By Ray Cardello for November 10, 2022 Season 14 / Post 18

It’s the day after. This election cycle was one of the most divisive, negative spectacles I have ever witnessed. The results show how polarized we are but also how confused. Both parties were anticipating or braced for a sea change in Washington. They got a change, but not what was expected. Watching the autopsy and listening to all the analyses by the experts only shows how irrational the results of the 2022 Midterms are.

The only thing that we know for sure is how useless the infinite number of polls are in today’s political arena. They are biased, inaccurate, and harmful in how they sway the voters. The split ballots show how fickle and unpredictable the voters are, and polls cannot predict fickle. We have seen this trend for a few cycles, and the results have told us to stop wasting time and money on polls.

The split ballots in some states are challenging to understand. Here in New Hampshire, we had two incumbents labeled as targets and had the potential for flipped seats. The polls had them as even to underdogs, yet both retained their seats by 10% margins. The races were never close. The voters of New Hampshire are sending three Democrats back to the Capitol, but they voted overwhelmingly to keep a Republican Governor in the Statehouse. How can a Governor and Congressional Representatives with diametric views appeal to the same voter? The same thing happened in New York with Kathy Hochul elected Governor, yet more Republicans will represent the Empire State in Congress than ever in history. The results make no sense.

While discussing New York, some winners on Tuesday night defied logic. Kathy Hochul of NY is one, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan is another. Hochul assumed the job when Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace, and she has not shown she is ready for the job in the eighteen months since. Gretchen Whitmer did all she could the destroy Michigan’s economy and treated her constituents as pawns during COVID. She even faced a recall attempt, yet the people of Michigan re-elected her. Hochul refuses to admit to the crime level in her state or why people are leaving the state in droves. Yet, she will stay in office. It makes no sense.

The Senate race in Pennsylvania stretches the limits of reason. John Fetterman had the misfortune of suffering a stroke earlier this year. Under normal circumstances, the candidate would have stepped aside to recover and let someone take their spot on the ballot. Not in 2022. Fetterman donned his hoodie and jeans, spoke as little as possible, and trudged on. He was obviously impaired, had difficulty speaking, and needed close captioning to understand questions. Everyone has empathy for him but disbelief that a state can elect him to the Senate in his current condition. It makes no sense.

We will continue to watch the returns and dissect the results. We will also be challenged to make sense of the results. There may not be explanations, and we need to just accept the outcome. One thing is obvious, and that is the Republican Party needs to refine its message and continue to cultivate Black and Brown voters. They also need to work on turnout and enthusiasm. Recruiting better candidates will go a long way in this effort. The Midterms are not over yet, but it is time to start the game plan for 2024. Let’s pray to God it is not a rematch of 2020.