| | | | House Dems just had their best election since Watergate |  | | The end came just before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2018.
"Despite the outcome of this election, we must remain deliberate in our efforts to improve our community," said California Rep. David Valadao (R) in conceding his 21st District House seat. "There is always work to be completed and I can't wait to see what else our community can accomplish."
With that, the 2018 election has all but ended. And not a moment too soon for Republicans who, with Valadao's defeat, lost 40 seats -- and their House majority. (As the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman notes, the 9.7 million raw vote edge Democrats enjoyed over Republicans nationally is the largest in the history of midterm elections.)
Sidebar: There is still the possibility that Democrats gain one more seat. The result in North Carolina's 9th District, where Republican Mark Harris leads by 905 votes, has yet to be certified due to concerns about election fraud surrounding his absentee ballot program. It is possible a new election will be ordered.
Valadao was widely regarded as an able and competent member who understood the challenge of running in a Central Valley district where Donald Trump lost by 16 points in 2016.
And yet he lost -- struck down by the same problem that afflicted so many Republican members in marginal seats in 2018: How to deal with Donald Trump. That challenge was particularly acute in Valadao's seat, where almost 75% of the district's population is Hispanic.
Knowing that political reality, Valadao sought to distance himself from Trump. In 2016, he said: "I am disappointed with the divisive rhetoric coming from this presidential election and cannot support either candidate."
Didn't matter. Although Valadao was comfortably ahead among votes cast on Election Day, his lead ebbed away with each passing day -- until Democrat TJ Cox passed him last week. At that point, the writing was on the wall. On Thursday, Valadao bowed to that reality.
The 40-seat loss is the largest defeat for Republicans in a midterm election since 1974. It is the third largest overall seat loss since that time, with only the 63 seats lost by Democrats in 2010 and the 54 seats lost by Democrats in 1994 besting it.
The Point: This was a wave election. It swept out a slew of GOP members in its wake who, in anything close to a neutral national environment, would almost certainly have been re-elected.
-- Chris | | "Knowing that the cruelty of our elections process would ultimately splash back on people whom Diane and I love, but who hadn't signed up for the journey, was more than I could ask."
-- Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick in a Facebook post this morning describing why he decided not to run for president. | | | GET READY FOR A VERY MUELLER FRIDAY | | We have some major court filing deadlines arriving tomorrow.
First and second: Mueller's office and federal prosecutors in New York have to provide memos to recommend a sentence for Michael Cohen -- filings that are expected to detail how he has cooperated in multiple investigations. Both are due by 5 p.m.
Third: Special counsel Robert Mueller's office has to explain to the court why it accused Paul Manafort of lying to investigators and breaking his cooperation deal. Due by 11:59 p.m.
PLUS: Former FBI Director James Comey is testifying behind closed doors on Friday before the House Judiciary and Oversight committees for a Republican-led probe into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation.
AND THEN: George Papadopoulos -- the first person to plead guilty in the Mueller probe -- is being released from prison after serving a two-week sentence.
Read more from Jeremy Herb, Katelyn Polantz and Erica Orden on what's going to be a hugely newsy Friday. | | | Our countdown to Christmas continues with this ABSOLUTE CLASSIC from The Boss: "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." | | Congress swung into action today by averting a potential shutdown -- for a whole two weeks!
Congress approved a two-week extension package that keeps the government open until just before Christmas, meaning lawmakers will have a holly jolly good time negotiating to avert a partial government shutdown.
A major sticking point in the impasse revolves around President Donald Trump's demand for $5 billion for his wall along the Mexican border. | |  | What's up with Trump, Mueller and the Russia investigation? | | The Russia investigation is complicated. Like, really complicated. Chris breaks down the major characters, evidence and indictments so far in the special counsel investigation into Russian election interference and any possible collusion with Trump's campaign during the 2016 election.
We do two new videos every week! Subscribe to CNN's YouTube channel. | | The Iowa Poll is BACK.
CNN and the Des Moines Register are partnering up in collaboration with financial sponsor Mediacom for "The Iowa Poll," which was founded by the Register in 1943, according to a joint press release.
The poll will be conducted by Selzer & Company -- and as Chris notes, J. Ann Selzer has a long track record of being the most accurate pollster of the Hawkeye State. | |
🎶THE POINT TEAM'S MUSICAL YEAR, WRAPPED 🎶 | | ... With an assist from the Spotify year in review feature, rolled out today. Here's what everyone in the Point posse listened to most in 2018.
Brenna's top song: Ludacris feat. Shawnna - "What's Your Fantasy" & top artist: Betty Who
Lauren's top two artists: Death Cab For Cutie and Vampire Weekend & top song: "Name For You" by The Shins
Leigh's minutes listened: 26,410 (that's more than 18 days!) & top artist: Darlingside
Chris' top song: "Summer's End" by John Prine & minutes listened: 31,167 (more than 21 days!)
Spotify Premium listeners can find their 2018 wrapped here! | | | | | | |
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