Republican gains in the Senate on Tuesday prompted a number of liberals to complain about the fact that senators are chosen by state rather than by population.
Casting aside the U.S. Constitution, they cited an imaginary “Senate popular vote” as if it were a wireless service plan with rollover minutes that could be borrowed from states with Democratic excesses — such as California — and used to tip balances in states that went the other way. (RELATED: Democrats Win The House, Delegitimize The Senate)
Check out the popular vote for the Senate tonight. pic.twitter.com/JH6oydI9ck
— Waleed Shahid (@_waleedshahid) November 7, 2018
“It makes no sense.”
The US has a progressive majority that’s being held captive by the unrepresentative institutions we inherited.
Democrats will win the popular vote for the Senate tonight, but lose seats. It makes no sense to apportion political power by land mass, instead of by person. pic.twitter.com/zXCDBYohEs
— party in the house (@maxberger) November 7, 2018
It’s as bad as the Electoral College.
Dems got 9 million more votes in Senate races but GOP picked up 3 seats. Like the electoral college which defies the popular vote, this is a recurring modern American theme https://t.co/qRcVc5SazP
— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) November 7, 2018
“Legitimacy crisis.”
Hugely important point just now by @ezraklein: if the outcome of the midterms is that Republicans lose the popular vote for House and Senate, as they did w/ the White House, but due to gerrymandering emerge still controlling all three (and the Supreme Court)? Legitimacy crisis.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) November 6, 2018
“Historical gerrymander.”
The Senate is a like form of historical gerrymander, forcing certain votes to count far less in the results. We can’t do much about a 240 year old rule, but we should understand how a national popular vote win of 12.4% on Senate races results in the LOSS of three seats for Dems.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 7, 2018
“Our country is not a Democracy.”
Republicans lost the popular vote in Senate races by over 15 percentage points, but still gained two seats. https://t.co/TFVdDGIiat
Our country is not a democracy.
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) November 7, 2018
Their complaints were quickly smacked down by those who actually paid attention in their high school civics classes.
“Today’s Dumb Thing.”
Senate “popular vote”—today’s Dumb Thing.
— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) November 7, 2018
“I will never take seriously anything you say about politics.”
If you use the phrase “Senate popular vote,” I will never take seriously anything you say about politics ever again.
— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) November 7, 2018
“It’s not a real metric.”
Stop with the “Senate popular vote” thing. California, the nation’s biggest state by far, was Dem-vs.-Dem, and Dems were defending many more seats.
It’s not a real metric.
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 7, 2018
Democrats received approximately 8 million more votes than Republicans across 35 seats — 26 of which were held by Democrats or Independents who caucus with Democrats. Republicans made gains in Missouri, Indiana and North Dakota, while Democrats flipped the Nevada Senate seat held by Republican Dean Heller.
Florida was initially called for term-limited Republican Governor Rick Scott, but incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson has called for a recount.