The Battle for the 'Burbs

While the GOP did as well as could be expected in governors’ races (the loss of Scott Walker is a bitter blow) and secured a historic win in the Senate (netting a gain of three seats), the loss of the House is a significant setback for the party and perhaps the first sign of looming defeat in future years. Why? The areas where many Republicans lost were the suburbs, and that may portend trouble ahead.

The Wall Street Journal notes, “The GOP lost House seats in the suburbs of Denver, Dallas, Houston, Des Moines, Minneapolis (two seats), Kansas City, Chicago, Richmond, Phoenix, and even Oklahoma City. They also lost in the longtime GOP stronghold of Staten Island.”

There are a number of reasons the GOP lost in the suburbs. Pete Sessions blamed his loss in a Texas district he represented for 16 years on the late John McCain’s decisive vote against the limited ObamaCare repeal in 2017. Other Republicans may have lost in heavily red states for turning their back on President Donald Trump, or because they embraced him too tightly. In some cases, it was just lackluster candidates.

The fact is, the suburbs have become the crucial battleground...