Midterm elections: Here’s what should excite and depress Democrats

CNN — For two years Democrats have raged over Donald Trump’s presidency, quarreled among themselves over the best strategy for responding to it, and above all, counted the days until next month’s midterm election. Democratic Senate and governor candidates in the Midwest are showing renewed competitiveness among blue-collar white voters who keyed Trump’s victories in the states that propelled him into the White House. They have chosen the most women ever as nominees in House, Senate and gubernatorial races; picked a wide array of talented young national security veterans in House contests; selected African-American gubernatorial nominees in three states, Latino nominees in three more, as well as a native-American in Idaho; and nominated several openly gay, bisexual or trangender candidates in high profile statewide offices It’s not hard to amass a list of Democratic House contenders who could graduate very quickly to future Senate nominations if they win next month: Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania, Jason Crow in Colorado, Dan McCready in North Carolina, Amy McGrath in Kentucky and Colin Allred in Texas among them. In Texas, O’Rourke has shown clear gains among college-educated white voters compared to earlier statewide Democratic candidates, but in recent surveys he’s stalled out at around 40% of them, too little to win. The New York Times/Siena College polls have found Democratic House candidates trailing among college-educated whites by about 20 points in two suburban North Carolina districts and by about 15 points in two suburban Texas districts.