After much anticipation, punishingly long lines, and anxiety-riddled memes, the midterm elections are finally over. The Democrats retook the House but not the Senate, and it was a night of firsts. The first Native American women in Congress (Sharic Davids and Deb Haaland). The first openly gay governor (Jared Polis). The first Muslim women in Congress (Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar). There were let downs, such as my own district re-electing Steve King in what I can only imagine was a fit of derangement brought on by too much lead paint still on the barns out here. And in completely unrelated news, The Purge TV show was renewed for a second season.
Early in the day, people were steeling themselves:
*opens window*
“Child! Tell me! What day is it today?”
“Why, it’s ‘Feel Afraid All Day’ Day, guvnah!”
“Oh good! I haven’t misssd it!”— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) November 6, 2018
Me: *sets alarm for 5am to go wait in line to vote* pic.twitter.com/aJSYun2fd7
— Tim (@Playing_Dad) November 5, 2018
[sister christian voice] Voterin’
— Jeremy D. Larson (@jeremydlarson) November 6, 2018
And plenty of fun was had with the ubiquitous “I voted” stickers:
https://twitter.com/ValeeGrrl/status/1059846287003127808
https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/1059889054752346112
https://twitter.com/jaredlholt/status/1059886060044464130
Everyone with ‘I Voted’ stickers walking around smiling at each other is what I imagine it feels like to be Mormon.
— mike ginn (@shutupmikeginn) November 6, 2018
just remember that when you see photos of dogs with "i voted" stickers that all those dogs have committed voter fraud
— Steven Rich (@dataeditor) November 6, 2018
People made jokes at the expense of some of the usual suspects:
Donald Trump Jr. emerges from his voting booth with his ballot covered in spaghetti sauce even though he didn’t enter the booth with spaghetti or sauce.
— Arby’s Provocateur (@SamGrittner) November 6, 2018
Wow. This response shows just how out of touch Trump is: pic.twitter.com/ZQ2VAG1Iff
— pixelatedboat aka “mr tweets” (@pixelatedboat) November 7, 2018
james comey sheds a single tear as he votes for every single candidate on today’s ballot, democrat and republican, in a show of unity for the country he loves so very much
— america's lounge singer (@KrangTNelson) November 6, 2018
And Ted Cruz winning the Texas Senate race versus Beto O’Rourke stirred strong reactions:
https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/1060010667384627200
Ted Cruz is going to treat himself to TWO live mice tonight
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) November 7, 2018
The fact that they blur female nipples but not Ted Cruz’s face is absurd
— Willie Muse (@Williesillie2) November 7, 2018
ted cruz is a continual reminder that success isn't a matter of good looks, smarts, goodness, or even being liked. in fact no one knows what it's a matter of. the world is an unfathomable mystery of unending horror. what set this dread existence in motion. why is this happening
— TORMABLAS PARODYIACKLELALES (@Tormny_Pickeals) November 7, 2018
And some have never forgotten the time Ted Cruz honked off on 9/11. (Never forget.)
Beto O’Rourke offered hope, compassion and courage but on the other hand, Ted Cruz jacked off on 9/11
— Fred Delicious 🍆 (@Fred_Delicious) November 7, 2018
Meanwhile, people nervously joked throughout the day as updates slowly trickled in:
https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/1059985533286387712
each election result coming in feels like opening an Advent calendar in a Saw movie
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) November 7, 2018
My wife reporting from the local community center on the huge number of millennials waiting to vote: “It looks like a line for avocado toast.”
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) November 6, 2018
ME: did you vote yet?
SON: I’m 5
ME: if you don’t vote, you can’t complain
SON: complain about what?
ME: wow can you hear yourself right now?
— slate (@PleaseBeGneiss) November 5, 2018
KEY RACE ALERT:
Down at Dino's Bar & Grill, I can report that 100% of the boys are back in town— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 7, 2018
Trump has endorsed 11 Republicans running for Governor, 31 House candidates and 13 Senate candidates and I've screenshot every one of them and will let him know every one that loses.
— ally (@missmayn) November 7, 2018
I just voted and I don't want to brag but I'm pretty sure I got all the questions right
— human aaron (@humanaaron) November 6, 2018
Some people stayed focused on the positives:
The Colorado cake baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay couple now has a gay governor.
— Reverend Jes Kast (@RevJesKast) November 7, 2018
*Ricola voice* TAX RETURNS pic.twitter.com/cT7XF0VWqw
— summer goth 🦇 (@NicCageMatch) November 7, 2018
NBC NEWS:
AMERICA DOWNGRADED FROM EXTREMELY RACIST TO VERY RACIST.
— Neal Brennan (@nealbrennan) November 7, 2018
While others pointed out absurd amounts of gerrymandering and voter suppression are still happening:
quick someone do a true crime podcast on voter suppression so white people care
— Sophia Benoit (@1followernodad) November 6, 2018
But there’s common ground to be found in all this. People came together to express their combined dislikes of offshore drilling and indoor vaping:
https://twitter.com/KrangTNelson/status/1060006487823671297
And one thing we (should all be able to) agree on always and forever: f*ck nazis.
clear eyes, full hearts, fuck nazis
— Leah Greenberg (@Leahgreenb) November 6, 2018