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S Kolb's avatar

Not being an election afficionado it seems to me that quite a few Senate incumbents are in close races: Baldwin, Brown, Tester, Scott, Cruz...if the poles are to be believed. Is this normal or is their an anti-incumbent vibe coming into play?

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Jonathan's avatar

Mainly tracking the state presidential situation

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Paleo's avatar

Not all that unusual.

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ArcticStones's avatar

"...if the poles are to be believed."

Poles and Ukrainians are definitely to be believed! Polls, on the other hand...

/s

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Marcus Graly's avatar

What a polarizing comment!

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michaelflutist's avatar

Can you think of a year in which there was a generalized anti-incumbent vote, irrespective of party and the partisan leanings of each state?

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Jonathan's avatar

I've seen this type thing on a local level; never national

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James Trout's avatar

1976. A number of incumbent Senators from both sides were tossed out. Even a few Governors.

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michaelflutist's avatar

Interesting. I thought that was an anti-Watergate year.

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Jonathan's avatar

Actually Ford did relatively well considering Watergate

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michaelflutist's avatar

It was a very close race, and it's obvious that the very unpopular and damaging pardon of Nixon cost him the race. But I thought a lot of Republican seats were turned over in Congress. Was that more in 1974?

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Jonathan's avatar

I was thinking 74

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James Trout's avatar

1974 was very much a Watergate year. 1976 was not. If it were, it would have been a strong year for Democrats.

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Paleo's avatar

Democrats were starting from a very high base. They had nearly 300 house seats and over 60 senate seats.

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Mike in MD's avatar

1976 was actually quite a strong Democratic year in that they held most of their 1974 gains, with losses In the House and Senate nearly evenly balanced between the parties, mostly due to personal and local factors than any national trend. Dems probably close to maxed themselves out in 1974, so holding most of that was a big achievement.

Carter of course completed a trifecta, but only barely and more due to circumstances than a wave. His victory map, which looks antiquated now, already looked like something of a throwback then with all the Democratic states in the South that he carried largely through personal appeal. And Ford carried several states elsewhere that are out of contention for the GOP today.

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Paleo's avatar

тАШ74 was.

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Paleo's avatar

Led by the two biggest states, California and New York where Tunney and Buckley lost.

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the lurking ecologist's avatar

Seems like the year after the House minting scandal came to light dumped incumbents? Mid 80s maybe?

Otherwise I'd guess an election either in the 1910s or 1930/32.

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Jonathan's avatar

Normally it's a 1 party thing imo

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the lurking ecologist's avatar

Agree. That's why I was thinking the franking scandal (not minting) because it hit both parties I think, or during antitrust or after 1929 where everyone was mad. But my comment is informed by no research. .ЁЯШБ

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Stephen A Mikalik's avatar

WI (Baldwin) & PA (Casey) statewide races are usually close but both should hit 53%. MT (Tester) is a red state that got a little redder. Tester got lucky to win close races because he was rational politician. OH (Brown) is a swing state turned red. Brown's been in the public eye for 40 years & been a high quality guy the whole time. Brown needs to get truly lucky for the first time. TX (Cruz) & FL (Scott) are pink states with super unpopular Senators. Trump is going to drag Cruz to 50.2% while the state kicks & screams. Scott is the one GOP incumbent in trouble but might get bailed out by former NY snowbirds who made Florida their permanent residence post-COVID.

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Jonathan's avatar

Rick Scott has surpassed 50% exactly 1 time in his political career; topping out at a whopping 50.06% in 2018(my point is; he's NEVER been popular; just rich)

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ClimateHawk's avatar

Maybe I am behind, but I don't think Baldwin's race will be very close.

The only Dem Sen incumbents I am worried about are Tester and Brown..

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