Even Boring Elections Are Important

I haven't seen a lot of polls about the election in Ohio. It seems that Democrat Sherrod Brown is ahead in polls in his reelection bid for the Senate, and that the candidates for governor are tied, or very close to it. I don't know about other statewide offices.

Polls for congressional elections are sparse, as there isn't a lot of drama due to the gerrymandered districts in Ohio. Some are rated as likely for one party or the other, mostly for Republicans, who drew the districts after the 2010 elections, but four Democrats are in likely or solid districts.

I still expect that Democratic candidates for congressional seats will get more votes than Republican candidates, but that Republicans will win most of the seats, but I can't point to much data to back up my opinion.

Recent events have been disturbing, but may not affect the election. An angry Trump supporter with a criminal record has been arrested for mailing fourteen bombs to Democrats, all outspoken critics of Trump. And an angry white man killed eleven people and injured others at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. He is clearly an anti-Semite, but also appears to have expressed hatred for Trump, which confuses the issue in some ways.

National polls and predictions of election outcomes have not shifted much over the past few weeks. Most prognosticators think Democrats will make significant gains in the House, and probably take a majority, while Republicans will probably hold a slim majority in the Senate. Democrats will gain a few governorships. I don't know much about what is expected at the state level, even in Ohio. It is possible Democrats will make gains in the state legislature, but I will be very surprised in Democrats take a majority in either house, and especially in the State Senate. I should know the last time Democrats had a majority in the State Senate, but I don't. I don't think they ever have during my time in residency.

These things do matter, but I already voted, and I have no other control. Maybe that is why I haven't made more effort to find out what is expected. Maybe it is because the results are too easily predicted, and little is likely to change in Ohio. Some will change if Richard Cordray is elected governor. He seems quite capable, and could make some good changes. And the House of Representatives controlled by Democrats could cause the federal government to function more competently, with actual application of principles, evaluation of data, use of science, and so forth. These would be important developments. But mostly boring, at least for me right now.

Maybe I need another focus for my mind, at least until the election is held.