Orange Going Blue

For John, BLUF:  I am thinking the Democrats could mess this up by overly focusing on President Trump and on his possible Impeachment.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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California's Orange County could determine Congress control

From The Sacramento Bee, by AP Political Writer Michael R Blood, 5 May 2018.  The By Line location is Irvine, where my sister-in-law just sold her house, to consolidate her location outside of Seattle, Washington.

Here is the lede plus two:

Once considered conservative holy ground, Orange County is starting to look like a last stand for California Republicans.

Chased out of much of California by Democrats who hold every statewide office and a 39-14 advantage in U.S. House seats, the party is trying to hold its ground in a place whose nickname, the Orange Curtain, recalls its famous Republican bona fides and where white, suburban homeowners once delivered winning margins for its candidates year after year.

But that's changed.  And Democrats emboldened by an unpopular president and a diversifying population that favors their party hope to capture all four of the Republican-held U.S. House seats in the county.

First off, I am sure Mr Blood meant Caucasians and not "Whites".  Maybe it was the fault of the editors.

Secondly, Mr Blood writes like it is the 1950s, when Orange County really was Conservative.  In the 1960s and 70s, as folks moved in from LA County, the political profile of the population changed.

One thing to keep in mind is that the California elections laws are not like those in the other 49 States:

In California, what matters is finishing first or second in the primary.  That's because under election rules the top two vote-getters advance to November, regardless of party affiliation.

It is the case that the California voting law could squeeze out the Republicans, but we won't know until November.

In the mean time, The Boston Globe's belief in a Blue Tsunami this fall notwithstanding, I don't think it is a given that the Democrats will take over both Houses, let alone gain a two-thirds hold on the Senate.

And why is the color for Democrats Blue and the Republicans Red?  Elsewhere in the world Red is the color of Revolution and Communism.

Hat tip to The Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff