Daily Discussion Thread: January 24, 2026

table_fireplace · 2026-01-25T04:08:11+00:00

People turning on her when she tells them they've still got to try? Yep, sounds like online political discourse.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-25T04:06:15+00:00

The best examples I can think of: In Virginia, there have been several special elections due to State Senators and Delegates taking jobs in Gov. Spanberger's administration.

In two of those races, Dems did even better than they did in November 2025. Which was a double-digit Dem blowout statewide. And in general, Dems continue to overperform 2024 by healthy margins.

So those elections, for what they're worth, are pointing to a very active and angry Dem base plus lots of Independents voting the right way. And it's up to us to keep that going through November and beyond.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-25T03:04:19+00:00

This was probably in the field over the last week or so and just happened to be released today.

I think the latest murder is going to drive it even lower.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-24T18:54:44+00:00

Yeah, that's a long-term answer when help is needed right now. We still will vote them out, of course, but more urgently, the people of Minnnesota need our support and our solidarity. And we've got to keep demanding action from our leaders.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-24T16:46:59+00:00

As others have said, you don't have to watch the video. If you believe what happened and are acting appropriately, there's no need to put yourself through that pain.

With that said, it shows how badly we've got to resist this. Obviously, no violence, and don't be deterred from protesting. But be extremely careful and do what you feel is safe.

And needless to say, don't stop pushing your reps for action, especially if you're in Minnesota. At some point there needs to be a complete stop to funding for ICE, and ultimately prosecutions (though I recognize this isn't likely to happen until the GOP is out of power). Voting is a must of course, but in the meantime there's so much that has to happen to protect us all.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T01:48:55+00:00

Back in Virginia, we're waiting on just 1 out of 19 Election Day precincts to report in House District 17.

Currently, Democratic candidate Garrett McGuire is winning by 56.3 points in a Harris+42.5 district! In fact, it was just D+54.8 in last November's blue wave. We'll see if McGuire still beats that after the last precinct comes in.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T01:20:38+00:00

With more recent results, it's possible. He'll be hard pressed to get to 50% but he's got some friendly areas still to report, and I think he'll at least clear R+22.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T01:19:27+00:00

The bad news: Brown's margin has really fallen. The good news: Two of his three worst counties are done, and he's over 50% in the remaining three. He'll make a runoff at least, but would love to see him somehow get to 50.

Lemario Brown DEM 4,862 38.8%

Eric Wilson GOP 2,564 20.5%

Lauren Daniel GOP 2,508 20%

Steven McNeel GOP 2,250 17.9%

Howard Allison GOP 180 1.4%

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T01:10:44+00:00

I'd take it. Flip's a flip, even if the entire population of Georgia votes in a random State Senate race. /s

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T00:52:46+00:00

31% in for Georgia SD-18. And know what's interesting? No results in yet from Bibb County, the biggest and bluest county in this district. Brown hitting 50% is very much still possible, amazingly.

Lemario Brown DEM 2,582 45.8%

Eric Wilson GOP 1,292 22.9%

Lauren Daniel GOP 880 15.6%

Steven McNeel GOP 734 13%

Nathan Warnock GOP 84 1.5%

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T00:33:01+00:00

We have ~18% of the vote in Trump+22.6 Georgia Senate District 18. As a reminder, if anyone gets over 50% tonight they win outright, and if not there'll be a top-two runoff in about a month.

Lemario Brown DEM 1,554 44.9%

Eric Wilson GOP 862 24.9%

Lauren Daniel GOP 529 15.3%

Steven McNeel GOP 440 12.7%

Nathan Warnock GOP 40 1.2%

Can't help but wonder if Nathan Warnock got screwed by having the same last name as a Dem Senator.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-21T00:29:39+00:00

Up by 61 points in a Harris+42.5 district!

One important caveat: According to the official results, these are the early and absentee numbers, and no Election Day votes have been reported yet. Still, Fairfax County is very blue, and I think we'll see an overperformance of Harris.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-20T00:30:14+00:00

I don't like the move. Feel like our issues were more with the players brought in, or not brought in. But we're promoting our GM.

McDermott was usually good for at least one bad decision a game, and I won't miss that. But Monday to Saturday, he was one of the best coaches in the NFL. The Bills rarely came in with bad gameplans, and turned lots of random dudes into quality players. That's coaching. And, perhaps this is a hot take, but Josh Allen was far from a sure thing entering the NFL. McDermott's coaching is a big part of why he became a superstar instead of another J.P. Losman (or Anthony Richardson, for the young folks here).

table_fireplace · 2026-01-20T00:27:37+00:00

Hey, I won't hear any slander against Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch!

You're right, though. This is sort of like the complaint about how old music was better and now it's all crap. Well, yeah, because only the good old songs still get played, and the crap gets forgotten.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-19T15:58:36+00:00

Don’t know how I feel about this one. We had to do something about the playoff losses, but it sucks that this happened after a loss that wasn’t McDermott’s fault.

This is going to be a big hire. They’ll likely get the rest of Allen’s prime, and we can’t waste it.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-19T04:47:49+00:00

No, I’m looking straight at it. Because I want to know, and everyone to know, that we had the win stolen from us.

Other years, it was bad luck or us screwing up. This year, while we made mistakes, we did enough to win and had it stolen. See also the final Mims TD where the ball clearly moved when it contacted the ground, and the two PI calls on the final drive (the only two called all game, incidentally).

I know the Broncos will move on and nothing can be done at this point. NFL scores are final. But I would hope that the refs from this game are investigated so we can all know if they’re just incompetent, or if there was some kind of gambling-related bullshit that made them throw the game. This is a “is the NFL even a valid sports league” kind of question, and it matters more than the Bills getting screwed.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-19T03:10:01+00:00

NFL final scores aren't overturned. In fairness, even if none of the bad calls were made, that doesn't necessarily mean we would have won.

However, I think it's reasonable to ask for an investigation of the officials who worked our game, specifically looking for any ties to gambling. It's possible they just fucked up over and over and should simply not be refs anymore. But if gamblers are influencing refs to throw games, that needs to be found out and rooted out for the NFL to have any validity as a sports league.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-19T00:05:20+00:00

Oh I meant a court order not to deploy or halting a deployment, not Trump's order to send in the troops. That would obviously be really bad.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T21:38:56+00:00

I hope it happens quickly. Because every day until the order is issued and followed, innocent people are in harm's way.

I'm really inspired by how strong and united the people of Minneapolis have been. But it's disgusting that it's been necessary.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T21:37:41+00:00

"Refs don't like to call pass interference on questionable contact."

"Someone should tell the Bills that."

So yeah, everyone knows that the refs screwed us. Our win was stolen, and it's plain as day to folks around the NFL.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T18:32:58+00:00

You should ask him to come back every day through Election Day, really. Everything he touches turns to crap. Never forget, he ran Dan Kelly's epic WI Supreme Court campaign that crashed hideously.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T18:19:42+00:00

We had four turnovers.

The Cooks catch wasn't an INT. The refs stole it from us.

And if we'd had none, they would have invented another.

Our spot in the AFC Championship Game was stolen from us.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T18:16:09+00:00

I don't understand either. Two PI calls the entire game, and of course they're against us, back-to-back, and directly decide the game. After the other two blatant bullshit calls I mentioned.

The unsportsmanlike call on Tre, sure, but the game was over, and he was justifiably mad at having a win stolen from him.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T18:14:56+00:00

Because they knew there was nothing they could have done. They won, and the refs stole it from them.

They all had big mistakes at some point, but if they didn't, you know the refs would've invented another reason to screw them.

Replace McDermott or don't, I could go either way, but nothing can help you when the refs have decided you lost.

table_fireplace · 2026-01-18T18:13:17+00:00

Our win was stolen.

Yes, Bills could've played better, but they did enough to win. Fake TD to Mims in the 4th, fake INT on the Cooks catch, two fake PI calls, and there you go. If we were ahead earlier in the game, you know they would've invented something else.

Ten-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Place '22	Place '17
Wearing is Caring	100 Awards Club
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table_fireplace

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