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| California's Orange county now closer to blue than red after midterms | California's Orange county now closer to blue than red after midterms |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Orange county was once known as California’s “nut country” – a hotbed of radical rightwing Republicans who hated gay people and Mexicans and railed against big government, even as they raked in the benefits of a thriving cold war defense industry. | Orange county was once known as California’s “nut country” – a hotbed of radical rightwing Republicans who hated gay people and Mexicans and railed against big government, even as they raked in the benefits of a thriving cold war defense industry. |
| The county was regarded as an outlier, an embarrassment to mainstream Republicans with its embrace of the xenophobic, anti-communist John Birch Society and its love for local political heroes such as Bob Dornan, a longtime congressman known for his disdain for “lesbian spear chuckers” and his dismissal of a journalist he disliked as a “disloyal, betraying little Jew”. | The county was regarded as an outlier, an embarrassment to mainstream Republicans with its embrace of the xenophobic, anti-communist John Birch Society and its love for local political heroes such as Bob Dornan, a longtime congressman known for his disdain for “lesbian spear chuckers” and his dismissal of a journalist he disliked as a “disloyal, betraying little Jew”. |
| In many ways, the county, wedged between Los Angeles and San Diego along the Pacific shoreline, spawned the ideas that would eventually give rise to Donald Trump and his fervent base of America Firsters. And yet, while Trump has taken the orange out of Orange county, the place has changed beyond recognition – and Tuesday’s midterm election sealed the deal. | In many ways, the county, wedged between Los Angeles and San Diego along the Pacific shoreline, spawned the ideas that would eventually give rise to Donald Trump and his fervent base of America Firsters. And yet, while Trump has taken the orange out of Orange county, the place has changed beyond recognition – and Tuesday’s midterm election sealed the deal. |
| 'There is no more Republican party': will California’s Orange county swing Democratic? | 'There is no more Republican party': will California’s Orange county swing Democratic? |
| Democrats have either won or taken the lead in four of the seven congressional districts that include parts of Orange county, including two of the four that favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 general election. Two Republican stalwarts, Darrell Issa and Ed Royce, preferred to retire than face the risk of defeat at the polls. | Democrats have either won or taken the lead in four of the seven congressional districts that include parts of Orange county, including two of the four that favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 general election. Two Republican stalwarts, Darrell Issa and Ed Royce, preferred to retire than face the risk of defeat at the polls. |
| Meanwhile, Dana Rohrabacher – arguably the last vestige of the old Orange county with his rabid anti-immigrant sentiments, his bizarre remarks about denying homeownership to homosexuals, and his conspiratorial thinking about foreign affairs – is trailing in the first competitive race he has been forced to run in 30 years. | Meanwhile, Dana Rohrabacher – arguably the last vestige of the old Orange county with his rabid anti-immigrant sentiments, his bizarre remarks about denying homeownership to homosexuals, and his conspiratorial thinking about foreign affairs – is trailing in the first competitive race he has been forced to run in 30 years. |
| “It’s time for us to start the second chapter,” Rohrabacher’s challenger, Harley Rouda, told supporters on Tuesday night. “We are the people who believe in women’s rights and equal rights. We are the people who believe our country’s diversity is what makes us great … We are the people who believe in economic opportunity and fair wages for all.” | “It’s time for us to start the second chapter,” Rohrabacher’s challenger, Harley Rouda, told supporters on Tuesday night. “We are the people who believe in women’s rights and equal rights. We are the people who believe our country’s diversity is what makes us great … We are the people who believe in economic opportunity and fair wages for all.” |
| Rouda was leading by about 2,000 votes on Wednesday – not enough to claim victory with provisional ballots and an unknown number of absentee ballots still to be counted. Two of the county’s other races, both with the Republican ahead, were similarly deemed too close to call. | Rouda was leading by about 2,000 votes on Wednesday – not enough to claim victory with provisional ballots and an unknown number of absentee ballots still to be counted. Two of the county’s other races, both with the Republican ahead, were similarly deemed too close to call. |
| Will Republican women finally break with Trump in the midterms? | Will Republican women finally break with Trump in the midterms? |
| Still, the political shift was unmistakable, as suburban women, in particular, rebelled against the old radical strain of conservatism and voted Democrat in unprecedented numbers. Democratic party officials used to think they’d have a lock on Orange county by 2024, but Trump is speeding up the process in startling fashion. | Still, the political shift was unmistakable, as suburban women, in particular, rebelled against the old radical strain of conservatism and voted Democrat in unprecedented numbers. Democratic party officials used to think they’d have a lock on Orange county by 2024, but Trump is speeding up the process in startling fashion. |
| “Donald Trump is the first Republican to lose Orange county since 1936, when FDR was president,” said Mike Levin, the Democratic candidate who was declared the winner of Darrell Issa’s old seat on Wednesday with a provisional lead of almost eight points. “Toxic partisanship does not play well here.” | “Donald Trump is the first Republican to lose Orange county since 1936, when FDR was president,” said Mike Levin, the Democratic candidate who was declared the winner of Darrell Issa’s old seat on Wednesday with a provisional lead of almost eight points. “Toxic partisanship does not play well here.” |
| Levin’s district includes San Clemente, a ruby-red coastal city that once played host to Richard Nixon’s so-called Western White House. One of Orange county’s most astute political writers, Gustavo Arellano, wrote on Wednesday that this election constitutes “a stake in Nixon’s vampire heart”. | Levin’s district includes San Clemente, a ruby-red coastal city that once played host to Richard Nixon’s so-called Western White House. One of Orange county’s most astute political writers, Gustavo Arellano, wrote on Wednesday that this election constitutes “a stake in Nixon’s vampire heart”. |
| Levin noted that his opponent, Diane Harkey, and Rohrabacher campaigned by embracing Trumpism and, as a direct consequence, are now losing. The two Republicans in the lead, Young Kim and Mimi Walters, either disavowed Trump or – in Walters’ case – refused to talk about him even though she has voted for his agenda 99% of the time. | Levin noted that his opponent, Diane Harkey, and Rohrabacher campaigned by embracing Trumpism and, as a direct consequence, are now losing. The two Republicans in the lead, Young Kim and Mimi Walters, either disavowed Trump or – in Walters’ case – refused to talk about him even though she has voted for his agenda 99% of the time. |
| “Orange county is becoming more diverse, and our districts are increasingly well-educated, wealthy, and environmentally conscious,” Levin told the Guardian. “I grew up in the most conservative part of the county and my [Democratic] parents were afraid to talk about politics. Now they’re not.” | “Orange county is becoming more diverse, and our districts are increasingly well-educated, wealthy, and environmentally conscious,” Levin told the Guardian. “I grew up in the most conservative part of the county and my [Democratic] parents were afraid to talk about politics. Now they’re not.” |
| US midterms 2018 | US midterms 2018 |
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