NBC politics has a piece touting "what contests to watch" on this off-year election day. After reading the piece, it's pretty clear that there isn't all that much to see. It touts the two governor's races, Christie vs. Buono and McAuliffe vs. Cuccinelli, but both are basically done deals and have been for pretty much the entire time that those contests have been polled. There's also deBlasio vs. Lhota for NYC mayor, but that's another done deal. I don't think there is anyone who isn't on the payroll of the losing campaigns that thinks that Buono, Cuccinelli, or Llota have any chance of winning their contests. So what is there to watch?
There's a run-off in the First Congressional District of Alabama, pitting a conservative "establishment" Republican against a really conservative "tea party" Republican. Is this really "another test of Republican establishment muscle versus Tea Party fervor"? I guess so. But we're talking about a very conservative district in Alabama. Will the results of that election say anything about the state of the electorate or even the Republican party anywhere else other than the deep South? I don't think it will. So what am I watching for?
Then there's the Mayoral elections in Boston and Detroit. The article notes that the Detroit mayor "will be largely powerless" thanks to the city's bankruptcy. The Boston race pits one person I never heard of against another. Maybe the race is important for the fine people of Boston, but what national significance does it have that could cause me to take interest? NBC's piece doesn't say, which I take to mean that there isn't any.
Then there's the ballot initiatives in Washington and Colorado, to label food with genetically modified ingredients, and to tax pot, respectively. Both would be firsts, but other than the fact that these are minor footnotes of history in the making, neither justifies camping out in front of CNN tonight.
Finally, there's the Virginia AG race. That's only interesting because the Republican candidate has noticed the polls and has done everything he can to distance himself from sure Gubernatorial loser Cuccinelli. I guess I have a small glimmer of interest there. But it will work just as well for me to ignore it and then read about it tomorrow when it's all over.
There's a run-off in the First Congressional District of Alabama, pitting a conservative "establishment" Republican against a really conservative "tea party" Republican. Is this really "another test of Republican establishment muscle versus Tea Party fervor"? I guess so. But we're talking about a very conservative district in Alabama. Will the results of that election say anything about the state of the electorate or even the Republican party anywhere else other than the deep South? I don't think it will. So what am I watching for?
Then there's the Mayoral elections in Boston and Detroit. The article notes that the Detroit mayor "will be largely powerless" thanks to the city's bankruptcy. The Boston race pits one person I never heard of against another. Maybe the race is important for the fine people of Boston, but what national significance does it have that could cause me to take interest? NBC's piece doesn't say, which I take to mean that there isn't any.
Then there's the ballot initiatives in Washington and Colorado, to label food with genetically modified ingredients, and to tax pot, respectively. Both would be firsts, but other than the fact that these are minor footnotes of history in the making, neither justifies camping out in front of CNN tonight.
Finally, there's the Virginia AG race. That's only interesting because the Republican candidate has noticed the polls and has done everything he can to distance himself from sure Gubernatorial loser Cuccinelli. I guess I have a small glimmer of interest there. But it will work just as well for me to ignore it and then read about it tomorrow when it's all over.
