Monday, November 6, 2023

FiveThirtyEight's 2023 elections to watch

2023's off-year election day is tomorrow, so I'm featuring FiveThirtyEight's series on 2023's elections to watch, beginning with Ohio's abortion vote.

Nathaniel Rakich breaks down Ohio's Issue 1 ballot measure, one of the key races in the 2023 elections.
This is the election I'm most interested in because Ohio is next door, the nearest state to where I live in Michigan, and reproductive rights have been a focus of mine on this blog since it became clear that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. While I think that Issue 1 will win, I'm not certain.

There is also an Issue 2 on Ohio's ballot to legalize recreational marijuana. I'm even less sure that will pass, although these measures usually do.

The elections for Virginia legislature also have implications for reproductive rights, as a trifecta would allow Republicans to pass laws restricting abortion.

Republicans are hoping to win a "trifecta" this November in Virginia’s 2023 legislative midterm elections. Nathaniel Rakich takes a look at what issues are at stake for both parties in this pivotal contest.
These elections will also take the temperature of the electorate in a state that's trended Democratic since 2008. If Democrats have trouble here, then they might have issues nationally next year.

On the other hand, FiveThirtyEight has generally good news for Democrats in Kentucky governor.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is popular, but Kentucky is a deep red state. Nathaniel Rakich looks into the tight governor's race in the state between Beshear and state Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Here's to hoping Beshear can win a state that is considered solidly Republican again.

I close with Mississippi governor, which is the most watched of all these videos, much to my surprise.

Mississippi currently has one of the most unpopular governors in the country in Republican Tate Reeves. Nathaniel Rakich wonders if a Democrat could win in this year's election in this deep red state.
I can see why Reeves is unpopular, but I'm not so sure that will translate into a Brandon Presley win. I'd be pleasantly surprised if he does.

I'll return with some comedy tomorrow. Stay tuned.

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