came forward complaining about the problem.
Attorney Kory Langhofer, who represents the Trump campaign, said that while he “wouldn’t have signed off on" a voter taking that video, “now that it exists and it shows the poll worker pressing the green button, that’s relevant evidence," he told the judge Tuesday, according to Capitol Media Services. "And I don’t see why it’s not admissible."
Langhofer, to preserve voter privacy, says the video can be sealed and made inaccessible to the public.
“I’m uncomfortable with the idea of having a video that shows people’s faces, voted ballots, or visible who they voted for,” Langhofer said. “So it seems to me like sealing it is appropriate.”
Attorneys for Maricopa County opposed the motion.
"It appears the videographers violated Arizona law: it is a class 2 misdemeanor to take photographs or videos within the seventy-five foot limit around polling locations while voters are present," they said in response. "Accordingly, these videos cannot be sealed, because they may be needed by the Attorney General or County Attorney should they choose to prosecute this unlawful behavior."
"It would [be] counterintuitive to have individuals invade the privacy of voters and violate their right to vote in secret and then use the fruit of that potentially illegal activity to advance a civil case," lawyers for the county continued. "Moreover, it would be borderline obscene to allow them to do it, then present it to a court in secret."
A hearing for the case will take place on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. local Arizona time, or 11:30 a.m. EST.
The lawsuit, if successful, may help Trump inch closer to overtaking Joe Biden in the state. Trump trails Biden by about 13,000 votes in Arizona, and as more in-person votes are counted, they tend to favor the president. Unlike in contested states where Trump's legal team focuses on contesting illegally cast ballots, the Arizona suit aims to qualify more ballots.
[Follow here for complete election lawsuits coverage]
Tangentially related to the lawsuit is a debunked conspiracy theory that in-person voters were instructed to use Sharpie markers as a way to suppress votes for Trump intentionally. While the lawsuit doesn't mention Sharpies, many of the witness affidavits filed with the lawsuit allege problems with using Sharpies on ballots.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--All eyes now officially on Georgia as GOP Senate majority hangs in the balance

Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan 's reelection Tuesday has shifted the future of the Senate majority 4,500 miles southeast , to Georgia , where a rare double runoff contest for two open Senate seats will determine which party controls the gavel in January .
Democrats remain in the minority with 48 seats unless they can win these two seats .
Voters will pick winners in these Senate races in a Jan. 5 runoff .
Sullivan ’ s reelection has secured the GOP 50 seats when the Senate convenes for the 117th Congress in January , but that wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes office later that month .
Kamala Harris would cast the tie-breaking vote as vice president and president of the Senate .
That 's why Republicans will focus heavily on holding the Georgia Senate seats .
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , a New York Democrat who hopes to be running the Senate next year , is hardly giving up .
“ When it comes to the Senate , ” Schumer said Tuesday , “ It ’ s not over.
” Georgia ’ s election history suggests the two Republican candidates have the advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much smaller in runoff elections , and in Georgia , those contests tend to favor Republicans .
“ The Democrats do not have a good history of winning these runoffs , ” John Couvillon , head of polling firm JMC Enterprises , told the Washington Examiner .
Election Day results gave incumbent Sen. David Perdue a slight advantage , with 49.7 % of the vote compared to Democrat John Ossoff ’ s 48 % .
A second Senate race to fill a vacated seat left the incumbent , Sen. Kelly Loeffler , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ballot that included 20 candidates .
Warnock garnered 32.9 % of the vote to Loeffler ’ s 25.9 % , but the picture is less rosy for Warnock than it appears .
The GOP vote was mostly split between Loeffler and Republican Rep. Doug Collins , who won 19.9 % of the vote , and several other GOP candidates .
It ’ s far more likely those voters , if they turn out in January , will back Loeffler , not Warnock .
Several lower-ballot Democrats won roughly 16 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign on healthcare and has attacked Loeffler for supporting the elimination of Obamacare , which he said would hurt Georgia , particularly in rural areas .
Loeffler ’ s campaign has deployed a new ad attacking Warnock as a “ Marxist and a socialist , ” who labeled the police “ gangsters and thugs.
” The race will be affected by national parties and outside political groups pouring millions of dollars into Georgia over the next two months .
The effort is likely to increase turnout beyond normal runoff numbers , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some densely populated areas of Georgia have shifted away from the GOP .
But it could also ramp up voter turnout in rural areas that typically vote Republican .
Democrats believe a win is within striking distance .
Schumer pointed to two 2018 runoff races in Georgia , one of them for secretary of state , in which Democrats lost but came within 4 points of winning .
Schumer said , in those runoff races , “ not much Democratic money or effort ” was deployed , but that will not be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's this conventional wisdom that Democrats do n't win runoffs in Georgia , ” Schumer said .
“ We are working very hard to win Georgia , and we believe that we have a very good chance of winning.
” Senate Republicans believe the trend in congressional races leans toward the GOP .
The House , rather than shedding GOP seats , will end up with a much smaller Democratic majority after Republicans flipped nine seats and are ahead in several outstanding races .
The Senate GOP over-performed polls that predicted Democrats sweeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There was not a blue wave , ” Senate Majority Whip John Thune , a South Dakota Republican , said .
“ There was n't even a blue ripple.
” Thune credited the GOP agenda and the far-Left agenda of some prominent Democrats who promoted defunding the police and the Green New Deal , which calls for eliminating all fossil fuels , among other drastic reforms .
“ I ’ m quite confident that after Georgia , we are going to be in the majority here in the United States Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting the GOP effort to label them leftist , which could be politically fatal in a state where most of the electorate leans Republican .
In an interview on MSNBC , Warnock rejected Loeffler ’ s latest campaign ad that claims he adheres to the far-Left agenda .
His focus is on healthcare , Warnock said , and Loeffler ’ s support of Republicans ' efforts to eliminate Obamacare .
“ The truth is , I 'm not interested in defunding the police , ” Warnock said .
`` I 'm interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think she 'd rather talk about all of these things because I imagine it must be difficult to explain why you want to get rid of healthcare in the middle of a pandemic.
” Jessica Taylor , an editor at the non-partisan Cook Political Report , said party efforts to get voters to the polls could decide the winner .
“ The question is : 'Who can get out their base and their voters the most when there is n't a presidential race driving the turnout ? '
'' Taylor told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undergo a full , by-hand recount of its presidential results , which show President Trump trailing Biden .

Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan's reelection Tuesday has shifted the future of the Senate majority 4,500 miles southeast, to Georgia, where a rare double runoff contest for two open Senate seats will determine which party controls the gavel in January.
Democrats remain in the minority with 48 seats unless they can win these two seats. Voters will pick winners in these Senate races in a Jan. 5 runoff.
Sullivan’s reelection has secured the GOP 50 seats when the Senate convenes for the 117th Congress in January, but that won't be good enough if presumptive President-elect Joe Biden takes office later that month. Kamala Harris would cast the tie-breaking vote as vice president and president of the Senate. That's why Republicans will focus heavily on holding the Georgia Senate seats.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat who hopes to be running the Senate next year, is hardly giving up.
“When it comes to the Senate,” Schumer said Tuesday, “It’s not over.”
Georgia’s election history suggests the two Republican candidates have the advantage, partly because voter turnout is typically much smaller in runoff elections, and in Georgia, those contests tend to favor Republicans.
“The Democrats do not have a good history of winning these runoffs,” John Couvillon, head of polling firm JMC Enterprises, told the Washington Examiner.
Election Day results gave incumbent Sen. David Perdue a slight advantage, with 49.7% of the vote compared to Democrat John Ossoff’s 48%.
A second Senate race to fill a vacated seat left the incumbent, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a Republican, trailing Democrat Raphael Warnock on a ballot that included 20 candidates.
Warnock garnered 32.9% of the vote to Loeffler’s 25.9%, but the picture is less rosy for Warnock than it appears.
The GOP vote was mostly split between Loeffler and Republican Rep. Doug Collins, who won 19.9% of the vote, and several other GOP candidates.
It’s far more likely those voters, if they turn out in January, will back Loeffler, not Warnock.
Several lower-ballot Democrats won roughly 16% of the vote combined.
Warnock has centered his campaign on healthcare and has attacked Loeffler for supporting the elimination of Obamacare, which he said would hurt Georgia, particularly in rural areas.
Loeffler’s campaign has deployed a new ad attacking Warnock as a “Marxist and a socialist,” who labeled the police “gangsters and thugs.”
The race will be affected by national parties and outside political groups pouring millions of dollars into Georgia over the next two months. The effort is likely to increase turnout beyond normal runoff numbers, and that could benefit Democrats as the electorate in some densely populated areas of Georgia have shifted away from the GOP. But it could also ramp up voter turnout in rural areas that typically vote Republican.
Democrats believe a win is within striking distance.
Schumer pointed to two 2018 runoff races in Georgia, one of them for secretary of state, in which Democrats lost but came within 4 points of winning.
Schumer said, in those runoff races, “not much Democratic money or effort” was deployed, but that will not be the case this time around.
“There's this conventional wisdom that Democrats don't win runoffs in Georgia,” Schumer said. “We are working very hard to win Georgia, and we believe that we have a very good chance of winning.”
Senate Republicans believe the trend in congressional races leans toward the GOP.
The House, rather than shedding GOP seats, will end up with a much smaller Democratic majority after Republicans flipped nine seats and are ahead in several outstanding races.
The Senate GOP over-performed polls that predicted Democrats sweeping into the majority on Nov. 3.
“There was not a blue wave,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said. “There wasn't even a blue ripple.”
Thune credited the GOP agenda and the far-Left agenda of some prominent Democrats who promoted defunding the police and the Green New Deal, which calls for eliminating all fossil fuels, among other drastic reforms.
“I’m quite confident that after Georgia, we are going to be in the majority here in the United States Senate,” Thune said.
Georgia Democrats are fighting the GOP effort to label them leftist, which could be politically fatal in a state where most of the electorate leans Republican.
In an interview on MSNBC, Warnock rejected Loeffler’s latest campaign ad that claims he adheres to the far-Left agenda.
His focus is on healthcare, Warnock said, and Loeffler’s support of Republicans' efforts to eliminate Obamacare.
“The truth is, I'm not interested in defunding the police,” Warnock said. "I'm interested in the concerns of ordinary people. And I think she'd rather talk about all of these things because I imagine it must be difficult to explain why you want to get rid of healthcare in the middle of a pandemic.”
Jessica Taylor, an editor at the non-partisan Cook Political Report, said party efforts to get voters to the polls could decide the winner.
“The question is: 'Who can get out their base and their voters the most when there isn't a presidential race driving the turnout?'" Taylor told the Washington Examiner.
Georgia is set to undergo a full, by-hand recount of its presidential results, which show President Trump trailing Biden.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--COVID-19 scare delays results in close California congressional race

COVID-19 exposure delayed the results for the razor-thin race in California ’ s 21st Congressional District between Democratic Rep. T.J. Cox and former Rep. David Valadao , a Republican .
The California Kings County Election Department announced Tuesday the department would temporarily close `` due to a COVID-19 exposure , '' and that , `` as a precautionary measure , all Election canvass operations will cease effective immediately . ''
The canvass activities will resume on Saturday , Nov. 21 , at 8 a.m. and will continue until the canvass is completed .
Valadao currently leads Cox 51.4 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precincts reporting .
Reaction from the National Republican Congressional Committee was swift .
The district was a target for Republicans this cycle to flip back after losing it to Democrats in 2018 by fewer than 1,000 votes .
The contest pitted Cox against Valadao , the former congressman who previously represented the district from 2012 until the 2018 midterm elections .
The district is located in the state ’ s northern Central Valley and spans across Kings County and parts of Fresno , Tulare , and Kern counties .
Republicans flipped California 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steel defeated Democrat Congressman Harley Rouda , and the GOP candidates are currently leading in two other uncalled California races .

COVID-19 exposure delayed the results for the razor-thin race in California’s 21st Congressional District between Democratic Rep. T.J. Cox and former Rep. David Valadao, a Republican.
The California Kings County Election Department announced Tuesday the department would temporarily close "due to a COVID-19 exposure," and that, "as a precautionary measure, all Election canvass operations will cease effective immediately."
The canvass activities will resume on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 a.m. and will continue until the canvass is completed.
Valadao currently leads Cox 51.4% to 48.6%, with 72% of precincts reporting. Reaction from the National Republican Congressional Committee was swift.
"This is bullshit," NRCC Communications Director Chris Pack tweeted.
The district was a target for Republicans this cycle to flip back after losing it to Democrats in 2018 by fewer than 1,000 votes.
The contest pitted Cox against Valadao, the former congressman who previously represented the district from 2012 until the 2018 midterm elections. The district is located in the state’s northern Central Valley and spans across Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern counties.
Republicans flipped California's 48th Congressional District this year when Michelle Steel defeated Democrat Congressman Harley Rouda, and the GOP candidates are currently leading in two other uncalled California races.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Biden lead in Pennsylvania blows past 50,000 votes

A range of media outlets declared Biden to be the winner of Pennsylvania on Saturday and , by extension , the winner of the 2020 election .
With over 99 % of the ballots counted , Biden 's total vote count grew on Wednesday to 3,381,608 compared to President Trump 's 3,331,125 , giving him a 50,483 vote lead , according to the Associated Press .
Trump has not yet conceded the race as he waits for legal challenges and recounts in battleground states to play out .
Trump 's personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , said in a Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign has evidence that may flip Pennsylvania away from Biden .
He claimed that Republican observers in Pittsburgh were `` kept out of the room or kept away from the room '' where mail-in ballots were being counted for 24 hours , adding that 135,000 ballots were counted during that period .
Giuliani said that the Trump team was also looking into whether ballots were cast in the name of people who are already dead and if ballots were `` backdated , '' citing evidence in part from the Postal Service .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that USPS worker Richard Hopkins , who signed a sworn affidavit claiming that postal supervisory officials devised a plan to backdate late ballots , told officials in the Postal Service 's inspector general 's office that he no longer stood by his claims .
Hopkins claimed in the affidavit that post office workers were directed to pick up late ballots and backdate them , which was first reported by the investigative group Project Veritas .
The group 's founder James O'Keefe tweeted that Hopkins was `` coerced '' by agents , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not , in fact , recant his statements .
As of Wednesday afternoon , Biden has 290 Electoral College votes according to the Associated Press , 20 above what is needed to clinch the presidency .

Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden's lead is growing in Pennsylvania.
A range of media outlets declared Biden to be the winner of Pennsylvania on Saturday and, by extension, the winner of the 2020 election. With over 99% of the ballots counted, Biden's total vote count grew on Wednesday to 3,381,608 compared to President Trump's 3,331,125, giving him a 50,483 vote lead, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has not yet conceded the race as he waits for legal challenges and recounts in battleground states to play out.
Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in a Fox News interview over the weekend that the Trump campaign has evidence that may flip Pennsylvania away from Biden. He claimed that Republican observers in Pittsburgh were "kept out of the room or kept away from the room" where mail-in ballots were being counted for 24 hours, adding that 135,000 ballots were counted during that period. Giuliani said that the Trump team was also looking into whether ballots were cast in the name of people who are already dead and if ballots were "backdated," citing evidence in part from the Postal Service.
The Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee tweeted on Tuesday that USPS worker Richard Hopkins, who signed a sworn affidavit claiming that postal supervisory officials devised a plan to backdate late ballots, told officials in the Postal Service's inspector general's office that he no longer stood by his claims.
Hopkins claimed in the affidavit that post office workers were directed to pick up late ballots and backdate them, which was first reported by the investigative group Project Veritas. The group's founder James O'Keefe tweeted that Hopkins was "coerced" by agents, and video of Hopkins shows him saying he did not, in fact, recant his statements.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Biden has 290 Electoral College votes according to the Associated Press, 20 above what is needed to clinch the presidency.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--On the side of 'Nazis': Arizona Democratic secretary of state issued anti-Trump tweets

Katie Hobbs , the Democratic secretary of state for Arizona who is overseeing the state 's razor-close presidential election , launched many harsh critiques of President Trump on Twitter before she assumed her current office .
In tweets sent from her personal campaign account , Hobbs accused Trump of being `` on the side of the freaking Nazis '' and said that much of what happened at his rallies was `` deplorable '' and cheered for `` stopping the Trump agenda . ''
“ The President is on the side of the freaking Nazis .
Do n't just say stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hobbs tweeted on Aug. 12 , 2017 , in response to then-Sen. Jeff Flake , a Republican , condemning the white supremacists at the Charlottesville , Virginia , `` Unite the Right '' rally , where a counterprotester was killed .
Trump has condemned white supremacists .
Hobbs repeated that line of attack in a tweet a few days later : `` @ realDonaldTrump has made it abundantly clear he 's more interested in pandering to his neo-nazi base than being @ POTUS for all Americans . ''
Hobbs was elected to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 and took office in 2019 .
Before that , she was a state senator and a state representative , first elected to office in 2010 .
The first-term secretary of state became a regular figure on cable news in the days following Election Day , giving updates on the number of ballots left to count in the close race in which presumptive President-elect Joe Biden currently leads Trump by about 12,800 votes .
She 's also responded to debunked claims that the use of Sharpie markers could cause problems with ballots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his campaign about election fraud .
`` There are not illegal votes being counted in the state of Arizona , ” Hobbs said on MSNBC last week .
“ Honestly , this kind of disinformation makes our jobs harder.
” Hobbs is not the only Democratic secretary of state overseeing a key Electoral College contest who has bad-mouthed the president on Twitter .
Pennsylvania ’ s Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar predicted that a Trump victory would `` significantly weaken the U.S. , driving us into a lengthy recession.
” In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the title 'President ' before the word 'Trump ' really demeans the office of the presidency.
” In October 2016 , before Trump was elected , Hobbs remarked that `` there is so much deplorable at Trump rallies it 's hard to keep track , '' echoing then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton 's September 2016 widely criticized `` basket of deplorables '' line .
Hobbs made the comment in response to a photo of a sign at a Trump rally that depicted a shooting target over Clinton 's face .
“ Thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re one seat closer to stopping the Trump agenda .
We just saw what happens when we fight in every zip code , in every state .
Let 's make it happen in Arizona in 2018 !
!
” she tweeted .
Tweets from Hobbs harshly critical of Trump slowed as she campaigned to be Arizona 's secretary of state in 2018 .
She has mentioned Trump 's name from her official secretary of state account twice .
In , she said that Trump was “ wrong ” about voting by mail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In , she publicized a letter she sent Arizona 's attorney general asking to investigate whether the Trump administration , through the Postal Service , was intentionally delaying the delivery of ballots .
Hobbs 's office did not respond to a request for comment .

Katie Hobbs, the Democratic secretary of state for Arizona who is overseeing the state's razor-close presidential election, launched many harsh critiques of President Trump on Twitter before she assumed her current office.
In tweets sent from her personal campaign account, Hobbs accused Trump of being "on the side of the freaking Nazis" and said that much of what happened at his rallies was "deplorable" and cheered for "stopping the Trump agenda."
“The President is on the side of the freaking Nazis. Don't just say stuff - DO SOMETHING!!!” Hobbs tweeted on Aug. 12, 2017, in response to then-Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican, condemning the white supremacists at the Charlottesville, Virginia, "Unite the Right" rally, where a counterprotester was killed. Trump has condemned white supremacists.
The President is on the side of the freaking Nazis. Don't just say stuff - DO SOMETHING!!! https://t.co/Es9ScskF58 — Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) August 12, 2017
Hobbs repeated that line of attack in a tweet a few days later: "@realDonaldTrump has made it abundantly clear he's more interested in pandering to his neo-nazi base than being @POTUS for all Americans."
.@realDonaldTrump has made it abundantly clear he's more interested in pandering to his neo-nazi base than being @POTUS for all Americans. — Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) August 15, 2017
Hobbs was elected to be Arizona’s secretary of state in 2018 and took office in 2019. Before that, she was a state senator and a state representative, first elected to office in 2010.
The first-term secretary of state became a regular figure on cable news in the days following Election Day, giving updates on the number of ballots left to count in the close race in which presumptive President-elect Joe Biden currently leads Trump by about 12,800 votes.
She's also responded to debunked claims that the use of Sharpie markers could cause problems with ballots, and she has rebuked claims from Trump and his campaign about election fraud.
"There are not illegal votes being counted in the state of Arizona,” Hobbs said on MSNBC last week. “Honestly, this kind of disinformation makes our jobs harder.”
Hobbs is not the only Democratic secretary of state overseeing a key Electoral College contest who has bad-mouthed the president on Twitter. Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar predicted that a Trump victory would "significantly weaken the U.S., driving us into a lengthy recession.” In a 2017 tweet, she asserted that "using the title 'President' before the word 'Trump' really demeans the office of the presidency.”
In October 2016, before Trump was elected, Hobbs remarked that "there is so much deplorable at Trump rallies it's hard to keep track," echoing then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's September 2016 widely criticized "basket of deplorables" line. Hobbs made the comment in response to a photo of a sign at a Trump rally that depicted a shooting target over Clinton's face.
There is so much deplorable at Trump rallies it's hard to keep track. — Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) October 22, 2016
In a December 2017 tweet, Hobbs celebrated Democratic Sen. Doug Jones’s victory over Republican Roy Moore.
“Thank you voters of Alabama - we’re one seat closer to stopping the Trump agenda. We just saw what happens when we fight in every zip code, in every state. Let's make it happen in Arizona in 2018!!” she tweeted.
Thank you voters of Alabama - we’re one seat closer to stopping the Trump agenda. We just saw what happens when we fight in every zip code, in every state. Let's make it happen in Arizona in 2018!! — Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) December 13, 2017
Tweets from Hobbs harshly critical of Trump slowed as she campaigned to be Arizona's secretary of state in 2018.
She has mentioned Trump's name from her official secretary of state account twice. In June , she said that Trump was “wrong” about voting by mail, calling it “safe and secure.” In August , she publicized a letter she sent Arizona's attorney general asking to investigate whether the Trump administration, through the Postal Service, was intentionally delaying the delivery of ballots.
Hobbs's office did not respond to a request for comment.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Ilhan Omar paid husband's firm $2.8M during 2019-2020 election cycle

Rep. Ilhan Omar won a second term in the House of Representatives , but questions have arisen over the $ 2.8 million paid to her husband ’ s political consultancy firm over the course of the 2019-2020 election cycle .
According to Federal Election Commission records , the majority of the money went into digital advertising provided by her husband Tim Mynett 's E Street Group , costing between $ 50,000 to $ 400,000 .
The Minnesota lawmaker also paid $ 12,000 bimonthly sums to her husband ’ s firm .
Other lofty expenditures included a payment for over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44,000 for mail advertising and production .
Mynett , who was previously married , worked on Omar ’ s campaign during the 2018 midterm election cycle and began an affair with the Minnesota Democrat , who was also married at the time .
Mynett and his wife , according to a divorce filing , wound up separating by April 2019 and divorced that December .
Last March , Omar and Mynett married .
Questions previously arose about the campaign 's filings back on June 30 when FEC records showed that the E Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her $ 2.59 million in operating expenditures , which meant that 40 % of every dollar contributed to Omar 's war chest ended up in the bank account of her husband ’ s firm .
Omar 's payments to Mynett 's firm triggered an ethics complaint back in August 2019 after Mynett 's former wife alleged in the divorce filing that he had his affair with Omar while working as a paid consultant .
Omar was married to her second husband at the time .

Rep. Ilhan Omar won a second term in the House of Representatives, but questions have arisen over the $2.8 million paid to her husband’s political consultancy firm over the course of the 2019-2020 election cycle.
According to Federal Election Commission records, the majority of the money went into digital advertising provided by her husband Tim Mynett's E Street Group, costing between $50,000 to $400,000.
The Minnesota lawmaker also paid $12,000 bimonthly sums to her husband’s firm. Other lofty expenditures included a payment for over $38,000 for direct mail and over $44,000 for mail advertising and production.
Mynett, who was previously married, worked on Omar’s campaign during the 2018 midterm election cycle and began an affair with the Minnesota Democrat, who was also married at the time. Mynett and his wife, according to a divorce filing, wound up separating by April 2019 and divorced that December. Last March, Omar and Mynett married.
Questions previously arose about the campaign's filings back on June 30 when FEC records showed that the E Street Group took in $1.04 million of her $2.59 million in operating expenditures, which meant that 40% of every dollar contributed to Omar's war chest ended up in the bank account of her husband’s firm.
Omar's payments to Mynett's firm triggered an ethics complaint back in August 2019 after Mynett's former wife alleged in the divorce filing that he had his affair with Omar while working as a paid consultant. Omar was married to her second husband at the time.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Biden seeks to appease the Left as Democratic fissures emerge

Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden campaigned on a message of unity , but his own party is fractured after last week 's shock election .
Democrats failed to expand their House majority or gain Senate control , despite high expectations .
And the party 's Left is complaining they 're being scapegoated for the disappointments as members try to shape the apparent president-elect 's nominations and policy priorities .
Yet those fears seem to be misplaced , with Biden 's top spokeswoman signaling liberal Democrats wo n't be let down by the two-term vice president once he 's inaugurated .
Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's buckling to the Left has been a running theme of his bid , citing his running mate choice of presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
`` By picking Kamala Harris , the most liberal member of the Senate by voting record , Joe Biden gave reason to believe it is his intention to allow the left-most elements of the Democratic Party to have heavy influence on the rest of his administration , '' Todd told the Washington Examiner .
But with another divided Congress set to be sworn in next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centrist voices will be entirely drowned out .
A Republican Senate headed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would make it `` nearly impossible for really progressive legislation to pass , '' according to the Brookings Institution 's governance studies vice president Darrell West .
`` Leader McConnell will block action , and there wo n't be a majority in favor of those bills , '' West said .
`` Even if Democrats win the two Georgia Senate seats , it will be challenging to enact a progressive agenda because there are moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be likely to support the legislation , '' he added of the West Virginia senator .
Prior to the Georgia runoff , Republicans enjoy a 50-48 advantage in the chamber .
Although he reached out to socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 's base after two bitter primary cycles , West predicted Biden would `` turn out more centrist than liberals would like due to the political forces that will be arrayed against him . ''
The thought of frustrating the Left once terrified many Democrats , fearful of low participation or primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for instance , urged activists last month to stay engaged with the process regardless of how quickly reforms were introduced .
Obama was shellacked during the 2010 midterm elections because of suppressed Democratic turnout and the rise of the Tea Party movement .
In his apparent victory speech last Saturday , Biden spoke about uniting the country , imploring Democrats and Republicans to work together .
`` I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people .
They want us to cooperate , '' he said .
Yet he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues he 'd like to address , topics lawmakers ca n't even agree are problems , let alone discuss solutions .
Biden spokeswoman , Kate Bedingfield , then made overtures to liberals the following day on a Sunday morning show .
`` Do you believe that she 's going to be disappointed or not when she sees the agenda of the Biden administration in the first six months ? ''
NBC 's Meet the Press host Chuck Todd asked specifically of socialist New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
`` No .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly progressive and aggressive agenda .
Take a look , for example , at his climate plan , '' Bedingfield said .
`` It ’ s a big , aggressive plan .
It 's the perfect example of the kind of big effort that he is going to make to meet this moment and meet these crises we 're in . ''
The line between the Democrats ' left and center has become more pronounced after last week 's elections , with House Democrats shrinking their majority from 232-197 to 218-201 as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rep. Abigail Spanberger , who narrowly won reelection in Virginia ’ s 7th Congressional District , which voted for President Trump in 2016 , criticized the socialism tag 's acceptance and slogans such as `` defund the police . ''
`` If we are classifying Tuesday as a success from a congressional standpoint , we will get f -- -ing torn apart in 2022 .
Excuse the profanity — that 's the reality , '' she said last week of the Nov. 3 contests .
Ocasio-Cortez , in response , pointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door-knocking amid the pandemic , recommending candidates canvas constituents year-round .
`` So the whole 'progressivism is bad ' argument just doesn ’ t have any compelling evidence that I ’ ve seen , '' she tweeted .
`` When it comes to 'Defund ' and 'Socialism ' attacks , people need to realize these are racial resentment attacks .
You ’ re not gon na make that go away .
You can make it less effective . ''
For Christopher Hahn , Aggressive Progressive podcast host and a former Democratic strategist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he would be `` open to good ideas from wherever they come from . ''
Hahn warned liberal Democrats who `` settled '' for Biden over Trump to temper their expectations .
`` He has also stressed that he believes the mandate he was given by the American people was for compromise , '' Hahn said of Biden .
`` I think there are many things progressives have pushed for that will be embraced by the president-elect , but no one should expect to get everything they want given the makeup of @ @ @

Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden campaigned on a message of unity, but his own party is fractured after last week's shock election.
Democrats failed to expand their House majority or gain Senate control, despite high expectations. And the party's Left is complaining they're being scapegoated for the disappointments as members try to shape the apparent president-elect's nominations and policy priorities.
Yet those fears seem to be misplaced, with Biden's top spokeswoman signaling liberal Democrats won't be let down by the two-term vice president once he's inaugurated.
Republican strategists, including Brad Todd, suggest Biden's buckling to the Left has been a running theme of his bid, citing his running mate choice of presumptive Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
"By picking Kamala Harris, the most liberal member of the Senate by voting record, Joe Biden gave reason to believe it is his intention to allow the left-most elements of the Democratic Party to have heavy influence on the rest of his administration," Todd told the Washington Examiner.
But with another divided Congress set to be sworn in next year, pundits and Democrats don't believe centrist voices will be entirely drowned out.
A Republican Senate headed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would make it "nearly impossible for really progressive legislation to pass," according to the Brookings Institution's governance studies vice president Darrell West.
"Leader McConnell will block action, and there won't be a majority in favor of those bills," West said.
"Even if Democrats win the two Georgia Senate seats, it will be challenging to enact a progressive agenda because there are moderate Democrats such as Joe Manchin who would not be likely to support the legislation," he added of the West Virginia senator. Prior to the Georgia runoff, Republicans enjoy a 50-48 advantage in the chamber.
Although he reached out to socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders's base after two bitter primary cycles, West predicted Biden would "turn out more centrist than liberals would like due to the political forces that will be arrayed against him."
The thought of frustrating the Left once terrified many Democrats, fearful of low participation or primary challenges.
Former President Barack Obama, for instance, urged activists last month to stay engaged with the process regardless of how quickly reforms were introduced. Obama was shellacked during the 2010 midterm elections because of suppressed Democratic turnout and the rise of the Tea Party movement.
In his apparent victory speech last Saturday, Biden spoke about uniting the country, imploring Democrats and Republicans to work together.
"I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate," he said.
Yet he listed climate change and systemic racism as issues he'd like to address, topics lawmakers can't even agree are problems, let alone discuss solutions.
Biden spokeswoman, Kate Bedingfield, then made overtures to liberals the following day on a Sunday morning show.
"Do you believe that she's going to be disappointed or not when she sees the agenda of the Biden administration in the first six months?" NBC's Meet the Press host Chuck Todd asked specifically of socialist New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"No. I think that Vice President Biden campaigned on an incredibly progressive and aggressive agenda. Take a look, for example, at his climate plan," Bedingfield said. "It’s a big, aggressive plan. It's the perfect example of the kind of big effort that he is going to make to meet this moment and meet these crises we're in."
The line between the Democrats' left and center has become more pronounced after last week's elections, with House Democrats shrinking their majority from 232-197 to 218-201 as of Wednesday.
In a leaked caucus call, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who narrowly won reelection in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which voted for President Trump in 2016, criticized the socialism tag's acceptance and slogans such as "defund the police."
"If we are classifying Tuesday as a success from a congressional standpoint, we will get f---ing torn apart in 2022. Excuse the profanity — that's the reality," she said last week of the Nov. 3 contests.
Ocasio-Cortez, in response, pointed to lackluster digital strategies and a lack of door-knocking amid the pandemic, recommending candidates canvas constituents year-round.
"So the whole 'progressivism is bad' argument just doesn’t have any compelling evidence that I’ve seen," she tweeted. "When it comes to 'Defund' and 'Socialism' attacks, people need to realize these are racial resentment attacks. You’re not gonna make that go away. You can make it less effective."
So the whole “progressivism is bad” argument just doesn’t have any compelling evidence that I’ve seen.
When it comes to “Defund” & “Socialism” attacks, people need to realize these are racial resentment attacks. You’re not gonna make that go away. You can make it less effective. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 6, 2020
For Christopher Hahn, Aggressive Progressive podcast host and a former Democratic strategist, Biden had been "very clear" that he would be "open to good ideas from wherever they come from."
Hahn warned liberal Democrats who "settled" for Biden over Trump to temper their expectations.
"He has also stressed that he believes the mandate he was given by the American people was for compromise," Hahn said of Biden. "I think there are many things progressives have pushed for that will be embraced by the president-elect, but no one should expect to get everything they want given the makeup of Congress."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--USPS Pennsylvania whistleblower fights claims he recanted voter fraud charge

PHILADELPHIA — A postal worker who said he had firsthand knowledge of voter fraud is fighting back against the Washington Post and House Democrats after reports that he recanted his allegations .
In the weeks leading up to Election Day , right-wing activist group Project Veritas teased that it had evidence of rampant voter fraud in Pennsylvania .
Last week , the group 's leader , James O'Keefe , shared a video by Pennsylvania postal worker Richard Hopkins claiming that employees in his mail facility were ordered to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day .
Those allegations led to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on the Justice Department to open a federal investigation .
Shortly thereafter , Attorney General William Barr authorized DOJ employees to scrutinize any credible evidence of voter fraud , a controversial step that led to the resignation of the department 's top election crimes official .
As the Trump campaign hailed the allegation as yet another example of why it believes the electoral process was rigged against them , the Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee tweeted that Hopkins now said the supposed backdating scandal never happened .
`` IG investigators informed Committee staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that Hopkins RECANTED HIS ALLEGATIONS yesterday and did not explain why he signed a false affidavit , '' the committee tweeted Tuesday evening .
Project Veritas appeared to be caught in a lie and embroiled in another controversy .
The group has often been attacked by the Left for selectively editing videos or taking comments from whistleblowers out of context .
Unnamed sources who spoke with the Washington Post said that Hopkins signed an affidavit `` recanting his claims '' but provided no further details on the matter .
O'Keefe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his allegations .
A subsequent video released by O'Keefe Tuesday showed Hopkins interviewed by federal investigators who were seemingly pressuring him to walk back his statement .
Later in the night , O'Keefe released a separate video of Hopkins criticizing the paper and asking them for a retraction .
`` I am right at this very moment looking at an article written by Washington Post — it says that I fabricated the allegations of ballot-tampering , '' Hopkins said .
`` I 'm here to say that I did not recant my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is not what happened .
You will find out tomorrow , and I would like that the Washington Post recant their wonderful little article that they decided to throw out there . ''
President Trump signaled his support for Hopkins in a tweet , calling him a `` brave patriot '' and saying that `` more & more people are stepping forward to expose this Rigged Election ! ''
The Washington Post quietly updated its story Tuesday night to add Hopkins 's denial .
On Wednesday , a local paper reviewed 129 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that arrived late had been processed in Eerie , cutting against Hopkins 's claims that his workplace was a source of broad fraud and impropriety .
A fundraiser has been set up for Hopkins since he was put on unpaid leave from the post office .
As of Wednesday morning , he has collected nearly $ 100,000 .
`` Your donations are going to help me now that I have been put on unpaid leave from my job in Erie and have been ostracized by most of my coworkers .
I hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel safe and continue supporting my children while I find out what comes next , '' Hopkins wrote on the fundraiser site .
`` My employer has already been threatening my employment and trying to silence me .
I am scared for myself , my family and those closest to me . ''

PHILADELPHIA — A postal worker who said he had firsthand knowledge of voter fraud is fighting back against the Washington Post and House Democrats after reports that he recanted his allegations.
In the weeks leading up to Election Day, right-wing activist group Project Veritas teased that it had evidence of rampant voter fraud in Pennsylvania. Last week, the group's leader, James O'Keefe, shared a video by Pennsylvania postal worker Richard Hopkins claiming that employees in his mail facility were ordered to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day.
Those allegations led to a letter from South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham calling on the Justice Department to open a federal investigation. Shortly thereafter, Attorney General William Barr authorized DOJ employees to scrutinize any credible evidence of voter fraud, a controversial step that led to the resignation of the department's top election crimes official.
As the Trump campaign hailed the allegation as yet another example of why it believes the electoral process was rigged against them, the Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee tweeted that Hopkins now said the supposed backdating scandal never happened.
"IG investigators informed Committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday, but that Hopkins RECANTED HIS ALLEGATIONS yesterday and did not explain why he signed a false affidavit," the committee tweeted Tuesday evening.
#USPS IG investigators informed Committee staff today that they interviewed Hopkins on Friday, but that Hopkins RECANTED HIS ALLEGATIONS yesterday and did not explain why he signed a false affidavit. — Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) November 10, 2020
Project Veritas appeared to be caught in a lie and embroiled in another controversy. The group has often been attacked by the Left for selectively editing videos or taking comments from whistleblowers out of context. Unnamed sources who spoke with the Washington Post said that Hopkins signed an affidavit "recanting his claims" but provided no further details on the matter.
O'Keefe, however, was adamant that Hopkins stands by his allegations. A subsequent video released by O'Keefe Tuesday showed Hopkins interviewed by federal investigators who were seemingly pressuring him to walk back his statement.
Later in the night, O'Keefe released a separate video of Hopkins criticizing the paper and asking them for a retraction.
USPS Whistleblower Richard Hopkins: “I DID NOT RECANT”@shawnboburg and @jacobbogage have been played by the same federal agents on the audio ‘coercing,’ ‘scaring’ the whistleblower to water down allegations. As reporters, they are REQUIRED to include Richard’s denial. REQUIRED pic.twitter.com/8Rj5yWSljz — James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) November 11, 2020
"I am right at this very moment looking at an article written by Washington Post — it says that I fabricated the allegations of ballot-tampering," Hopkins said. "I'm here to say that I did not recant my statements, that did not happen. That is not what happened. You will find out tomorrow, and I would like that the Washington Post recant their wonderful little article that they decided to throw out there."
President Trump signaled his support for Hopkins in a tweet, calling him a "brave patriot" and saying that "more & more people are stepping forward to expose this Rigged Election!"
The Washington Post quietly updated its story Tuesday night to add Hopkins's denial. On Wednesday, a local paper reviewed 129 ballots and discovered that only two ballots that arrived late had been processed in Eerie, cutting against Hopkins's claims that his workplace was a source of broad fraud and impropriety.
A fundraiser has been set up for Hopkins since he was put on unpaid leave from the post office. As of Wednesday morning, he has collected nearly $100,000.
"Your donations are going to help me now that I have been put on unpaid leave from my job in Erie and have been ostracized by most of my coworkers. I hope to get a new start in a place I feel safe and continue supporting my children while I find out what comes next," Hopkins wrote on the fundraiser site. "My employer has already been threatening my employment and trying to silence me. I am scared for myself, my family and those closest to me."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--Vote count update: Trump makes another small gain in Arizona, loses more ground in Pennsylvania

Here are the latest vote counts in the presidential race as of noon Wednesday .
Presumptive president-elect Joe Biden leads President Trump by 12,813 votes in Arizona .
Reports of ballots counted Tuesday helped Trump close the gap by 1,933 votes .
In total , Biden has 1,655,192 votes , an increase of 6,550 since Tuesday , and Trump has 1,642,379 votes , an increase of 8,483 .
About 15,200 regular ballots in Arizona still need to be tabulated , nearly all of which are in Arizona 's Maricopa County , the most populous county in the state .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 3,000 mail-in ballots need signature verification .
Biden added just under 10,000 votes in Pennsylvania since Tuesday , making his total 3,376,367 .
The president , meanwhile , added roughly 8,200 to his .
Trump remains behind Biden by roughly 50,000 votes at 3,328,801 .
State officials say there are still hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count , even as most networks have called the race for Biden .
In Georgia , Biden 's lead over Trump declined slightly from 14,747 at midday Tuesday to 14,112 Wednesday , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden now has 2,471,906 votes votes , compared to 2,457,794 for Trump .
A recount is expected .
In Nevada , Biden ’ s lead expanded with the tabulation of new ballots .
He is 36,726 votes ahead of Trump in the state , a slight increase of 540 since Tuesday .
Biden has 671,427 votes , up 1,083 since Tuesday , to 634,701 for Trump , who added 543 .
Roughly 28,000 Nevada mail-in ballots still need to be tabulated .
In addition , there are 60,000 provisional ballots that need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems that need to be “ cured ” by voters by the end of the day Thursday .
In Michigan , Biden leads the president by 146,123 votes , with 50.6 % of the vote compared to Trump 's 47.9 % .
Vote counting has concluded in the state .
The Trump campaign announced on Tuesday evening that it had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in an attempt to keep the state from certifying its results until the voting process can be reviewed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes , with 49.6 % of the vote , compared to 48.9 % for Trump .
Canvassing is ongoing in Wisconsin and is expected to conclude on Tuesday , after which the Trump campaign has said that it will initiate a recount effort .

Here are the latest vote counts in the presidential race as of noon Wednesday.
ARIZONA
Presumptive president-elect Joe Biden leads President Trump by 12,813 votes in Arizona. Reports of ballots counted Tuesday helped Trump close the gap by 1,933 votes. In total, Biden has 1,655,192 votes, an increase of 6,550 since Tuesday, and Trump has 1,642,379 votes, an increase of 8,483. About 15,200 regular ballots in Arizona still need to be tabulated, nearly all of which are in Arizona's Maricopa County, the most populous county in the state. Another 28,500 provisional ballots need to be processed, and 3,000 mail-in ballots need signature verification.
PENNSYLVANIA
Biden added just under 10,000 votes in Pennsylvania since Tuesday, making his total 3,376,367. The president, meanwhile, added roughly 8,200 to his. Trump remains behind Biden by roughly 50,000 votes at 3,328,801. State officials say there are still hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count, even as most networks have called the race for Biden.
GEORGIA
In Georgia, Biden's lead over Trump declined slightly from 14,747 at midday Tuesday to 14,112 Wednesday, with an estimated 99% of ballots counted. Biden now has 2,471,906 votes votes, compared to 2,457,794 for Trump. A recount is expected.
NEVADA
In Nevada, Biden’s lead expanded with the tabulation of new ballots. He is 36,726 votes ahead of Trump in the state, a slight increase of 540 since Tuesday. Biden has 671,427 votes, up 1,083 since Tuesday, to 634,701 for Trump, who added 543. Roughly 28,000 Nevada mail-in ballots still need to be tabulated. In addition, there are 60,000 provisional ballots that need to be verified and around 2,000 with problems that need to be “cured” by voters by the end of the day Thursday.
MICHIGAN
In Michigan, Biden leads the president by 146,123 votes, with 50.6% of the vote compared to Trump's 47.9%. Vote counting has concluded in the state. The Trump campaign announced on Tuesday evening that it had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in an attempt to keep the state from certifying its results until the voting process can be reviewed.
WISCONSIN
In Wisconsin, Biden leads by 20,539 votes, with 49.6% of the vote, compared to 48.9% for Trump. Canvassing is ongoing in Wisconsin and is expected to conclude on Tuesday, after which the Trump campaign has said that it will initiate a recount effort.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-11--A country where people are afraid to tell pollsters what they think

“ I like a good contrarian argument as much as the next guy , ” tweets RealClearPolitics analyst Sean Trende , “ but there ’ s really no getting around the fact that the 2020 polling was a pile of steaming garbage.
” “ The national polls were even worse than they were four years ago , ” writes New York Times polling guru Nate Cohn .
“ Whatever steps pollsters took to improving after 2016 were cancelled out by a new set of problems.
” Trende and Cohn have earned credibility as two of the few political analysts who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise victory of 2016 , that white noncollege graduates were underrepresented in media and exit polls and that their potential for trending Republican was overlooked .
This year , pollsters adjusted their samples to include accurate proportions of noncollege whites , but the responses from these groups proved misleading .
The result : Polls significantly overstated Joe Biden ’ s popular vote margin nationally and consistently showed Trump and Republican candidates running worse in target states than they ended up doing .
The errors were largest in the states most frequently polled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Shor argues that Democrats , locked down in their home offices by COVID-19 , were more eager to respond to polls , just as they were more likely than in the past to donate money to Democrats and tweet their loathing of the Republican president .
There ’ s probably something to that .
The Pew Research Center finds that fewer than 1 out of 10 people contacted actually responds to polls , and if one party ’ s fans do so more often , the results will be skewed .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be overpolled , others tend to be underpolled .
Who are they ?
Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini ’ s chart comparing pre-election polling and the Associated Press 's VoteCast polling identifies white college graduates , women as well as men , as voting much more Republican than indicated in pre-election polling .
National Journal ’ s Josh Kraushaar showed how this produced systemically erroneous results in House races .
Both public and partisan polls showed Democrats gaining seats .
Instead , Republicans gained 6 to 13 .
As Kraushaar recounts , Democrats failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lost several such districts they had captured in 2018 .
House polls haven ’ t been so far off results since at least 1994 .
The hidden Republican trend may be due to what two Republican consultants derived from extensive interviews with suburban voters over six months .
They told Kraushaar that respondents complained about “ the excesses of so-called ‘ cancel culture , ’ pointing to a stifling environment where employees worry they can be fired or punished for heterodox political views expressed at the workplace.
” Such voters evidently hesitated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ callers who may have their names or addresses .
Kraushaar also cites Eric Kaufmann , a London-based Canadian political scientist of Jewish , Chinese , and Latino ancestry , whose 2019 book Whiteshift puts today ’ s ethnic and racial changes in historical perspective .
“ Republican supporters with degrees tend to work in graduate-dominated environments , where organisations and peers are more likely to enforce norms of political correctness , ” Kaufmann writes in the British online magazine UnHerd .
“ As a result , it is highly-educated Republican supporters who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work.
” He cites polling showing that twice as many Republican as Democratic college graduates “ said they feared that their careers could be at risk if their views became known.
” This is a case of political speech being suppressed out of fear , and it 's not the only such example .
Just as it is out of date to lament that big-money Republicans are buying elections , now that Democrats routinely outspend their opponents by vast margins , so it is out of date to suppose that the greatest threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stamp out obscenity .
The greatest threat to free speech today comes from the Left — from college and university campuses with their speech codes .
From the social media giants where 23-year-old college graduates suppress speech as “ fake ” or while accurate may be ( in a Biden press aide ’ s term ) “ misleading.
” From the corporate human resources bureaucrats who discipline and fire employees whose choice of words makes anyone else “ uncomfortable.
” When I was in the polling business some four decades ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a free society is that polls are accurate because people aren ’ t afraid to say what they really think .
This year ’ s “ steaming garbage ” polls suggest that many people aren ’ t confident that they live in such a society anymore .
Pollsters will keep trying to improve their techniques , but if large numbers of people are afraid to speak freely , they won ’ t ever entirely succeed .

“I like a good contrarian argument as much as the next guy,” tweets RealClearPolitics analyst Sean Trende, “but there’s really no getting around the fact that the 2020 polling was a pile of steaming garbage.”
“The national polls were even worse than they were four years ago,” writes New York Times polling guru Nate Cohn. “Whatever steps pollsters took to improving after 2016 were cancelled out by a new set of problems.”
Trende and Cohn have earned credibility as two of the few political analysts who spotted, before President Trump’s surprise victory of 2016, that white noncollege graduates were underrepresented in media and exit polls and that their potential for trending Republican was overlooked. This year, pollsters adjusted their samples to include accurate proportions of noncollege whites, but the responses from these groups proved misleading.
The result: Polls significantly overstated Joe Biden’s popular vote margin nationally and consistently showed Trump and Republican candidates running worse in target states than they ended up doing. The errors were largest in the states most frequently polled.
Why the error? The left-wing analyst David Shor argues that Democrats, locked down in their home offices by COVID-19, were more eager to respond to polls, just as they were more likely than in the past to donate money to Democrats and tweet their loathing of the Republican president. There’s probably something to that. The Pew Research Center finds that fewer than 1 out of 10 people contacted actually responds to polls, and if one party’s fans do so more often, the results will be skewed.
But if some types of voters tend to be overpolled, others tend to be underpolled. Who are they? Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini’s chart comparing pre-election polling and the Associated Press's VoteCast polling identifies white college graduates, women as well as men, as voting much more Republican than indicated in pre-election polling.
National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar showed how this produced systemically erroneous results in House races. Both public and partisan polls showed Democrats gaining seats. Instead, Republicans gained 6 to 13. As Kraushaar recounts, Democrats failed to capture the high-education districts they targeted and lost several such districts they had captured in 2018. House polls haven’t been so far off results since at least 1994.
The hidden Republican trend may be due to what two Republican consultants derived from extensive interviews with suburban voters over six months. They told Kraushaar that respondents complained about “the excesses of so-called ‘cancel culture,’ pointing to a stifling environment where employees worry they can be fired or punished for heterodox political views expressed at the workplace.” Such voters evidently hesitated before voicing career-ending or friendship-breaking views to callers who may have their names or addresses.
Kraushaar also cites Eric Kaufmann, a London-based Canadian political scientist of Jewish, Chinese, and Latino ancestry, whose 2019 book Whiteshift puts today’s ethnic and racial changes in historical perspective. “Republican supporters with degrees tend to work in graduate-dominated environments, where organisations and peers are more likely to enforce norms of political correctness,” Kaufmann writes in the British online magazine UnHerd. “As a result, it is highly-educated Republican supporters who are most shy about revealing their beliefs at work.”
He cites polling showing that twice as many Republican as Democratic college graduates “said they feared that their careers could be at risk if their views became known.” This is a case of political speech being suppressed out of fear, and it's not the only such example. Just as it is out of date to lament that big-money Republicans are buying elections, now that Democrats routinely outspend their opponents by vast margins, so it is out of date to suppose that the greatest threats to free expression come from conservatives trying to stamp out obscenity.
The greatest threat to free speech today comes from the Left — from college and university campuses with their speech codes. From the social media giants where 23-year-old college graduates suppress speech as “fake” or while accurate may be (in a Biden press aide’s term) “misleading.” From the corporate human resources bureaucrats who discipline and fire employees whose choice of words makes anyone else “uncomfortable.”
When I was in the polling business some four decades ago, I came to believe that one measure of a free society is that polls are accurate because people aren’t afraid to say what they really think. This year’s “steaming garbage” polls suggest that many people aren’t confident that they live in such a society anymore. Pollsters will keep trying to improve their techniques, but if large numbers of people are afraid to speak freely, they won’t ever entirely succeed.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-11-13--‘Put Americans in need above politics’: Mark Cuban asks people to donate to food banks instead of Ge

‘Put Americans in need above politics’: Mark Cuban asks people to donate to food banks instead of Georgia runoff elections

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called on his fans to donate money to food banks instead of the Senate runoff @ @ @ @ @ For those considering donating to Reps or Dems in the Georgia Senate run-offs , can @ @ @ @ @ that money to your local foodbank and organizations that can help those without food or @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
`` Lets put Americans in need above politics . ''
Cuban , @ @ @ @ @ the idea of running for president , sparred with celebrities and politicians throughout the day @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Ted Lieu responded to Cuban 's tweet , arguing that the federal government already @ @ @ @ @ in addressing food insecurity '' before chiding Cuban for `` misleading '' his fans into @ @ @ @ @ do n't matter . ''
Sitting Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue will both @ @ @ @ @ and Raphael Warnock , who kept the incumbents from securing a majority and retaining their @ @ @

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called on his fans to donate money to food banks instead of the Senate runoff elections in Georgia.
"For those considering donating to Reps or Dems in the Georgia Senate run-offs, can you please re-consider and donate that money to your local foodbank and organizations that can help those without food or shelter?" Cuban wrote on Twitter. "Lets put Americans in need above politics."
Cuban, who has repeatedly flirted with the idea of running for president, sparred with celebrities and politicians throughout the day over his idea.
Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu responded to Cuban's tweet, arguing that the federal government already plays "a huge role in addressing food insecurity" before chiding Cuban for "misleading" his fans into believing the Senate races "don't matter."
For those considering donating to Reps or Dems in the Georgia Senate run-offs, can you please re-consider and donate that money to your local foodbank
and organizations that can help those without food or shelter? Lets put Americans in need above Politics — Mark Cuban (@mcuban) November 12, 2020
Sitting Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue will both face Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who kept the incumbents from securing a majority and retaining their seats outright.