Do you foresee a future where the DMV region becomes purple? What would have to happen?

[Anonymous]

I think Montgomery County has a growing conservative population - of people they don't really expect -- immigrants. But I think it will take 15 years or so to really make a bigger dent.

And that doesn't mean Republican, although perhaps in District 1 Friedson's district - where we last had a Republican. I think it means more mainline Democrats will win.

Redistricting and expanding the Council to 11 members did that to a degree. It watered down the super-progressives a bit. You have Friedson, Balcombe, Leudtke, Albornoz, and Fani-Gonzalez who are a bit more "normal," as it were. Mink and Jawando are still super-progressive, but as you can see, their bills are more often dying than not. That's a stark contrast to Jawando being a legislative machine in his first term. Stewart is turning out to be more practical than I had originally thought. Glass just does what best suits him, so he ends up being a bit mercurial depending on the issue. But I'd lump him with progressives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s only recently been as solidly blue as far out as it is now. The issue is that you have a large proportion of Federal workers who do not like to work in chaos. I traditionally was a Republican, but the kinds of policies that I care about are not what this group does. I am fiscal conservative but more libertarian in personal rights. This is many more of my colleagues than you suppose. Our politics didn’t change that much, but politics changed around us. I lived the chaos of the last Trump administration and saw the absolute rot at the core of it. It also disrupted my agency’s mission. So there’s an inspired population to stay blue in this area.

You’re a libertarian that doesn’t like chaos. I’m sorry but this is really funny.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been voting Democrat lately bc of Trump. But if Romney ran, I would vote for him in a heartbeat. The Republican Party of yore is long gone, sadly.

[Anonymous]

If MOCO continues on its current trajectory I would imagine that we will see traditionally Democratic people voting more conservatively to balance things out. Not sure that it would become more purple, just prevent it from becoming more progressive.

[Anonymous]

It will turn more purple if Trump moves a lot of fed jobs out. But, then those areas that receive the fed jobs might also turn purple.

Be careful what you wish for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If MOCO continues on its current trajectory I would imagine that we will see traditionally Democratic people voting more conservatively to balance things out. Not sure that it would become more purple, just prevent it from becoming more progressive.

Moco was never previously like this. It was much more “blue dog” territory. We had a Republican Congresswoman, Connie Morella. What happened is during the 2000s things took a turn. First, the state Democratic party gerrymandered Morella out of her seat. Next and perhaps fatally for the political trajectory of the county, all of Takoma Park was ceded into Montgomery County when it was previously split between Moco and PG. It did not take long before more than half the Council was a Takoma Park resident and the rest is history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MOCO continues on its current trajectory I would imagine that we will see traditionally Democratic people voting more conservatively to balance things out. Not sure that it would become more purple, just prevent it from becoming more progressive.

Moco was never previously like this. It was much more “blue dog” territory. We had a Republican Congresswoman, Connie Morella. What happened is during the 2000s things took a turn. First, the state Democratic party gerrymandered Morella out of her seat. Next and perhaps fatally for the political trajectory of the county, all of Takoma Park was ceded into Montgomery County when it was previously split between Moco and PG. It did not take long before more than half the Council was a Takoma Park resident and the rest is history.

That's also when the Republican party jumped the shark. It started with Gingrich in the 90s. Bush and the Iraq War didn't help. Then we got we first round of crazies with the Tea Party, before getting the MAGAs with Trump.

There's no hope for the Republican party here.

[Anonymous]

Any place can change- and in either direction.

[Anonymous]

Once ump cuts the federal dollars for metro the area will be red.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once ump cuts the federal dollars for metro the area will be red.

Huh? Are you confused about what side is red vs. blue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MOCO continues on its current trajectory I would imagine that we will see traditionally Democratic people voting more conservatively to balance things out. Not sure that it would become more purple, just prevent it from becoming more progressive.

Moco was never previously like this. It was much more “blue dog” territory. We had a Republican Congresswoman, Connie Morella. What happened is during the 2000s things took a turn. First, the state Democratic party gerrymandered Morella out of her seat. Next and perhaps fatally for the political trajectory of the county, all of Takoma Park was ceded into Montgomery County when it was previously split between Moco and PG. It did not take long before more than half the Council was a Takoma Park resident and the rest is history.

Morella didn't get gerrymandered, her base was in Bethesda. Roscoe Bartlett did but that was later.

Morella lost because of Gingrich. When it became clear that a vote for her was a vote for Newt they voted her out, and for once, it had nothing to do with her. It's the same reason Hogan just lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I do not. Federal employees and contractors vote their interest.

Everyone votes their interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I do not. Federal employees and contractors vote their interest.

There are also a lot of highly educated people in the DMV. Unless the Republicans at a national level dramatically change their platform, the DMV isn't going to vote for them.

the swamp needs to be cleaned out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I do not. Federal employees and contractors vote their interest.

There are also a lot of highly educated people in the DMV. Unless the Republicans at a national level dramatically change their platform, the DMV isn't going to vote for them.

the swamp needs to be cleaned out

The swamp is getting deeper. Just look at who was elected!

[Anonymous]

Oh my god. The DMV region is not going to become purple, no matter how much you wishcast it.

Montgomery County elected Marc Elrich twice. They elected Kristin Mink and Will Jawando. Elrich's policies have been challenged FROM THE LEFT. Anyone who knows MoCo knows that Blair came close and Riemer took some under-45 votes away from Elrich because Elrich's housing policy is too conservative. Elrich was pressured FROM THE LEFT in his first term to defund the police and become a sanctuary county and those weren't even his policies.

Elrich is a Che Guevara-loving leftist. The next County Executive will be to the left of Elrich. It's probably going to be Jawando or maybe Kate Stewart who was mayor of Takoma Park.