But the Polls...
The only numbers that matter are votes
As a recent transplant from Northern Virginia, I watched yesterday’s elections closely not just because we lived there, but because Virginia elections are a bellwether for the following year's major national elections. Virginia holds off-cycle, odd-numbered year elections that offer tangible insight into what’s on the minds of voters as opposed to nebulous and overly sensationalized polling data.
The 2021 gubernatorial election ushered in the milquetoast, Patagonia vest-wearing, Mr. MAGA-in-loafers Glenn Youngkin. His victory was a rude awakening for Democrats after winning the federal trifecta the previous year. Youngkin came on the heels of COVID lockdowns, indicating that far too many hadn’t fully rejected the authoritarian-curious Republican party. It was my second election as a civilian and I endorsed and campaigned for Terry McAuliffe, so I took that loss a bit personally. It wasn’t that I felt an intense affiliation with McAuliffe, I never met him, I just didn’t want Youngkin and his brand of cleaned-up MAGAs to win. That off-cycle gubernatorial race drove the narrative of an impending red tsunami that would sweep over the 2022 midterms. Of course there never was a red wave, at best it was a pink ripple, but it was Youngkin’s victory that largely fed the narrative. In reality, Youngkin’s win was a wake-up call and galvanizing force for Democrats in the 2022 midterm elections.
Democrats now control both houses of the Virginia General Assembly. The referendum on reproductive freedom in Ohio passed resoundingly and Democrat Dan McCaffrey won the State Supreme Court race in Pennsylvania shoring up both election integrity and reproductive rights there as well. Does this spell disaster for Republican hopes to win the White House and retain control of the House of Representatives next year? There’s an enormous amount of work to do between now and then and I urge you all to not become complacent, but I am breathing a bit easier after last night’s results.
But what about the Biden poll numbers, you ask? Well…I’ll take your polls and raise you election results. Polls are merely a snapshot in time and are currently forecasting an election an entire year away. Furthermore, pollsters have been consistently horrendous in predicting Election Day results. Some polls even self-select on predetermined outcomes by asking biased questions to elicit a specific result that caters to the media landscape. If pollsters spent less time trying to generate news for the media organizations that pay them and focused on talking to people who actually vote, perhaps their predictions would be more reflective of reality.
Why It Matters: The MAGA-captured Republican party is not in line with fundamental rights, freedoms, and democracy. It seems the majority of voters are finally woke to the dangers of populism and authoritarianism. If we can feed off yesterday’s victories and continue to overcome complacency, democracy will win in 2024. To achieve that essential triumph, we must always know that our votes matter and act accordingly. Then maybe after 2024, we can start to have debates on policy again? Thank you to all who voted. Go have a cup of coffee, or a drink of whatever, then roll up your sleeves for 2024. Game on!
As the moon shimmered through the night sky, I too found myself on the verge of a veritable gratitude trip. “We the people",” that’s us, the people who busted their asses for months to make this happen, they deserve a fucking medal. They raised awareness, registered voters and made sure people knew where to go and how to vote. It was like watching a democracy machine in action, and it was beautiful, for “We the People.”
These citizens were on fire for justice and freedom. They organized armies of volunteers, marched through the night and painted the picture of a united nation, a tapestry woven of goals and views. They were the ones who whispered hope, who shared the dream of a better future, and they did it with a ferocity that would make a Republican blush.
They could feel the energy in the air. They organized, strategized and mobilized to make sure every single voice was heard. They were the ones who lit a fire in every soul, who made sure we all knew our duty and reached for the stars. They were the ones who danced the dance of democracy with the power of a thousand suns.
And now, as the sun rises, we can bask in the glow of their victory. We can raise our voices in unison and sing a hymn of thanks, a heartfelt tribute to the beauty of democracy's embrace. For "We the People" who have given everything, who have defied all odds, who have ensured that justice prevails.
So let's raise a glass, my fellow Americans, to these citizens who have made it. Let's raise a toast to their passion, their ferocity and their spirit. Let's celebrate the triumph of democracy and remember that it was these freedom fighters who made it all possible.
“We the people” are rebuilding.
"But what about the Biden poll numbers, you ask? Well…I’ll take your polls and raise you election results."
Exactly.