Trump Lost the Senate. All by Himself.

Trump lost the Senate—and made the loss his own.

GOP Leader John Thune worked to protect the majority, backing candidates he thought could win. Trump overruled him at every turn, most notably in Texas, backing Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn.

Then Trump made other races a loyalty test. And Graham lost South Carolina, Whatley lost North Carolina; Collins lost Georgia; Sununu lost New Hampshire.

The economy and Iran mattered, too. But Trump chose the fights, demanded the loyalty, and left Thune to defend the wreckage. Now he gets the blame.

Join our 11am ET Livestream

130 thoughts on “Trump Lost the Senate. All by Himself.”


  1. Nov 3, 2026 #Kimmel
    It’s our big midterm election show and Democrats have taken control of the House, Trump has been very quiet so far tonight as things haven’t gone his way, his priorities are insane and having nothing to do with what Americans actually want, DOJ monitors were sent to predominantly Democratic areas, we have a very tight mayoral election in LA, Idaho is voting on a state gun, we say goodbye to Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House, and a surprise visit from Jimmy’s assistant Natalie!

    Reply
  2. Happy Birthday to me! I’ll bet the Democrats feet hurt this morning after kicking so much ass last night! Have a great day everyone!

    Reply
  3. …So long, been good to know you
    So long, been good to know you
    So long, been good to know you…
    The tsunami came, and it came like thunder
    Dusted us over, it covered us under
    Blocked out the traffic, it blocked out the sun
    And straight for home all the people did run, singin’
    So long, it’s been good to know you
    So long, it’s been good to know you
    So long, been good to know you
    This morning reality is a-gettin’ my soul—-
    And I got to be driftin’ along
    Republicans, they sat in the dark ,
    They cussed and they sighed
    they cried, they sobbed… and wailed why why why?
    But instead of a party , they had a short wake, and ate humble pie while the Blue ones are cake
    Singin’ ….
    so long, it’s been good to know you
    So long, it’s been good to know you
    So long, been good to know you
    The House and The Senate are now our home
    And I got to be driftin’ along… to CONGRESS !
    Apologies to: Artist / Writer: Woody Guthrie

    Reply
  4. Happy days are here again
    The skies above are clear again
    Let’s sing a song of cheer again
    Happy days are here again
    All together shout it now
    There’s no one who will doubt it now
    Let’s tell the world about it now
    Happy days are here again
    Your cares and troubles are gone
    There’ll be no more from now on
    Happy days are here again
    The skies above are clear again
    Let’s sing a song of cheer again
    Happy days are here again
    All together shout it now
    There’s no one who will doubt it now
    Let’s tell the world about it now
    Happy days are here again
    Happy days are here again
    Happy days are here again!

    • Writers: Music by Milton Ager and lyrics by Jack Yellen in 1929.

    Reply
  5. 5:00AM and Oh9 race showed Marcy Kaptur at -78,000 votes.
    Then Lucas County reported and Marcy won going away! Bye bye Crooked Dirty Derrick Merrin!

    Reply
  6. Nobody alive today remembers when Texas Democrats won even one state seat and last night this happened as Craig just wrote.
    Tidal wave!

    Reply
  7. Trump spent years making Republicans afraid to cross him. Then he helped them lose the Senate. The fear may still be there. The shield isn’t.

    Here’s the impeachment math—and the 17 Republicans with reason to reconsider.

    Craigtrailmix | SUBSTACK
    Trump Just Lost His Impeachment Shield
    Read on Substack →

    Reply
  8. Who won the Alaska Senate race? Razor-thin margin between Sullivan and Peltola delays final results
    The U.S. Senate race in Alaska remains too close to call. With 72% of the expected vote tallied, Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan holds a razor-thin margin over Democrat Mary Peltola.
    Because neither candidate has crossed the mandatory 50% threshold, the final winner will likely be decided by ranked-choice tabulation in mid-November.

    04/11/2026 05:34
    The U.S. Senate race in Alaska is shaping up to be one of the tightest and most complex contests of the 2026 midterm elections. With vote counting underway and tens of thousands of ballots still to be processed, the race between Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola remains a dead heat, leaving the definitive outcome in suspense.
    Because Alaska’s electoral system requires a candidate to secure more than 50% of the first-choice votes to win outright, the final result will almost certainly hinge on the state’s ranked-choice tabulation process scheduled for mid-November.
    Preliminary Results
    According to data from The Associated Press, the race has not yet been called and margins remain extremely tight:
    Dan S. Sullivan (Republican Party · Incumbent): 48.49% with 100,751 votes.
    Mary Peltola (Democratic Party): 47.68% with 99,074 votes.
    Gerald L. Heikes (Republican Party): 2.16% with 4,495 votes.
    Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. (Independent): 1.66% with 3,448 votes.
    Data reflects 72% of expected votes reporting.
    The Ranked-Choice Voting Factor
    With initial projections showing neither Sullivan nor Peltola clearing the 50% threshold, the election will trigger the state’s automated ranked-choice tabulation on November 18.
    Under this system, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters’ second-choice candidates. This elimination and redistribution process repeats until one candidate achieves an absolute majority. Many of the outstanding precincts yet to report are located in rural Alaska communities, which are historically expected to favor Peltola.
    Record Spending and Ballot Controversies
    The battle for the Senate seat has shattered previous state spending records, with campaigns and independent super PACs pouring over $100 million into the race.
    Beyond the unprecedented financial investment, the contest has been dominated by legal controversy surrounding independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher who shares a nearly identical name with the incumbent senator. Republicans launched federal lawsuits claiming his candidacy was a deliberate ploy designed to confuse conservative voters and siphon votes away from the incumbent. However, a federal judge dismissed the case, allowing the state Division of Elections to keep the namesake challenger on the ballot without a party affiliation.

    Reply
  9. Ann Richards’ staffers held a rally for Gina Hinojosa last month.

    Now, for some really good news, Vikki Goodwin beat Dan Patrick.

    https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/03/texas-dan-patrick-vikki-goodwin-lt-governor-election-2026/

    Vikki Goodwin declared victory over Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Tuesday to become the first Democratic lieutenant governor of Texas in 27 years, handily dismissing an architect of the modern Texas Republican Party who pushed the state further right during his nearly two decades in public office.

    Patrick conceded after midnight.

    “This was a wave election in Texas and across the country. Whether it was about affordability, gas prices, data centers, 765-kV lines, or any other issue important to them, I respect how the people voted. It was a fair election, and I accept the majority will of the voters,” Patrick said in a statement.

    Reply

  10. Nov 4, 2026 #DailyShow #JDVance #GavinNewsom
    Election Day 2026 is finally here, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to start stressing about 2028! Josh Johnson takes a look at the growing field of will-they-won’t-they candidates for the next presidential race: JD Vance is saddled with an unpresidential name AND a lousy sense of humor, Gavin Newsom endures the humiliation ritual of fly-fishing with Jake Tapper, and Sen. John Kennedy positions himself as America’s anti-goober candidate. Whoever the 2028 nominees may be, the important thing is we’re only two years and seven minutes away from finally talking about 2032.

    Reply
  11. blueINdallas
    November 3, 2026 at 10:43 pm
    Buttigieg can be Ossoff’s Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense. Yes, the 2028 primaries start at midnight!

    Yes, I weighed in on the 2028 primary before midnight.

    Reply
  12. Wish Dan Osborn had won in Nebraska.
    We needed an indie to, perhaps, offset Fetterman.

    Last night might just make moderate Repugs side with Dems & do what the people want.

    Reply
  13. TRAIL MIX TO ADDRESS TRUMP ARCH COMMISSION

    I’ve Got Three Minutes Tomorrow. What Should I Say?

    Reply to this comment to add your suggestions.

    Well, we’re officially on the roster. Tomorrow I’ll speak for Trail Mix at the National Capital Planning Commission’s hearing on Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.

    I’m listed as speaker No. 84: Craig Crawford, trailmix.cc. The commission is considering final approval of the project, with federal court challenges still hanging over it.

    WATCH LIVE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, STARTING AT 1 P.M. ET:
    https://www.ncpc.gov/live/

    Anyone can watch. No registration required. With so many people signed up to testify, I don’t yet know exactly when they’ll call my name.

    HERE’S WHERE I NEED THE TRAIL MIX CREW. I get just three minutes. That’s roughly 400 words to tell federal planners what they ought to consider before approving this thing.

    So what should I say? The damage to historic views? The traffic and safety concerns? The legal questions? The sheer absurdity of planting a 250-foot monument in one of the most solemn settings in America? I’m thinking about a reference to Caligula’s horse — stop me now.

    Give me your strongest argument in the comments. I’ll read a selection to the commission. Three minutes isn’t much, but we might as well make every second count.

    Sources:

    • “November 5 Commission Meeting” (NCPC, November 5): The meeting begins at 1 p.m. ET, with public testimony and a scheduled review of the proposed arch.
    • “Online Commission Meetings” (NCPC, November 4): “No registration is required to view the meeting online.”
    • “New Monumental Arch — Project 8778” (NCPC, November 5): The commission is considering approval of final site and building plans.
    Reply
    • I think my opening point might be:

      Chairman Paoletta, commissioners: Can you assure the American people that you are independently evaluating this proposal under the law, rather than ratifying a decision the president has already made?

    • The citizens of our country are proud: Proud of our hard work, proud of our accomplishments, proud of our history. But the greatest of Americans are humble, doing what needs to be done because it’s right, just, and moral. We left behind a continent of royalty, of kings and emperors, of braggadocio driven by boastful pride. America’s triumph is its people, the common folk who put their heads down and do the hard work without audacity, without vanity, out of the spotlight. This triumphal arch flies in the face of the values upon which this nation was founded, and thumbs its nose at the citizens who wish to continue the American legacy of leaving empires behind.

  14. The sun shone a little bit brighter this morning, the coffee tasted a little bit better, and the air smelled a little sweeter (even if Alabama and West Virginia are still stuck in the MAGAverse).

    But wait, it ain’t over yet. It looks like of the 30 or so House seats not yet called, Dems are ahead in about half of them, so the total count should be around 251; In the Senate there are 2 races still out, and CNN shows Dems ahead in both of them. And in Governors’ races, two are still outstanding and CNN shows Dems ahead in both of them (If that holds Dems will be at the helm in 30 states after flipping 5 so far with the other two still in the air.

    The salt is heavy in the air this morning, and it smells blue.

    Reply
  15. 🔴 TRUMP ARCH WATCH — DOJ PRESSURES JUDGE AS THURSDAY’S SHOWDOWN LOOMS

    ONE DAY TO GO: The Justice Department is pressing Judge Tanya Chutkan to reject emergency efforts to stop Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. Federal planners are scheduled to consider final approval Thursday, November 5, at 1 p.m. ET.

    DOJ GOES ON THE ATTACK: In its latest court filings, the administration challenges the legal standing of opponents, including Washington, DC, and Virginia. Government lawyers dismiss environmental objections, including concerns about endangered bats, and criticize Chutkan’s handling of the injunction requests.

    DOJ wants the judge to issue a decision. But its arguments are not court rulings, and Chutkan has not issued a newly verified injunction blocking construction.

    TRUMP WON’T SEE IT FINISHED: Reuters reports that the administration’s own construction timetable calls for six to eight months of excavation and foundation work, with aboveground construction beginning no earlier than May 2027. Completion would take 33–39 months, extending beyond Trump’s presidency.

    THURSDAY’S APPROVAL VOTE: The National Capital Planning Commission meets online at 1 p.m. ET to consider final site and building plans. Staff recommends approval, but the commission has not voted.

    WATCH LIVE: NCPC Public Meeting Livestream

    TRAIL MIX WILL TESTIFY: I’m registered to speak for Trail Mix during Thursday’s meeting. With only three minutes allotted, I’ll be bringing our objections directly to the commissioners.

    PROTEST WATCH: Third Act DMV continues to organize opposition activities near Memorial Circle on November 5. Published event materials contain inconsistent scheduling details, so participants should confirm arrangements with organizers before traveling.

    THE UNANSWERED QUESTION: Who is paying for this monument? Chutkan herself raised the issue during Friday’s hearing.

    BOTTOM LINE: The administration wants construction moving, but federal court challenges remain unresolved. Thursday’s planning commission vote could advance the project, but approval alone would not override existing court orders.

    Sources:

    • “DOJ Ridicules Concerns About Trump’s Arch Impact on Bats, Presses Judge for Decision” (Law & Crime, November 3): Justice Department lawyers challenge the plaintiffs’ legal standing and press Chutkan to rule on emergency injunction requests.
    • “Triumphal Arch Would Not Be Completed Until Trump Leaves Office, DOJ Says” (Reuters, November 3): The administration estimates construction will take 33–39 months.
    • “National Capital Planning Commission Meeting Agenda” (NCPC, November 5): The proposed arch remains scheduled for final approval consideration.
    • “Stop the Arch — Final NCPC Vote” (Third Act DMV, November 5): Organizers are coordinating opposition activities around the commission’s scheduled vote.

    — Human directed and edited. Machine Drafted (ChatGPT)

    Reply
  16. Poobah, re: the Arch – The planned military use of the arch is incompatible with the original purpose, which was to be a monument open to the public.
    It will pose as a significant interruption to traffic that goes over the Arlington Memorial Bridge during the 2.5 years of construction and thereafter.
    Security for the arch will be impossible to effectively provide.
    Where the hell will people park to visit it?

    Reply
  17. Hegseth fired her now she is in position to fire him.

    Nancy Lacore wins South Carolina First Congressional District race

    MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WSAV) – Democratic candidate Nancy Lacore has defeated Republican Jenny Honeycutt in South Carolina’s First Congressional District race.

    Lacore issued this statement following the announcement of her victory.

    “The latest vote totals from Dorchester County have expanded our lead and put this race outside the margin for an automatic recount. The voters of the Lowcountry have spoken, and they’ve made their choice clear. I’m honored to be the next Congresswoman from South Carolina’s First Congressional District. In a district Donald Trump won by 13 points just two years ago, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents came together to demand something better from Washington. We have a lot of work to do in Congress and change isn’t going to happen overnight. But I will always be focused on serving with integrity and results. I am grateful and humbled by the Lowcountry’s trust in me, and I look forward to delivering for them in Congress.”

    Honeycutt had this to say after losing her race:

    “This campaign has never been about me. It has always been about the Lowcountry. My prayers now are for the Lowcountry, the State of South Carolina, and our nation. And my commitment to the people I love and the place I call home will never waver. I entered this race to serve the people I love and the place I’ve always called home. I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who has been a part of this journey. For my family, my team, my friends, volunteers, supporters, and the hundreds of thousands of people who cast their vote for me – I offer my most heartfelt gratitude.”

    Reply
  18. That arch should be wiped out if for no other reason than destroying the sight line from the Kennedy eternal flame to the Lincoln Memorial.

    Key Details of the Sight Line

    • Directional Alignment: Standing at the Lincoln Memorial and looking across the Potomac River (past Memorial Bridge), the rising ground of Arlington National Cemetery aligns directly toward the historic Arlington House and the surrounding memorial landscape.
    • Historic Connection: The original gravesite and the permanent memorial for President John F. Kennedy were deliberately placed along this axis, creating a visual and symbolic link between the memorial to Abraham Lincoln and the final resting place of JFK.
    • Visual Experience: Visitors at the Lincoln Memorial can look across the river toward the glowing beacon of the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame on the hillside, especially visible at night

    Reply
  19. Considering the things he’s done, it would be a monument to unconstitutionality.

    Also, there has been no oversight into what he’s destroyed in DC, so it looks like another money laundering operation for him and his cronies.

    Additionally, they’ve now said they want ammo storage and snipers which would no good against a foreign enemy, but would be effective in deterring even peaceful protest.

    ps – It’s gaudy AF. The man has zero taste.

    Reply
  20. Hot Damn! Charlie Brown finally kicked that fucking football!!!!

    Here in NH, everything went blue except for the governor who managed to squeak by for re-election. But the NH house and Senate flipped blue…. Kelley Ayotte is already screaming about it.

    Reply
  21. I want to see both Pete Hegseth and Kennedy Jr. impeached!

    I say…. leave Trump alone. Vance is highly educated and IMO, more dangerous than SFB…

    Reply
  22. Oh, then there’s this:

    US stock futures rise as investors assess Democrats’ midterm sweep
    US stock futures recovered as investors assessed Democrats’ midterm sweep, with AI regulation, spending and Washington gridlock now in focus.

    So sayeth the Manchester Union Leader.

    Reply
  23. i don’t know what you should say but I think a victory arch leading to a cemetery is about as disrespectful as you can get

    some gave all, trump smiled on their graves

    Reply
  24. hey a day to celebrate and then can Dems not be the left version of maga please

    it might just be as simple as high gas and food prices

    probably is

    Reply
  25. We tracked turnout in four heavily Trump counties—Mecosta, Butler, Lexington and Tarrant—to see whether they showed a 2026 surge. All four had higher turnout than in 2022, by 7.2 to 9.5 percentage points, but lower turnout than in 2024, by 7.3 to 17.8 points. That points to stronger participation than the last midterm, but no return to presidential-year levels.

    Reply
  26. Craig I would not insult them, But here are some thoughts.
    First with only 3 minutes, you are writing poetry, not prose so every word has to do a lot of heavy lifting. I’ve done it a couple of times it takes a lot of thought.

    I would remind them that their job is to protect and carry on the historical design of a great city. Unlike all the rest of the cities in this world your city is a designed city. Not only that it is filled with monuments to this great nation all within an over aching design. In this area you have a monument not just to a man, Lincoln but to a very American idea “a country, of the people for the people , by the people shall not perish” It is connected by the causeway and view with the very people who died defending that statement.
    You might convince me that the Arch is appropriate for this city but you will never convince me it is appropriate for that space.
    Your job is to protect and preserve some of the most basic symbols of this nation, for the American people. Not for the latest temporary resident’s whim.

    Jack

    Reply
    • That arch should be wiped out if for no other reason than destroying the sight line from the Kennedy eternal flame to the Lincoln Memorial.

  27. i’m not kidding when I say there’s a lot of satanic design elements in trump’s arch

    looks like it was designed at a bilderberg conference

    Reply
  28. they want ammo storage and snipers

    that’s enough reason to disapprove it right there

    Dumbest shit I ever heard in the era of drones and then to announce where you’re going to store ammo, oh right in the heart of the capital

    fucking idiots

    was absurd when he and kegstand said it and proof that they are unserious people desecrating a solemn place

    Reply
  29. And this just feels so right. Wapo

    Voters punish Trump with historic swing to Democrats
    Democrats win control of House and Senate in biggest Republican loss in half a century.

    By Isaac Arnsdorf

    The American voter dealt President Donald Trump a historic rebuke on a scale not seen since 1974, propelling Democrats into control of both houses of Congress with commanding wins in places they hadn’t carried in decades.

    Democrats won both the Senate and governor’s races in Texas — their first statewide victories there since 1994. They took a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina and the Georgia governorship for the first time since 1998. Kansas sent a Democrat to the Senate for the first time since 1932.

    Among their early House victories were a Kentucky district that voted for Trump by 15 points and two Florida seats that Republicans redrew to shift right. The head of the House GOP’s campaign arm trailed in his own race with 99 percent of the vote counted. As of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Democrats led in every competitive House contest.

    The leftward swing extended across demographics and geographies. Compared with 2024, the exit poll conducted for the Associated Press and the major television networks showed double-digit swings toward the Democrats among Latinos, Catholic voters and voters younger than 30.

    Republicans also suffered from a collapse in turnout, as fewer of their supporters showed up on Election Day than four years ago, according to preliminary turnout data. Sixty percent of voters said they disapproved of Trump, and 81 percent of them voted for Democrats, according to preliminary results from the NORC Civic Health & Elections Project survey, which was sponsored by The Washington Post and other organizations.

    Voters named the economy, health care and the war with Iran as their top issues, the survey showed. Just 12 percent said their family was getting ahead, while 29 percent said they were falling behind. Democrats had a 12-point advantage with voters who named the economy and jobs as their top concern, who made up a majority of the electorate. Two years ago, such voters favored Trump by 20 points.

    Voters without college degrees, who favored Trump by more than a dozen points in 2024, went for Democrats this year by about 49 percent to 47 percent. Democrats also narrowly won with men, who voted for Trump by 55 percent to 43 percent in 2024.

    Democrats will take power on Capitol Hill eager to thwart Trump’s agenda and investigate scandals throughout his administration. Rep. Robert Garcia (California), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, previewed investigations into the Trump family, immigration enforcement and the Jeffrey Epstein files.

    “The American people have spoken all across the land,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York). “This is a change election, and we understand as House Democrats that we need to deliver dramatic change. Things are broken.”

    […]

    Sally Forth.

    Reply
  30. Trump has already demonstrated with his unilateral Eastwing and reflecting pool destruction, and kennedy center desecration, and golf course environmental disregard, that he is not a good faith participant in the oversight and approval process

    Reply
  31. According to NYT, with 77% of the Alaska vote in, Mary Peltola leads Dan S. Sullivan by .3% and in Mississippi with >95% of the vote in, Scott Colom and Cindy Hyde-Smith are tied at 49.8%. Be nice to see both of those break left.

    Reply
  32. Geek alert. Here are the Times Voter Trend Shifts from 2024 for the following groups:

    Men, 18-29
    D 61% R 37% D+38%

    All, 18-29
    D70% R 28% D+32%

    Hispanic
    D 69% R 30% D+28%

    Black men
    D 88% R 11% D+16%

    White non-college
    D 40% R 59% D+14%

    White women
    D 52% R 47% D+11%

    Reply
  33. Today in the Diner…
    1. Texas Democrats Flip House & Schumer Wins
    2. Greg Abbott Yields Texas to Democrats
    3. MAGA Wipeout: DeSantis Admits Extinction

    Gina Hinojosa defeats Greg Abbott as Texas Democrats sweep 17 statewide offices. We break down the massive MAGA collapse and the midterm tsunami.

    The so-called extinction level event for the GOP is finally here, and it is a beauty to behold. From Lucas County, Ohio saving Marcy Kaptur at the buzzer, to a total Democratic sweep of all statewide offices in Texas, the results are undeniable. Ron DeSantis is already calling it gaslighting, but the numbers do not lie. Without Donald Trump actively on the ballot to gin up the extremes, moderate Republicans and energized Democrats absolutely dismantled the map.

    Even Chuck Schumer is taking a victory lap, though it remains to be seen if he will gracefully pass the torch or cling to the gavel. Meanwhile, down in Florida, Angie Nixon has laid the groundwork for a massive comeback against Ashley Moody. The ICE raids and Pete Hegseth’s military purges completely backfired, proving that you cannot govern by fear and expect the suburbs to quietly tag along. It is a new map, and the panic setting in from JD Vance all the way down to Jim Jordan is palpable.

    Live Chat: https://trailmix.cc/chat
    Website: https://trailmix.cc
    Alerts: https://trailmix.cc/alerts

    00:00 Intro
    03:30 Angie Nixon and Florida Democrats
    08:30 Texas House Flips Blue
    12:26 Ohio Saves Marcy Kaptur
    23:34 Greg Abbott Concedes Texas
    25:48 Chuck Schumer Victory Lap
    32:20 Stephen Miller ICE Backlash
    39:50 Pete Hegseth Deportation Fears
    58:46 Jimmy Carter Mondale Stories
    — Human directed and edited. Machine drafted (Gemini Pro).

    Reply
  34. Any thoughts on sfb bailing out? Would he declare he is leaving due to health? Or, time to train couchman? Or, just leaves without telling anyone why? During an extensive disappearing act while being filled with zombi juice?

    Reply
  35. maybe that football was finally useful because all the meatheads are obsessed with that this time of year

    hooray, boring midterms

    Reply
  36. CONSERVATIVE MEDIA REAX

    Midterms: Covering the Coverage

    Conservative coverage is split between an unusually blunt reckoning and familiar efforts to move blame elsewhere. Some voices say Trump’s Iran war, costs and candidate picks sank the GOP; others reach for “midterm history” or voter impatience. The night’s absurdist loop: Trump says he wasn’t on the ballot after telling voters to pretend he was, then blames Fox for the losses.

    • [Fox News]: Conservative commentators called the losses catastrophic, pointing to Trump, the Iran war, high prices and weak candidates; others argued voters were angry without a clear policy alternative. – Fox News
    • [Media Analysis]: Fox’s election-night panel largely shielded Trump, shifting attention to voter impatience, the media and expected midterm losses—even as Trump blamed Fox. – The Guardian
    • [Fox News]: Trump acknowledged that gas prices hurt Republicans, blamed some candidates for failing to motivate MAGA voters, then rejected the idea that the results were a personal defeat. – Fox News
    • [Fox News]: JD Vance named the Iran war as the central reason for defeat, publicly putting distance between his political future and Trump’s defense of the conflict. – Fox News
    • [Daily Wire]: Trump-world sources pinned the wipeout on the Iran war, while the White House argued Trump was not on the ballot and had promoted candidates better than they promoted themselves. – The Daily Wire
    • [Daily Caller]: Vance’s blunt postmortem casts him as the Republican willing to say the war cost the party control of the Senate, while Trump keeps defending it. – The Daily Caller
    • [Daily Caller]: Conservative war hawks face a public reckoning: the commentators who predicted little political cost now confront losses tied to the war and its fuel-price fallout. – The Daily Caller
    • [National Review]: Michael Brendan Dougherty puts the Iran war at the center of the defeat, framing alternative explanations as convenient excuses and warning of a generational shift. ($) – National Review
    • [National Review]: Mark Antonio Wright argues the losses were about Trump himself—his distractions, tariffs and broken promises—not just the war. – National Review
    • [RealClearPolitics]: Trump’s “I wasn’t on the ballot” defense collides with his campaign-long demand that voters pretend he was; Republican operatives describe the losses as a referendum on his choices. – RealClearPolitics
    Reply
  37. he’s obviously on drugs at those rallies

    He’s the president and the American people deserve to know what drugs those are

    Reply
  38. Senate schedule from now to the end of the year:

    • November 9, 2026: Return for full legislative session and votes.
    • November 11, 2026: Veterans Day observation (Senate out; House in session).
    • November 16–20, 2026: In session the week of November 16.
    • Thanksgiving Recess: Out of session the week of Thanksgiving.
    • November 30 – December 18, 2026: Returns November 30 for the final stretch of year-end business (including government funding and defense authorization bills), with a target adjournment of December 18, 2026

    House Schedule:

    • Next Meeting / Pro Forma: November 5, 2026 (11:00 a.m.)
    • Return to Full Session: November 9–12, 2026 (with both chambers returning for the post-election lame-duck session)

    Reply
  39. here’s my first draft of the Trail Mix presentation to the commission, culled from your suggestions here and in the diner. i think it’s close to 3 minutes, haven’t rehearsed it yet…

    Chairman ***pow-LET-uh*** (Paoletta), members of the commission:

    I’m Craig Crawford, a retired journalist speaking for Trail Mix, an online community whose members have a few things to say about this proposed triumphal arch.

    And believe me, I’ve edited out the profanity.

    But beneath the colorful language, there’s a serious argument. One I hope you’ll consider before putting a 250-foot monument where it doesn’t belong.

    Washington is no ordinary city. Somebody actually planned this place. Its monuments, avenues, bridges and sight lines tell a story. And nowhere does that story speak more powerfully than the connection between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

    On one side, Lincoln’s promise of government of the people, by the people, for the people. On the other, the graves of Americans who died defending that promise.

    The Memorial Bridge connects those two ideas. It doesn’t need a giant exclamation point in the middle.

    One of our readers, Jack, put it beautifully:

    **”You might convince me that the Arch is appropriate for this city but you will never convince me it is appropriate for that space.”**

    Another Trail Mixer, Jamie, worries about the historic sight line between President Kennedy’s eternal flame and the Lincoln Memorial. She wrote:

    **”That arch should be wiped out if for no other reason than destroying the sight line from the Kennedy eternal flame to the Lincoln Memorial.”**

    That’s a concern this commission ought to examine carefully.

    And what about the practical consequences? Construction traffic, permanent security restrictions and diminished public access. Who benefits from those trade-offs? Certainly not the people who use this space.

    These aren’t unreasonable questions from people who just don’t like Donald Trump. They’re the questions you’re supposed to answer.

    Another Trail Mixer, Claire, reminded us why Americans rejected monarchy in the first place. We weren’t interested in kings, emperors or monuments to their vanity.

    She wrote:

    **”America’s triumph is its people.”**

    Six words. More American history in those six words than in 250 feet of stone.

    And that brings me to you, the commissioners.

    Some of you owe your appointments to President Trump. That’s how government works. But your responsibility doesn’t end with the man who appointed you.

    It begins with the public you’re supposed to serve.

    Presidents are temporary. Even the ones who seem determined to leave permanent reminders of themselves everywhere they go.

    The Lincoln Memorial will outlast this administration. Arlington Cemetery will outlast it. The landscape connecting them should outlast it, too.

    You don’t have to oppose Donald Trump to oppose putting this arch in the wrong place.

    You just have to do your job.

    **Please reject this proposal.**

    Reply
  40. BiD
    Seward county(the little blue county in the southwest corner of Kansas. , Finney county and Ford county All have large meat packing plants and as a result large immigrant communities. Trump carried them by 65%. the best Masterson did in these counties was 51%
    When I was on vacation back in late September ice was stopping people going to work at these plants demanding either a green card or proof of citizenship
    Just the shift in these 3 small counties was enough to put was enough to put Cindy Holscher over the top. The other rural counties don’t show a shift just these 3.
    Trump and his racist policies cost the Republicans another governorship

    Jack

    Reply
  41. Craig – I read and it timed out just right.
    Sounds good!
    I guess picking our battles? No giant arch in that spot, and then hope he doesn’t put it in a worse place, I guess. No bid contracts are another tangent.

    Reply
  42. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/11/04/latam-paraguay-impeachment-charges-president-Ueno-bank-collapse/1251793815095/

    Paraguay bank crisis sparks impeachment bid, central bank turmoil

    Paraguayan lawmakers filed impeachment charges against President Santiago Peña and Vice President Pedro Alliana on Wednesday, as the collapse of Ueno Bank triggered a leadership crisis at the central bank, disrupted millions of customers and left thousands of workers facing an uncertain future.

    Reply
  43. https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/were-thinking-about-electability-all-wrong

    Centrists Are Not More “Electable”

    “Politicians like Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed may be ‘on the left’ in the way that term is typically understood, but importantly, the divide between them and the centrists in the Democratic Party is also a divide between a politics focused on delivering material benefits for ordinary people and a politics that speaks in empty platitudes.“

    “The electability question is not ‘can the far left win in general elections.’ It’s ‘how are you going to win a general election if you don’t have a clear, powerful message on the issues that matter most to people?’ Once we understand that caring about people’s material needs makes them more likely to want to vote for you, our entire
    understanding of an electable candidate is flipped on its head.”

    Reply
  44. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/elections/senator-elect-peggy-flanagan-calls-for-new-democratic-senate-leadership-in-washington/89-a22db3ee-6914-4bab-a8da-ec33d4e71e2b

    Senator-elect Peggy Flanagan calls for new Democratic Senate leadership in Washington

    Flanagan said the message from Tuesday’s Democratic “blue wave” is a call for change.

    New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has led Senate Democrats since 2017. Flanagan said that while she’s “tremendously grateful” for Schumer’s previous leadership in the Senate, the message from Tuesday’s Democratic “blue wave” is a call for change.

    “I think it is time for new leadership,” Flanagan said during a call with reporters Wednesday.

    *Take the hint, Chuck.

    Reply
  45. same dealio in the senate. if Schumer’s not going to step down so far nobody’s declared their candidacy, and only about half a dozen Dem senators say they want somebody else but none of them say who

    Reply
    • This is more disappointing than Jefferies sitting around as Speaker. Schumer has proven inept and in the wrong place. With the influx of new Senators it is the best time to get rid of him.

    • I adore Sheldon Whitehouse, and love when he’s interviewed on TV. He gets right to the point and doesn’t engage in wishy-washy political speak.

      How about Raphael Warnock? I feel like he could really keep Dem senators unified. (Admittedly, however, he lacks the killer instinct I’d love to see…)

  46. “First thing tubs said as governor elect was he was gonna fill Montgomery full of national guard”

    “he has to find Montgomery first.”

    Reply
  47. Kansas Gov: The final vote count (official results) will be November 16th.

    Ty, Ty the data center guy will still be Senate Prez if he loses the governorship.

    Reply
  48. I like Franken’s idea of starting with restoring Obamacare subsidies. Also, Bring Back Biden’s Free Community College. We need to get these young guys educated before they bolt stupid on us again.

    Reply
  49. Not spoken about much, even during times it becomes important, is during the changes of the Congress. Members leaving, retirement or otherwise forced. Members looking for “more” in their lives that what is dictated by law and what they can boost (mileage).
    This is the world of becoming a lobbyist. Congress has “tried” to control the movement from Congress to getting paid millions to talk to former colleagues. They can report on the effectiveness.

    That aside. I was wondering how many magat congress critters would be effective lobbyists. One? None? Promoting hate and christian nationalism white supremacy might night be the right correct flavor of buy my latest grenade.

    Reply
  50. Ivy – I think Representative Boe-Boe should be concerned about becoming plain Ms Boe-Boe and having to face police, courts, etc. She is going to have to go back to work (discount coupons for groups) or something just as scary. There is no corner of the Four Corner state available for her to run again. Perhaps she would be happy in Utah?

    Reply

Name is required. Email and website optional — we only ask for civility.

Regulars: Already registered? Log in here so your name fills in automatically.

New here? You can comment without an account — just pick a name and type. If you want a permanent login, you can register here (optional).

First time here? New voices always welcome. The regulars only bite when provoked.

Leave a Comment

The maximum upload file size: 100 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, text, archive, code, other. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

Join the Trail Mix

Get an alert when Craig goes live, and the link when our Open Thread heats up.