Quote (Black XistenZ @ Dec 17 2020 06:15pm)

That's really the big question going forward - how many of Trump's supporters will turn out for run of the mill republicans? But it cuts both ways, it is also an open question if those upscale, educated suburbanites who went Romney-Clinton-Biden or Romney-Trump-Biden will really permanently realign and keep voting for Democrats, now that Trump is gone. Similarly, it's quite questionable that progressive and young voters will keep turning out in record numbers for Democrats after the Biden admin underdelivers badly for their causes.

If I had to bet, I'd say that Trump's absence will reduce turnout on both sides by about the same amount.

Quote (bogie160 @ Dec 17 2020 06:54pm)

For run of the mill Republicans? I suspect the same number who came out and voted for Romney.

Trump was on the right side of eminently winnable issues and flubbed the response at every turn. All it takes is a charismatic candidate and a competent speech-writer.

Quote (IceMage @ Dec 17 2020 05:54pm)

Trump appeals to the nutty, dark underbelly of America, so I'm not sure how any other GOP candidate would do.

Quote (EndlessSky @ 17 Dec 2020 19:04)

Im pretty sure the dark underbelly would vote for Nikki Haley simply on looks.

Quote (excellence @ Dec 17 2020 07:08pm)

how racist that user icemage is, always tryna associate bad with dark colors

Quote (Skinned @ 18 Dec 2020 01:00)

Charismatic authority is so freakin potent right now. Rational-Legal authority is almost universally despised by everyone for various reasons, and they undermined the fuck out of traditional authority already, and there hasn't truly been very many charismatic leaders in modern times. Reagan was charismatic but definitely represented cultural atavism and didn't fit this. Huge Chavez and Trump in the past decade or so.

Quote (Black XistenZ @ 17 Dec 2020 19:16)

If we go back a bit further in time, Erdogan and Berlusconi also fit this pattern.

I guess boring, technocratic keepers of the status quo are not in vogue at the moment because too many people on both sides are deeply dissatisfied with this status quo. And because these forces neuter each other, the status quo has been maintened way past its expiration date. Politics has become this tug of war where the forces pulling the rope on both sides are getting more and more powerful, but the rope itself has barely moved.

Quote (Black XistenZ @ Dec 17 2020 03:15pm)

That's really the big question going forward - how many of Trump's supporters will turn out for run of the mill republicans? But it cuts both ways, it is also an open question if those upscale, educated suburbanites who went Romney-Clinton-Biden or Romney-Trump-Biden will really permanently realign and keep voting for Democrats, now that Trump is gone. Similarly, it's quite questionable that progressive and young voters will keep turning out in record numbers for Democrats after the Biden admin underdelivers badly for their causes.

If I had to bet, I'd say that Trump's absence will reduce turnout on both sides by about the same amount.

Quote (thundercock @ 17 Dec 2020 21:06)

Yea, we really don't have many data points to work off of unfortunately. 2016, 2018, and 2020 are all that we have and I think it's clear that the GOP benefits a lot if Trump is at the top of the ticket.

Quote (excellence @ Dec 17 2020 09:23pm)

funny thing is they’d be shedding seats left and right going forward if it werent for the idiot (D) leaders

President Trump is ironically one of the best fundraisers for the GOP for the last 4+ years. He showed them how to win and they hated it. Stupid party indeed

I hope Trump’s supporters sit out the next few election cycles. those useless scumstain swamp demons in the GOP dont deserve a vote in their favor. let the (D)s take the reins they so desperately crave. GOP is useless anyways “oh judges and whatever” lol good joke there