Nathan’s (Mostly) Political One-Liners: Fraudulent Signatures, Roseanne, and Kindness

by Nathan L. Gonzales April 9, 2018 · 8:45 AM EDT

Florida Senate (a): GOP Gov. Rick Scott may not win the race this year, but it will be an expensive slog for Democrats and Sen. Bill Nelson, despite the confidence American Bridge projected in a memo Wednesday

Florida Senate (b): Democrats attacking Scott for being a weak vote-getter in favorable GOP years is rich considering many Democratic senators who are on the ballot this November were first elected in the Democratic wave of 2006 and re-elected on Obama’s coattails in 2012, one of whom (Montana Sen. Jon Tester) has never received a majority of the vote. 

Iowa’s 3rd District: Democrat Teresa Greenfield’s fraudulent signatures reminds me of some epic previous instances of failing to make the ballot including Michigan Republican Thad McCotter, DC Mayor Anthony Williams, and Ohio Democrat Charlie Wilson, whose campaign manager/son couldn’t gather 50 valid signatures from the district.

Kindness: We can all learn something from the story of a Cleveland Indians fan giving Japanese star rookie Shohei Ohtani’s first home run ball to a 9-year-old Angels fan, who gives the ball back to Ohtani.

Political Weather: I talked to one Democratic strategist recently who made the distinction between riding a wave (when some campaign fundamentals may not be necessary) and having a wind at your back (when strong candidates and campaigns are necessary to take advantage of the opportunity). 

Roseanne: I’m confused, considering I grew up in a conservative household where I wasn’t allowed to watch the show because it was crude, then Roseanne Barr made a mockery of the National Anthem and grabbed her crotch, and now she is a beacon of hope for conservatives and Republicans.

Star Wars Data: This story from over a year ago on data formats in the Star Wars universe is still one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time.

Tennessee Senate: Democrats can get excited about a recent Middle Tennessee State University poll that showed Democrat Phil Bredesen with a 10-point lead over Republican Marsha Blackburn, but it also shows the former two-term governor with 45 percent of the vote against a congresswoman who has never run statewide.