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Public Hearings to Begin and the Blue Wave
There are two major points this week. Both are connected. We are going to see public hearings in the impeachment process. At the same time, Republicans lost the executive mansion in Kentucky, and Democrats now hold both the governorship and the state House in Virginia.
Both are connected and speak to a larger story. In some ways, the talking points used by Republican operatives may be a test of what is to come. Governor Matt Bevin was described as unpopular. The word combative was also used, and looking for fights where none were needed came up as well. He was described as unconventional by a few, which made me smile. If this sounds familiar, well it describes President Donald Trump as well. So this may be a test of talking points to explain Trump’s defeat in 2020. It is also the case that Bevin refuses to concede, which will not surprise this observer.
What is happening in suburban and exurban spaces should scare the party even more. These areas, which used to be reliably Republican, are now voting blue. Whether the pattern will survive more than one or two electoral cycles is a good question. But for the moment it repeats what happened in 2018.
Now to the upcoming hearings in Congress. Republicans have held their breath and called the impeachment all but transparent. They demanded the release of material, and public…