And so it begins … Attorney General Sessions resigns at Trump’s request (Updated)

Well that didn’t take long … America is still counting the votes from Tuesday’s election but “Dear Leader” has begun the “slow-motion Saturday night massacre” at the Department of Justice. Trump is just daring the Special Counsel and the new Democratic Congress to hold him accountable for his abuses of power and obstruction of justice.

The Washington Post reports, Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns at Trump’s request (he tried to resign twice before, but was talked out of it):

[Confederate Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III] resigned on Wednesday at President Trump’s request, ending the tenure of a loyalist Trump had soured on shortly after Sessions took office in 2017 because the former senator from Alabama had recused himself from oversight of the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.

In a letter to Trump, Sessions wrote he had been “honored to serve as Attorney General” and had “worked to implement the law enforcement agenda based on the rule of law that formed a central part of your campaign for the presidency.” Trump tweeted that Sessions would be replaced on an acting basis by Matthew G. Whitaker, who had been serving as Sessions’s chief of staff.

“We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well!” Trump tweeted. “A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date.”

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Preliminary Results Arizona State Candidates 2018

It appears that GOP tribalism coupled with a statewide GOP voter registration edge of over a 100,000 registrants is still all it takes to win statewide races in Arizona.

Well, that and massive amounts of “dark money” from out of state anonymous sources.

Republicans appear to have won all the statewide offices, but the Superintendent of Public Instruction race remains too close to call.

Democrats appear to have picked up some seats in the Arizona House. Several races remain too close to call, and there are reportedly over 500,000 ballots yet to be be verified and counted.

Democrats may have narrowed the GOP margin in the legislature, which could force the GOP leadership to negotiate and compromise with the Democratic leadership to pass legislation, instead of simply ignoring Democrats and the constituents they represent. This is a good thing.

Current estimated voter turnout is 46.67%. When more than half of registered voters cannot take the time to fill out a ballot — not including the large number of eligible voting age persons not registered to vote — the health of our democracy is in serious jeopardy. You have to do better Arizona!

(These are the overnight numbers).

Governor

Doug Ducey (R)               57.8%
David Garcia (D)             40.2%

Secretary of State

Steve Gaynor (R)             51.3%
Katie Hobbs (D)              48.7%

Attorney General

Mark Brnovich (R)          53.4%
January Contreras (D)   46.6%

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Preliminary Results Arizona Federal Candidates 2018

The U.S. Senate race is too close to call, but Rep. Martha McSally currently holds more than a 14,000 vote lead over Rep. Kyrsten Sinema. Green Party candidate Angela Green, who withdrew days before the election, received more votes than the margin between McSally and Sinema (who was a Green before she was a Democrat). Sort of ironic.

There are reportedly over 500,000 ballots yet to be be verified and counted. It’s going to be awhile (and it could be close enough for a recount).

The House races have all been called. Democrats picked up the open CD 2 seat with Ann Kirkpatrick’s win in Southern Arizona, and Greg Stanton held the open seat in CD 9 for Democrats in Maricopa County. All the incumbents were reelected along party lines.

Current estimated voter turnout is 46.67%. When more than half of registered voters cannot take the time to fill out a ballot — not including the large number of eligible voting age persons not registered to vote — the health of our democracy is in serious jeopardy. You have to do better Arizona!

(These are the overnight numbers.)

U.S. Senate (open)

Martha McSally (R)        847,021
Kysten Sinema (D)          832,441
Angela Green (GRN)         38,476
Too close to call

Congressional District 1

Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D)   53.3% ✔︎
Wendy Rogers (R)               46.7%

Congressional District 2

Ann Kirkpatrick (D)            53.3% ✔︎
Lea Marquez Peterson (R) 46.7%

Congressional District 3

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D)       61.4% ✔︎
Nicolas Pierson (R)            38.6%

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