Charles Gimon
@gimonca.bsky.social
I remember apartment hunting decades ago, seeing a classified ad for an apartment that said NEAR UPTOWN DOWNTOWN LAKES.
When I called, it was at, like, 34th and Chicago.
When I called, it was at, like, 34th and Chicago.
January 18, 2026 at 5:13 PM
I remember apartment hunting decades ago, seeing a classified ad for an apartment that said NEAR UPTOWN DOWNTOWN LAKES.
When I called, it was at, like, 34th and Chicago.
When I called, it was at, like, 34th and Chicago.
I appreciate his current candor, but he's been in office for many years, he could have come out and told the truth long before this. Not exactly a profile in courage. Still, good that he's speaking out.
January 16, 2026 at 4:11 PM
I appreciate his current candor, but he's been in office for many years, he could have come out and told the truth long before this. Not exactly a profile in courage. Still, good that he's speaking out.
You're aware that he's already not running for re-election?
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 PM
You're aware that he's already not running for re-election?
This is particularly useful since I'm boycotting Home Depot, Menards, Target and Walmart, and have been for some time. (And probably Lowe's now, too. And Siwek Lumber in NE.)
January 13, 2026 at 10:03 PM
This is particularly useful since I'm boycotting Home Depot, Menards, Target and Walmart, and have been for some time. (And probably Lowe's now, too. And Siwek Lumber in NE.)
Instead, what you should worry about are red-state governors arbitrarily and illegally refusing to certify the election of Democrats in their states. Example: imagine Abbott in Texas refuses to certify the legit winners in the remaining blue districts there (after the gerrymander).
January 7, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Instead, what you should worry about are red-state governors arbitrarily and illegally refusing to certify the election of Democrats in their states. Example: imagine Abbott in Texas refuses to certify the legit winners in the remaining blue districts there (after the gerrymander).
Dane County is my key example! Univ. of Wisconsin, state government, tech industry, chock full of Bernie Bros. But they turn out and vote. (They did in 2016, too!)
January 6, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Dane County is my key example! Univ. of Wisconsin, state government, tech industry, chock full of Bernie Bros. But they turn out and vote. (They did in 2016, too!)
I don't think you can trace through the data and conclude that "lots of non-voting leftists" threw the election, that's just my hot take. Yes, people stayed home. No, people didn't switch parties. But it's not "the leftists" fault. Again, my take.
January 6, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I don't think you can trace through the data and conclude that "lots of non-voting leftists" threw the election, that's just my hot take. Yes, people stayed home. No, people didn't switch parties. But it's not "the leftists" fault. Again, my take.
Two urban counties where R votes went up in 2024: Clark/Las Vegas and Maricopa/Phoenix. Both those counties include large suburban-exurban areas.
January 6, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Two urban counties where R votes went up in 2024: Clark/Las Vegas and Maricopa/Phoenix. Both those counties include large suburban-exurban areas.
Places where turnout was middling or slightly up in 2024: Baltimore, Hennepin Cty/Minneapolis, Omaha, Atlanta, Raleigh.
January 6, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Places where turnout was middling or slightly up in 2024: Baltimore, Hennepin Cty/Minneapolis, Omaha, Atlanta, Raleigh.
Places where people "stayed home" in 2024: Cook County/Chicago. Los Angeles. Houston. Tampa. Detroit.
January 6, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Places where people "stayed home" in 2024: Cook County/Chicago. Los Angeles. Houston. Tampa. Detroit.
One of the biggest drops in D turnout from 2020 to 2024 was in the Bronx, down 10%. Harris won NY anyway. Were those "leftists" not voting? (They didn't switch parties.) Would take further analysis at a deeper level, maybe the precinct level, to tell.
January 6, 2026 at 3:07 PM
One of the biggest drops in D turnout from 2020 to 2024 was in the Bronx, down 10%. Harris won NY anyway. Were those "leftists" not voting? (They didn't switch parties.) Would take further analysis at a deeper level, maybe the precinct level, to tell.
Wisconsin, between 2020 and 2024. Milwaukee County: Harris down ~1k votes compared to 2020. Dane County (Madison): Harris up ~12k votes compared to 2020.
People stayed home in various places, but it's hard to argue that "leftists" stayed home if Dane County turned out.
People stayed home in various places, but it's hard to argue that "leftists" stayed home if Dane County turned out.
January 6, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Wisconsin, between 2020 and 2024. Milwaukee County: Harris down ~1k votes compared to 2020. Dane County (Madison): Harris up ~12k votes compared to 2020.
People stayed home in various places, but it's hard to argue that "leftists" stayed home if Dane County turned out.
People stayed home in various places, but it's hard to argue that "leftists" stayed home if Dane County turned out.
It's striking that in 2012, Klobuchar carried almost every county in the state. In 2024, she's still hanging onto some up-north counties, but farm country is mostly lost to the zombies, lake cabin country even more so. She's still a formidable force, just not as statewide anymore.
January 6, 2026 at 2:12 PM
It's striking that in 2012, Klobuchar carried almost every county in the state. In 2024, she's still hanging onto some up-north counties, but farm country is mostly lost to the zombies, lake cabin country even more so. She's still a formidable force, just not as statewide anymore.
I guess Optics is something that happens to other people.
January 5, 2026 at 7:48 PM
I guess Optics is something that happens to other people.
I tried to fit it in one reply!
January 5, 2026 at 6:58 PM
I tried to fit it in one reply!
1978: Hubert Humphrey dies, Perpich appoints Muriel Humphrey to Senate. Anderson runs for re-election to Senate, Bob Short runs for the other Senate seat. Republicans win both Senate seats and governor (Quie, Boschwitz, Durenberger).
January 5, 2026 at 6:51 PM
1978: Hubert Humphrey dies, Perpich appoints Muriel Humphrey to Senate. Anderson runs for re-election to Senate, Bob Short runs for the other Senate seat. Republicans win both Senate seats and governor (Quie, Boschwitz, Durenberger).
1977: Mondale becomes Vice-Pres. Wendy Anderson resigns as gov. Rudy Perpich becomes gov, turns around and appoints Anderson as Senator to replace Mondale.
January 5, 2026 at 6:50 PM
1977: Mondale becomes Vice-Pres. Wendy Anderson resigns as gov. Rudy Perpich becomes gov, turns around and appoints Anderson as Senator to replace Mondale.
Also, welcome to 1978...
January 5, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Also, welcome to 1978...
I think we're going to learn how much hold the "old media" has over that narrow slice of theoretically swing voters, versus how much they've lost.
January 5, 2026 at 3:55 PM
I think we're going to learn how much hold the "old media" has over that narrow slice of theoretically swing voters, versus how much they've lost.
There's been a lack of publicly released polling on the Gov race since September, so effectively, most of us have no polling to refer to.
SurveyUSA did a poll mid-December that was basically approval ratings. People still liked Klobuchar and Smith, Walz had higher negatives in comparison.
SurveyUSA did a poll mid-December that was basically approval ratings. People still liked Klobuchar and Smith, Walz had higher negatives in comparison.
January 5, 2026 at 2:28 PM
There's been a lack of publicly released polling on the Gov race since September, so effectively, most of us have no polling to refer to.
SurveyUSA did a poll mid-December that was basically approval ratings. People still liked Klobuchar and Smith, Walz had higher negatives in comparison.
SurveyUSA did a poll mid-December that was basically approval ratings. People still liked Klobuchar and Smith, Walz had higher negatives in comparison.
Not exactly an apples-to-oranges comparison, but the Northeaster still shows up reliably on my front steps, in those orange plastic bags.
December 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Not exactly an apples-to-oranges comparison, but the Northeaster still shows up reliably on my front steps, in those orange plastic bags.
You had me at Lauraceae.
December 26, 2025 at 10:25 PM
You had me at Lauraceae.