https://youtu.be/kHAlX9a_dfA
Here’s the thing. If anyone understands the right-wing conspiracy, it’s Hillary Clinton. But in yesterday’s speech, she went through the motions of praising the Republicans who “aren’t like Donald Trump.”
Yeah, I hated it, but rest assured: It was a tactic. She’s going for the moderate Republicans — not because she likes them, not because she trusts them — but because if she wants to implement her agenda, she needs to crush Republicans in the down-ballot races.
And by being more explicit than she has been before, she gives the press permission to go after Trump’s racism and racist ties. That works.
She’s not promising Republicans anything; she doesn’t have to. She’s not moving her agenda to the right.
So it’s a good start. The Senate races look good for regaining a majority, but some of those Democratic candidates (like Indiana’s Evan Bayh, Florida’s Patrick Murphy) are centrist corporatists, and if she could get the edge of a couple of a few more Democratic votes, she won’t have to compromise on things like SCOTUS nominations or legislation.
So she doesn’t just need to win. She needs to win BIG.
In presidential elections of recent years, we no longer see much ticket-splitting. The popularity of Republican senator tracks that of Donald Trump; the worse Trump does, the greater the chance Republican senators lose — even Chuck Grassley in Iowa is almost tied with Patty Judge. (Speaking of: I think this ad might put her over the top.)
Most of the races are surprisingly competitive this year. Clinton’s going to be much nicer to Republicans than they deserve, but it will pay off later.
