2020 Election

A few days ago I received a postcard from the Middlesex County Board of Elections thanking me for my vote in the 2020 general election. Unlike many people I didn't have a strong opinion about the race. So if New Jersey hadn't mailed me a ballot about 6 weeks before the election I might not have gotten around to voting. But as they did, I preserved my record of always voting in Presidential elections. I could have returned the ballot by mail but deposited it in a drop box a few days before the election instead. 

I rather reluctantly voted for Biden. Biden isn't a very inspiring candidate but I find him less objectionable than many of his fellow Democrats. And of course this election was largely about Trump. I voted for Trump in 2016 but four years of exposure to his many flaws including his indifference to objective reality was ultimately too much for me to support him again however much I dislike many of his opponents. Trump's post election behavior after his defeat has just made me feel better about my decision. 

I was pleased that the Republicans did well down ballot. I have no love for the Democratic agenda and I am glad that many of the more objectional parts now appear to have little chance of making it through Congress even if the Democrats manage to eke out control of Senate by winning both Georgia runoffs. 

There has been some talk that there was something surprising about the Republicans doing better than expected in the down ballot races even though Trump lost but it doesn't seem so to me. The Republicans outperformed the polls by a few points. This wasn't enough to change the outcome of the Presidential race (after a few anxious moments for the Democrats) but it was enough to make a difference in a lot of the other races.