The Big Wave Trumps the Big Lie

By Colleen O’Connor

What a night.  The results were in, way faster and better than Democrats could have imagined, while the somewhat stunned newscasters stumbled to keep up the non-existent suspense.

It was all over except the shouting and cheering and booing and lying, in less than an hour.

True, mail-in ballots were counted first; same day and late arrivals are still to come, but nothing will overtake the huge win for Democrats and the “fire bell” in the night for Republicans.

It was all caps at The San Diego U-T:

NEWSOM SURVIVES RECALL ATTEMPT

The lede at the Los Angeles Times:

NEWSOM PREVAILS – Californians overwhelmingly reject Republican-led recall effort

And the Governor’s hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle:

Gavin Newsom survives recall by massive margin

Last week, I predicted a strong indicator of the GOP’s bleak future.  Starting with the possible California results in the “recall Newsom” effort.  A strong “NO” showing (anything near the high-50s or over 60%), could signal a huge anti-Trump, GOP defeat.  As of Wednesday morning, the count was over 62%.

As I wrote:

“It could happen.  It might happen.  Odds are increasing that it will happen.

What began as a Republican “double down” big bet is looking like a “big wave” wipeout.

The Republicans’ strategy of recalling Governor Newsom (amid COVID, fires, homelessness, drought, and MAGA-Trumpian grievances among voters), seemed clever.  Even at a cost of taxpayers of $276 million.”

And did it happen.  As Stacey Abrams proved in Georgia, the “ground game” and a seriously flawed opponent make the winning combo.  California proved it again, last night.

Also, I wrote:

“For early clues, watch for the polling among those once Republican Orange County women who voted Democratic in 2018; electing several new members to the House, and returning Pelosi to her Speakership role.”

And Orange County delivered, again.  In this ultra conservative county, nearly 53% voted NO on recalling Newsom.

And, again, it was the burgeoning woman’s vote that provided the margins.  The reasons were obvious.

The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision blocking women’s rights to reproductive freedom (done via the “shadow docket”); without in-court arguments; ignoring over 50 years of “settled case law”; making no exceptions in cases of rape or incest; and allowing for vigilante bounty hunters; swelled the backlash wave.

Add to that, women are mostly the front-line hospital staff and caregivers, the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and daughters tasked with confronting the pandemic up close and personal.

That swelling wave—looming just “outside,” as surfing lingo explains—was formed by the pandemic, the anti-vaxxers, the sexism, racism, and vitriol that morphed people’s legitimate concerns into non-stop bile— drove more women to say no to Trump-ism toxicity and reject the Newsom recall.

And reject it they did.

“According to the Public Policy Institute of California, a full two-thirds of women voters (66 percent) are against the recall.”

My new headline: “The Big Wave Trumped the Big Lie last night.”

Granted, the same day ballots, overseas’ ballots, late mail arrivals, and contested ballots are still to be counted, but keep watching.  That wave is out there and growing by the day.  Any political weathervane points to a tsunami event.

Governor Newsom caught part of the truth in his victory speech: “We said yes to science, we said yes to vaccines, we said yes to ending this pandemic.”

And women said yes to civility over chaos.

They heeded Thomas Jefferson’s, “fire bell in the night.”