Election night results--and likely results

I see on the news just now that, of the Republican challengers to US House of Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, one Nick Nolte is shown to have 51% of the vote with 10% reporting while Jacob Turk holds 37% of the vote.

If this holds--and there's every expectation and likelihood that it will, this means two things.

First, this means that Emanuel Cleaver will be re-elected to represent Kansas City Missouri in his district.

Second? It means Representative Cleaver's longtime challenger, that same Jacob Turk, will likely then, now and fovever give up on his trying to unseat Mr. Cleaver.

At least, that looks highly like exactly what will happen in both cases.

Stay tuned.

Other issues: It looks as though it is highly likely Jay Nixon will be returned to the governor's office as relatively unknown Dave Spence was elected to be his challenger. Unless he and the Republicans can and do spends loads of money in advertising, Mr. Nixon will be returned to office.

Finally, it looks really bad for Kansas as the far right wing Republicans were strengthened tonight while the moderates were fairly well trounced.

I feel nearly sick for Kansas.

Links: http://fox4kc.com/2012/08/06/fox-4-for-election-coverage-results/

http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/spence-wins-right-to-challenge-nixon-for-missouri-governor/

Thank God for Newt Gingrich!

What else can you say at this point but thank God for Newt Gingrich? First, he's divisive as heck. For everyone out there in the Republican Party and in the Right Wing who is all "No way I'm voting for Mitt Romney", they have their man. Second, he's got ideas that are off the wall, like the idea of going back to the moon and colonizing within his first 4 years of office (don't make me choke). That's a good one. Third---and I'll stop there--there's his monumental ego and that let's him off the hook for what a sexist he is. So he loses last night in Florida to Mittens but is he going to quit? HECK NO. The Newster is in this, likely, until at least March, if not all the way to the Republican National Convention (here's hoping). As if President Obama and the Democrats don't have enough ammunition to go after the eventual nominee but with this, he'll have even more. And Ron Paul? Quit? Doubtful. That will just add more divisiveness and internal strife to the party and for the Tea Party members and who knows? It should add some trouble for the Libertarians and Independents, too. So good on you, Newt Gingrich! You just stay in there fighting your "good fight." Stay on your own principle. It just makes it that much better for our side.

Notes from a Sunday morning

--Christine O'Donnell, the Republican primary winner (though she's a Tea Party member) in Delaware looks and even sounds like Sarah Palin; --Mahmound Amahdinajad is a nearly unbelievable denier. As Christiane Amanpour was interviewing the Iranian leader this morning on ABC's "This Week", she asked him about the Iranian woman who was given the sentence of stoning for her alleged adultery and he completely denied this was the case. He denied she was given such a sentence. And because of the language/translation barrier, his denials and a natural, obvious and ever-present time limitation, Ms. Amanpour had to let the questions die, time and again. It was frustrating, as a viewer, seeing him evade--in fact, deny--the supposition of the questions and get away with it. --Know this--if the Republicans are successful in getting the George W. Bush tax cuts for the rich extended another two years--and I fear and half expect it's possible--it will fall totally in the same Republicans favor and the issue will be able to die, giving them--and the rich--a big win, with a tax loss for the rest of the country. Enjoy your Sunday, y'all.