OH Myyy: The 11th District Buckeye Battle Open Thread
Elections matter.
Especially local ones.
If there's anything that we as a country have learned over the past five years, it's the importance of voting, not only during a presidential election but especially at the local level. We've seen the emergence of two Americas; one, governed by competent and forward-thinking Democrats, and another being governed by corrupt, inept, and morally bankrupt Republicans. Our current COVID-19 map of states with the lowest rate of vaccinations could easily double as a map of the Confederacy. That's what happens when you give power-drunk Republicans the keys to state government and then become suddenly shocked when they not only crash the car but also take out thousands of innocent bystanders alongside them, simply to appease their orange overlord. While Democratic governors and mayors have been stalwarts in listening to scientists and enacting basic life-saving policies, Republicans have opted to instead cater to the wishes of a wannabe dictator, despite multiple investigations and potential prison time that would easily diminish his sway over the party.
Today's election in the 11th Ohio district pits two Democrats against each other. It is not a swing district by any means. It's as blue as they come, having previously been represented by HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge. But just because it's blue doesn't mean that any Democrat can and should represent the district. Today's election represents a stark contrast for not only the people of the district but also for the United States Congress as a whole. Needing every vote she can muster to advance the Biden-Harris agenda, Nancy Pelosi knows she needs allies that will work with her and not against her. She has enough petulant, puerile members of the Squad to deal with as is. The last thing she needs is a loudmouth Bernie Sanders acolyte whose extreme views and rhetoric not only cause tension within the party but also provide the media and Republicans with tip-top talking points about the "extreme socialist" agenda that Democrats are trying to force upon us all.
Nina Turer would be a disaster for Ohio. She and her crew of lowlifes like Briahna Greyjoy, Cornel West, Susan Sarandon, Killer Mike, and Bernie Sanders do not represent today's Democratic Paty. She is divisive. She is arrogant. She is obnoxious. And more than anything, she would like nothing better than to be elected to Congress, join the Squad, and use her newfound fame to spout off slogans that would cause countless headaches for Democrats in the run-up to the 2022 midterms. Nina Turner would like nothing better than for Democrats to lose rather than win because she'd rather be the star on a losing team than a benchwarmer on a winner. That's a recipe for disaster. The best legislators like Lauren Underwood, go in, get the job done, and do it without needing headlines. Nina Turner could not go a single day without generating some type of controversy.
Fortunately, we have Shontel Brown standing up against her. And standing alongside Shotel is none other than Congressman James Clyburn. Even with the recent history of the 2020 South Carolina primary, our media still refuses to acknowledge the massive influence Clyburn has among Democratic Party voters. Combined with members of the Black church and prominent support from pro-Israel House Democrats, Brown has created a formidable team that has significantly closed the gap in the race. What should have been a gimme for Turner has now turned into a dogfight and one that may very well go down into the wee hours of the morning. While scraping and clawing for every vote might be a novel concept for Nina Turner, Shontel and Rep. Clyburn are taking no votes for granted. Those of us outside the district might not know everything about this race, but one thing we do know is this: in James Clyburn we trust.
Buckeye, I mean buckle up, folks. It's gonna be a long night and we can only take so much of Steve Kornacki's khakis before we all go cross-eyed. This is your #OH11 open thread.