The 2026 Election, 16th Edition. The skeptical eye edition.

July 11, 2026

As we head into the final days of the primary election, which for most offices is, unfortunately, the election, we here in Wyoming are being subjected to a daily bombardment of election propaganda crap, most of which assumes that if Donald Trump bent over and pulled his oversize trousers down, you'd gleefully kiss his big white ass.

And that's exactly what most of the candidates for Congress are doing.

Having said that, either election fatigue or the rise of local issues is baffling a few.

For the House, Chuck Gray is flopping around like a carp thrown out on the beach looking for something he thinks can outrage you into voting for the little rich carpetbagger whose never had to really work.  Gadfly Reid Rasner, who doesn't stand a chance (and whose been mysteriously absent recently) actually seems to have hurt Chuck by calling him China Chuck.  Chuck's most recently effort is to pretend to be horrified by birthright citizenship.  Given as Trump sort of excused Graham Platner from rape accusations the other day, we can assume lil' Chuck is searching for a girlfriend to make accusations against him so that he can get a Trump accolade.

Foster Friess, another rich carpetbagger, has been running for the same position, Congressman, and has hit on the "I've never had to work a real job but you dumb fucks have to so I'm going to pretend that you want a job on the floor of an oil rig where you will get killed".

As noted, Rasner has just dropped off the screen.

And of course we have Florida cracker Frank Chapman on screen looking like his new cowboy boots hurt his feet and pretending to be one of us.

We can hope that Jillian Balow is getting some traction, as she seems by far the least objectionable Republican candidate for Congress. She also must be the least well funded of the good candidates as we don't see her campaign material nearly as often, unfortunately.

This isn't everyone running on the GOP ticket.  Bo Biteman, of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, Kevin Christensen, a vet who'd like to kiss Trump's big white ass, Richard Dodson, David Giralt and Keith Goodenough all are as well.  Goodenough is the most interesting candidate in the race, having been a well know Natrona County candidate whose served in various offices, and who has served both as a Republican and Democrat.

If the primary election were today we would vote for, for Congress, Balow.

Democrats running for this office are Elena Del Real and Boomer Lisa Kinney.  Kinney will win and then go down so badly in the general it'll leave a crater visible from space in her native Albany County.

If we were registered as Democrats and the primary was elected today, we'd just not vote either of these two obvious losers.

If the general election was held today, and we had our choice of candidates, we'd vote for Balow.

For the Senate seat, a propaganda flyer for Harriet Hageman came this week for the first time.  That fact would suggest she doesn't figure she actually has to spend much money.  Other candidates in that race are Jill Edwards, John Holtz, the gadfly Baby Boomer who just won't go away, Sam Mead and Jimmy Skovgard.  Mead is by far the best candidate in this race but he faces an uphill battle against Hageman simply because she's in Congress.

If the primary election was held today we'd vote for Mead.

On the Democratic side  Billy Benavidez is running against James Byrd.  Byrd is a very good candidate and may be the best candidate in the entire race from either party.  A Byrd v. Mead race would really serve the state.

If the primary election was held today and we were registered as Democrats, we'd vote for Byrd.

If the general election was held today and we had our choice of candidates, we're not sure what we'd do.

For Governor the race seems to have Eric Barlow, out in front.  He's a very good candidate.  Megan Degenfelder is running on having been Superintendent of Public Education and that Donald "Grab 'em by the Pussy" Trump has endorsed her.  Brent Bien is running on the "I worked my entire life for the government (USMC) and hate the government ticket".  A lot of WFC people like him as they're gullible and ignorant.  The WFC has a flyer with Bien, Chuck and Hageman circling.  A Curt Blake is also running.

If the primary election was held today we'd vote for Barlow.

On the Democratic side Ken Casner is running as the symbol of the dead Democratic Party in the state, as he's so old he may in fact have already passed on.

If the primary election was held today and we were registered as Democrats we'd scream in anger and refuse to fill out the ballot on this one.

If the general election was held today and we had our choice of candidates, we'd vote for Balow.

For Wyoming Secretary of State the GOP candidates are Jason Fearneyhough, Qwenton Eagle Oviatt, Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, Robert Short and Charles Young.  Of these candidates, right now, the only ones I know anything about are carpetbagger Rodriguez-Williams, an odd man off Hispanic in the Wyoming Fascist Caucus, and Robert Short, long time Converse County Commissioner.

If the primary was held today, we'd vote for Short, but we need to look into these candidates more.

For the Democrats, there's Bryan McCarty, whom we know nothing about.

If the general election was held today and we had our choice of candidates, right now it'd be Short, but we're not wedded to that position.  We'd never vote for Rodriguez-Williams.

For Superintendent of Public Instruction the GOP race features Chad Auer, Steve Harshman and Thomas Kelly.  Harsham is a long time teacher and educator and is by far the best choice on the GOP side.  On the Democratic side Ana Cordova and Sergio Maldonado are running, both of whom are educators.

If the primary election was held today we'd vote for Harshman.

If the general election was held today we're not sure what we would do.

The primary will decide the Treasurer's race as only Republicans Curt Meier and Scott Smith are running.  Meier will win.

In other races, we'd like to see Bear, Allemand, and Ide retired to private life. I.e, lose and lose badly.

In news from elsewhere, Graham Platner officially pulled out of the race, but with the least apologetic message ever.

Platner was, of course, lately accused of rape and had some troubling aspects to him early on.  The rape accusations, however, were a bridge too far for Democrats, thankfully.

One of the main aspects of the Platner saga has been the degree to which it really exposed the hypocrisy of the GOP, which started off by attempting to mount the high horse of morality which was bucking wildly. A party that has "Grab em by the Pussy" "I went to Epstein Island but didn't notice it was rapey" Trump and a host of other moral creeps can't really be complaining about morality  When the Democrats in fact demanded that Platner drop out that left them in a bit of a pickle as they got what they were urging but, by extension, that means they have to clear out the bordello in order to have any moral credibility, which they aren't going to do.

Indeed, Donald Trump came to Platner's defense, noting that sometimes the accusatrixes are fibbers, which sometimes they indeed are.  His point is, of course, that he's maintained all along he's not a moral creep and his female accusers are lying.  It's pretty clear not all of them are lying about what they accuse Trump of, but at any rate he came to Platner's defense.  It'd have been amusing if Trump had endorsed Platner, which I could actually see sort of happening.  In a weird sort of way, Platner is what J. D. Vance once was, but with a side order of massively problematic personal issues.

July 12, 2026

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away yesterday at the age of 71.  Once a staunch opponent of Donald Trump, during Trump's first administration he became a strong supporter.  In recent years, almost pathetically so.

Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement.  He has absolute discretion, but he's a Republican and will choose a Republican.  He's also a strong Trump supporter.

Graham was facting Dr. Annie Andrews who stood a strong chance of defeating him.  His death makes it likely that his successor will prevail in the fall.

It seems quite likely that Graham died of a heart attack.  He was two years older than his father was when his father died the same way.  That event left him raising his 13 year old sister, as his mother had already passed away.

He attended university while raising his sister on an ROTC scholarship and served after law school in the USAF.  After his active duty career he continued to serve in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.  He was always a JAG officer.  He was a government attorney for local municipalities briefly before entering Congress in 1994.  In his first race, he was supported by Strom Thurmond.

Graham never married.

July 14, 2026

The Governor of South Carolina appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator, as his replacement for the balance of his term.  She is unlikely to run for the seat, which is up this term.

Quite a few contenders are lining up to compete for it, with some Nancy Mace practically begging for the seat while pretending that she's being begged to take it.

Closer to home, Chuck Gray (who's never been married and for whom there's no known current or former known former love interest) is complaining about a something gadfly Reid Rasner (who has been married, and divorced, to a man) said in Rasner's doomed campaign.

Gray Calls Rasner ‘A Child' For Bringing His Dad Into Fiery GOP Primary Race

According to the Cowboy State Daily:

From about Friday through Monday, Rasner’s political Facebook page showcased screenshots that depict Jan Charles Gray – who is the father of one of Rasner’s opponents, Secretary of State Chuck Gray – reacting to Rasner’s posts with heart-face and fire emojis. 

“Chuck Gray’s Dad Supports Reid,” says a banner attached to one of the posts.

That upset Chuck who likes to run around calling people names but doesn't like to be picked on.  The Daily reached out to Chuck's father who replied, “Clearly I support my son, Chuck Gray, 100% - and he’s going to win, Reid Rasner is a very troubled individual. Chuck Gray for Congress.”

What seems to be the case is that the elder Gray liked some of Rasner's Facebook posts, which is a pretty good reason to question his political leanings, although they frankly are pretty similar to his son's.

The Gray v. Rasner fight is one that Gray, frankly, deserves.  Rasner is a gadfly, with a campaign so wacky that some have questioned if its a comedy act, but his views aren't really very far from Gray's, which ought to be regarded as comedic.

cont:

Donald Trump is schedule for a television appearance this Thursday which appears to be part of his pathetic fable that he won the 2020 election he lost, and as part of his push for the Stop Americans from Voting Act.

The gullible will no doubt listen to whatever stream of lies he spouts.

July 15, 2026

Early and absentee voting for the primaries starts on July 21 and ends on Aug. 17. 

Primary election day is Tuesday, Aug. 18.

I usually try to vote early since the county decided to consolidate a bunch of voting locations into one, at the Fairgrounds.  I frankly don't appreciate that much.

It was for paranoid security concerns.

A Miller article:

Horses, hats and political propaganda as Wyoming prepares to vote

Miller is spot on.  We are in the hats, boots and horses season, with politicians who don't normally wear Western togs, and probably fear horses, get photographed like they're appearing in Lonesome Dove.

Related threads:

Pollice Verso. The 2026 Political Negative Endorsement. The Don't Vote For List.

2026 Election, Chuck Gray, Cynthia Lummis, Dixiecrats, Eric Barlow, Harriet Hageman, Ignorance, Megan Degenfelder, Populism, Public Land, Republican Party, Trailing thread, Wyoming Freedom Caucus

Last edition:

The 2026 Election, 15th Edition. Trump will attempt to steal the election.

Labels: 2020s, 2026, 2026 Election, 2027, Chuck Gray, Conspiracy Theories, Donald Trump, Harriet Hageman, John Barrasso, The Second Trump Administration

The 2026 Election, 14th Edition. The “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor" edition.

Labels: 120th Congress, 2020s, 2026, 2026 Election, Alaska, Chuck Gray, Colorado, Distributism, Enemies of Public Lands, Graham Platner, Lisa Engebretsen, The 2021 Insurrection, Wyoming Freedom Caucus, You heard it here first

Saturday, July 8, 1876. The Hamburg Massacre.

An event in which two white farmers, on July 4, had tried to pass through African American drilling militia resulted in a court hearing on a complaint brought by the farmers on this day in Hamburg, South Carolina, a mostly black town..  There was a demand for disbandment of the militia, even though the charge was obstruction of a public road.

Bands of armed white men descended on the town, quite a few of which were members of local rifle clubs.  The militia mustered and took up positions in a stone warehouse.  A battle erupted.  The white besiegers deployed a cannon.  Ultimately the town was taken over them and ultimately six black men and one white farmer were killed, with four of the black militiamen executed.

The entire event would be used by white politicians, in spite of the lopsided black deaths, as a campaign issue in the fall in the state, which had a majority black population.

The War Department issued a report on Little Big Horn to President Grant.

To the PRESIDENT:

To enable you to answer the inclosed resolution of the Senate of July 7, I have the honor to submit the following brief statement of facts as exhibited by the records of this Department:

The Sioux or Dakota Nation of Indians, embracing various tribes, as the Yanktons, Yanctonnais, Brules, Ogallalas, Minneconjous, Sans Arcs, Two Kettles, &c., have long been know as the most brave and warlike savages of this continent. They have for centuries been pushed westward by the advancing tide of civilization, till in 1868 an arrangement or treaty was made with them by a special commission named by Congress, whereby for certain payments and stipulations they agreed to surrender their claim to all that vast region which lies west of the Missouri River and north of the Platte, to live at peace with their neighbors, and to restrict themselves to a territory bounded east by the Missouri River, south by Nebraska, west by the 104th meridian, and north by the forty-sixth parallel, a territory as large as the State of Missouri. The terms of this treaty have been liberally performed on the part of the United States, and have also been complied with by the great mass of Sioux Indians. Some of these Indians, however, have never recognized the binding force of this treaty, but have always treated it contempt, have continued to rove at pleasure, attacking scattered settlements in Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and Dakota, stealing horses and cattle, and murdering peaceful inhabitants and travelers.

On the 9th of November, 1875, United States Indian Inspector E. C. Watkins made an elaborate report to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in which he uses this language:

"I have the honor to address you in relation to the attitude of certain wild and hostile bands of Sioux Indians in Dakota and Montana that came under my observation during my recent tour through their country, and what I think should be the policy of the Government toward them. I refer to Sitting Bull's band and other bands of the Sioux Nation under chiefs or "head-men" of less note, but no less untamable and hostile. These Indians occupy the center, so to speak, and roam over Western Dakota, and Eastern Montana, including the rich valleys of the Yellowstone and Powder Rivers, and make war on the Arickarees, Mandans, Gros Ventres, Assinaboines, Blackfeet, Piegans, Crows, and other friendly tribes on the circumference.

From their central position they strike to the East, North, and West, steal horses, and plunder from all the surrounding tribes, as well as frontier settlers and luckless white hunters or emigrants who are not in sufficient force to resist them."

After describing at great length their character and supposed numbers, given at a few hundred, he says:

"The true policy, in my judgment, is to send troops against them in the winter, the sooner the better, and whip them into subjection. They richly merit punishment for their incessant warfare, and their numerous murders of white settlers and their families, or white men wherever found unarmed."

The force estimated as necessary to whip them was one thousand men. This communication was submitted by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Hon. Edward P. Smith, to the honorable Secretary of the Interior, Z. Chandler, who in turn submitted it to the then Secretary of War, General Belknap, for his "consideration and action."

In subsequent communication of the Secretary of the Interior, of December 3, 1875, to the Secretary of War, occurs this language:

"I have the honor to inform you that I have this day directed the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to notify said Indians (Sitting Bull and others outside their reservation) that they must remove to the reservation before the 31st day of January, 1876; that if they neglect or refuse so to remove, that they will be reported to the War Department as hostile Indians, and that a military force will be sent to compel them to obey the orders of the Indian Office."

On the 1st day of February the Secretary of the Interior further notified the Secretary of War:

"The time given him (Sitting Bull) in which to return to an agency having expired, and the advice received at the Indian Office being to the effect that Sitting Bull still refuses to comply with the directions of the Commissioner, the said Indians are hereby turned over to the War Department for such action on the part of the Army as you may deem proper under the circumstances."

During all the stages of this correspondence, the General of the Army and his subordinate commanders were duly notified, and were making preparations for striking a blow at these hostile savages, an enterprise of almost insurmountable difficulty in a country where, in winter, the thermometer often falls to forty degrees below zero, and where it is impossible to procure food for man or beast. An expedition was fitted out under the personal command of Brig. Gen. George Crook, an officer of great merit and experience, which, in March last , marched from Forts Fetterman and Laramie to the Powder River and Yellowstone Valleys, struck and destroyed the village of Crazy Horse, one of those hostile bands referred to by Indian Inspector Watkins, but the weather was found so bitter cold, and other difficulties so great arose, that General Crook returned to Fort Laramie in a measure unsuccessful so far as the main purpose was concerned. These Indians occupy parts of the Departments of Dakota and Platte, commanded by Generals Terry and Crook, respectively, but the whole is immediately commanded by Lieutenant-General Sheridan, who has given the matter his special attention. Preparations were then made on a larger scale, and three columns were put in motion as early in May as possible, from Fort Abe Lincoln, on the Missouri River, under General Terry; from Fort Ellis, in Montana, under General Gibbon; and from Fort Fetterman under General Crook. These columns were as strong as could be maintained in that inhospitable region, or could be spared from other pressing necessities, and their operations are not yet concluded, nor is a more detailed report deemed necessary to explain the subject-matter of this inquiry.

The present military operations are not against the Sioux Nation at all, but against certain hostile parts of it which defy the Government, and are undertaken at the special request of that bureau of the Government charged with their supervision, and wholly to make the civilization of the remainder possible. No part of these operations are on or near the Sioux reservation. The accidental discovery of gold on the western border of the Sioux reservation, and the intrusion of our people thereon, have not caused this war, and have only complicated it by the uncertainty of numbers to be encountered. The young warriors love war, and frequently escape their agents to go on the hunt, or warpath, their only idea of the object of life. The object of these military expeditions was in the interest of the peaceful parts of the Sioux Nation, supposed to embrace at least nine- tenths of the whole, and not one of these peaceful or treaty Indians have been molested by the military authorities.

The recent reports touching the disaster which befell a part of the Seventh Regular Cavalry, led by General Custer in person are believed to be true. For some reason as yet unexplained, General Custer, who commanded the Seventh Cavalry, and had been detached by his commander, General Terry, at the mouth of Rosebud, to made a wide detour up the Rosebud, a tributary of the Yellowstone, across to the Little Big Horn and down to the mouth of the Yellowstone River. The wounded were carried back to the mouth of the Big Horn, in the Yellowstone River, which is navigable, and where there were two steamboats, one of which was sent down the river to Fort Abe Lincoln with the wounded, and to communicate these sad facts.

General Terry is therefore at the mouth of the Big Horn, refitting, and will promptly receive re-enforcement and supplies, and will resume his operations immediately.

Meantime, General Crook had also advanced from Fort Fetterman, and on the 17th of June, eight days before General Custer's attack, had encountered this same force of warriors on the head of the Rosebud, with whom he fought several hours, driving the Indians from the field, losing nine men in killed; one officer and twenty men wounded. General Crook reports his camp as on Tongue River, Wyoming. Re-enforcement and supplies are also enroute to him, and every possible means have been adopted to accomplish a concert of action between these two forces, which are necessarily separated, and are only able to communicate by immense distances around their rear.

The task committed to the military authorities is one of unusual difficulty, has been anticipated for years, and must be met and accomplished. It can no longer be delayed, and everything will be done by the Department to insure success, which is necessary to give even an assurance of comparative safety to the important but scattered interests which have grown up in that remote and almost inaccessible portion of our national domain.

It is again earnestly recommends that the appropriation asked for repeatedly by General Sheridan, of $200,000, be made, to build two posts on the Yellowstone, at or near the mouths of the Big Horn and Tongue Rivers.

Inclosed herewith please find copies of General Terry's report, just received by telegraph since the preparation of this letter.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. CAMERON, Secretary of War.

Gen. Terry issued a supplemental report.

Philadelphia, July 8, 1876

General W. T. Sherman, U.S.A.

War Department, Washington, D. C.:

Chicago, Ill., July 8.

General P. H. Sheridan,

Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, Pa.:

At the mouth of the Rosebud I informed General Custer that I should take the supply-steamer Far West up the Yellowstone to ferry General Gibbon's column over the river; that I should personally accompany that column, and that it would, in all probability, reach the mouth of the Little Big Horn on the 26th instant. The steamer reached General Gibbon's troops, near the mouth of the Big Horn, early in the morning of the 24th, and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon all his men and animals were across the Yellowstone. At 5 o'clock the column, consisting of five companies of the Seventh Infantry, four companies of the Second Cavalry, and a battery of Gattling guns, marched out to and crossed Tullock's Creek. Starting soon after 5 o'clock in the morning of the 25th, the infantry made a march of twenty-two miles over the most difficult country which I have ever seen. In order that scouts might be sent into the valley of the Little Big Horn, the cavalry, with the battery, were then pushed on thirteen or fourteen miles farther, reaching camp at midnight. The scouts were sent out. At half past four, on the morning of the 26th, they discovered three Indians, who were at first supposed to be Sioux, but when overtaken they proved to be Crows who had been with General Custer. They brought the first intelligence of the battle. Their story was not credited. It was supposed that some fighting, perhaps severe fighting, had taken place, but it was not believed that disaster could have overtaken so large a force as twelve companies of cavalry. The infantry, which had broken camp very early, soon came up, and the whole column entered and moved up the valley of the Little Big Horn. During the afternoon efforts were made to send scouts through to what was supposed to be General Custer's position, and to obtain information of the condition of affairs; but those who were sent out were driven back by parties of Indians, who, in increasing numbers, were seen hovering in General Gibbon's front. At twenty minutes before 9 o'clock in the evening the infantry had marched between twenty- nine and thirty miles. The men were very weary, daylight was failing; the column was therefore halted for the night at a point about eleven miles in a straight line above the mouth of the stream. In the morning the march was resumed, and after marching nine miles Major Reno's intrenched position was reached. The withdrawal of the Indians from around Major Reno's command and from the valley was undoubtedly caused by the appearance of General Gibbon's troops. Major Reno and Captain Benteen, both of who are officers of great experience, accustomed to see large masses of mounted men, estimate the number of Indians engaged at not less than 2,500; other officers think the number greater than this. The village in the valley was about three miles in length and about a mile in width; besides the lodges proper, a great number of temporary brushwood shelter was found in it, indicating that many men besides its proper inhabitants had gathered together there. Major Reno is very confident that there was a number of white men fighting with the Indians. It is believed that the loss of the Indians was larger. I have as yet received no official reports in regard to the battle, but what is stated herein is gathered from the officers who were on the ground there, and from those who have been over it since.

ALFRED H. TERRY, Brigadier-General.

R. C. DRUM, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Last edition:

Friday, July 7, 1876. Congress asks what's going on.

Labels: 1870s, 1876, 44th Congress, Alcohol, Battle of Little Big Horn, Colorado (Denver), Great Sioux War, The Press, U.S. Grant

Tuesday, January 17, 1775. Diligent attention in the use of arms.

The South Carolina Provincial Congress resolved; "that the inhabitants be diligently attentive in learning the use of arms; and that their officers be requested to train and exercise them at least once a fortnight." 

Last edition:

Friday, January 13, 1775. Governor Franklin urges New Jersey to remain loyal.

Labels: 1770s, 1775, American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Colonial North America, Loyalist, New Jersey

Blog Mirror: Less than 60 percent of the vote in South Carolina? Sheesh. Trump continues to do poorly in Republican caucuses and primaries Why is the mainstream media referring to them as “big victories” for Trump?

 

Less than 60 percent of the vote in South Carolina? Sheesh. Trump continues to do poorly in Republican caucuses and primaries

Why is the mainstream media referring to them as “big victories” for Trump?

The 2024 Election, Part II. What could go wrong?

Donald Trump, who has a really good brain, good genes, leading the GOP into the 2024 election.

 

November 15, 2022

Donald Trump, having lost the popular vote twice before, the electoral vote once before, and whose personality and behavior meant the Senate remained in Democratic hands this election, and the House and Senate went, with the Oval Office, to Democrats in 2020, has announced for the Presidency again.

There is something wrong with Trump.

He will not win, and he stands a good chance of taking the Republican Party into oblivion with him.

November 16, 2022

Apparently none of the major networks carried his entire speech, if they carried any part of it at all, and while it's easy to find this as a news story, it's pretty much impossible to find the entire text of the speech.

That's quite telling.

Trump fed off of the press during his entire Presidency, but now they appear to have grown tired of him.

The Conservative National Review is already out with an editorial, simply captioned:

NO.

Murdoch's tabloid New York Post, not the most admirable newspaper, but one that's reliably Republican, dissed Trump with a page 26 article which on the cover simply has:

Florida Man Makes Announcement.

We'll see, in spite of the looming disaster, my predication is, like Benteen and Reno, the GOP will fall in line and charge into the valley anyhow.  They shouldn't go in there, and quite a few of them know that, but they will anyhow.

November 17, cont:

Keven McCarthy received a visit today from a well known Trump strategist.

For those who may have any doubt, myself included, this probably signals how things this session will go and to whom the House will be working towards.

December 6, 2022

So stated the former President in reaction to the release of information from Twitter.

Trump's call to suspend the Constitution has met with a round of criticism from Republicans, showing the beginnings of a backbone for the first time since the insurrection.  Even at that, however, some would not, as the Republican guest on This Week who struggled not to answer the question about supporting Trump if he was the nominee and then finally stated that he would.

It does seem that, at long last, things may actually be beginning to move away from Trump in the GOP.  Trump's grown more extreme in recent months, and something like this is outright authoritarian.

Trump of course denied that he had called for suspending the constitution, and giving credit perhaps to his statements, his comments are in fact so odd and poorly thought out that it might not really be what he meant.  Most odd of all is the thought that, in 2022, he could be made the President via some odd declaration regarding the 2022 election, which is how I would interpret this really ignorant post.

It appears that the Democrats want to move South Carolina up as the state to cast its votes for the Presidential nominee first.  This would bump Iowa from its first in the nation status.

December 7, 2022

Mr. Trump will not win another election. His most glaring political strength today is his ability to energize Democrats, causing not only historic turnout but attracting gushers of campaign cash – for the opposition.

Fox News. 

February 2, 2023

Nikki Haley, former Governor of South Carolina and Ambassador to the United Nations, is running for the GOP nomination.  She's going to make her formal announcement on February 15.

Haley was born to Indian immigrant parents who are Sikhs.  She's an accountant by training.  She's presently a Methodist, having converted from Sikhism in 1997.  Her views straddle the Republican spectrum.  She makes an interesting contrast to Kamala Harris in that in some ways their story is similar, her parents resided in Canada before immigrating to the US and Harris' mother was Indian, her story fits the more conventional Indian immigrant story.  She's 51 years old, and therefore not a Boomer.

Haley reported called Trump upon making her decision, and Trump reportedly told her that if she felt that way, she should run.  The question now is how long will it be before Trump starts childishly insulting her and calling her by some juvenile nickname.

February 14, 2023

Nikki Haley announced she was running, officially, yesterday.

Oddly, the press just seems to have noticed that she's a bona fide Indian American yesterday, whereas this was widely celebrated in regard to Kamala Harris when she was running.

February 15, 2023

Harriet Hageman endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 Presidential GOP nomination.

She really had no choice, Trump having endorsed her, and given her constituency, it was a wise move. 

Nonetheless, while I am on the outside of this, I don't expect Trump, or Biden, to be the nominees.  Frankly, given their ages, as I've noted before, I'd put there being well over a 50% chance that neither of them will still be with us, due to natural causes, by the November 24 election. They're basically at the upper edge of the male life span right now, and certainly Trump doesn't appear to be a model of health.

Added to that, I don't expect Trump to prevail in the process of choosing a GOP nominee this time, although I've been wrong on that before.

February 17, 2023

Well, this got weird quickly.

First, Nikki Haley called for politicians obtaining the age of 75 to receive a competency test.

Then, on CNN, this exchange happened.

Don Lemon: "Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s, and 30s, and maybe 40s…"

Poppy Harlow: "Are you talking about prime for like child bearing?"

"Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m just saying what the facts are! Google it!"

Ummm. . . eh?

February 23, 2023

Marianne Williamson has announced for the Democratic ticket.

Williamson is a left wing Democrat, 70 years of age, so another of the Boomer crowd of candidates.  She stands no chance.

March 3, 2023

Initiatives to legalize marijuana in Wyoming failed to gather enough signatures to be on the 2024 ballot.

Liz Cheney has joined the faculty of the University of Virginia.

March 5, 2023

CPAC's conference is on, or as it might be more appropriately called, the Tour De Wackadoodle.

Conservatives used to be serious, and this conference, sort of a rarefied meeting of Conservative eggheads.  Now it's the Comiccon of political events.  

Marjorie Taylor Green, Lauren Boebert and Donald Trump as speakers?  Come on.

March 20, 2023

This Week had an interview with Mike Pence on which demonstrates the extent to which a politician is willing to be a craven wussy in order to run for office.  In spite of being the target of the January 6 protesters, he's really hedging his bets on whether he'll support Donald Trump if Trump is nominated, and that's because, probably, he doesn't want to alienate that base.

You really can't have it both ways on this one.

On all the weekend shows, Ron Desantis took a lot of criticism for his unwillingness to fully back Ukraine, a new position on his part that was likely also a misstep in casting for Trumpist ballots.

Pence really stands no chance of getting the nomination. Desantis did, but those chances look weakened.

April 13, 2023

South Carolina's Tim Scott has formed an exploratory committee.

I know little about Scott, but the Republican Senator can't be disregarded, and would be harder for Trump to routinely childishly insult the way he normally does his opponents.

April 15, 2023

A recent edition of NPR's politics discussed everyone in the GOP now running, which is more people than I thought, although in some ways its because some of the names are those testing the waters, and not really running, yet.

The list of suspects and running is, starting with the openly declared:

Donald Trump. We all know who he is.

Announced: Nov. 15, 2022

Nikki Haley, who is discussed above.

Announced: Feb. 14, 2023

Vivek Ramaswamy.  Ramaswamy is a conservative businessman and well known, apparently, in conservative circles.

Announced: Feb. 21, 2023.

Asa Hutchinson. He's a well known former Arkansas Governor who is an outright opponent of Trump's.

Announced: April 2, 2023

Tim Scott, discussed above.

Turning to the testing the water, the names are.

Ron DeSantis.  He's been in the news a lot lately as the non Trump, Trump.

Mike Pence.  Vying for hte role of the world's most boring man, he's clearly on the edge of announcing.

Chris Sununu.  Well known Governor of New Hampshire and an anti-Trumper.

Glenn Youngkin.  Somewhat known Governor of Virginia.

Kristi Noem.  South Dakota right wing Governor.

Liz Cheney.  We all know who she is.  She's been mentioned, but I doubt she'll run.

John Bolton.  Also a known name, but I'd bet Trump's former National Security Adviser turned Trump opponent won't run.

Chris Christie. Former Governor of New Jersey and clearly thinking of running.

On Trump, he spoke at the NRA convention, effectively linking the NRA, again, to Trump's brand of anti-democratic authoritarianism.  This will ultimately come to be a mistake for the NRA which is branding itself as a force in opposition to the majority of residents of the republic in an extra legal fashion, rather than as a defender of legal rights.

April 16, 2023

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has formed a Political Action Committee.

It also held a convention in Casper over the weekend, which is somewhat ironic in that the county's GOP organization has gone in the other direction, although in the last election it did elect two members of the caucus.  At any rate, it was noted that it "just" needed ten more members to control the House, which is actually a really tall order.

April 18, 2023

According to the Cowboy State Daily, Chuck Grey has vowed to go after residence requirements and strengthen them before the next election.

Wyoming's requirement had been 60 days prior to the Supreme Court striking it down, at which point the Court suggested 30 days was reasonable.  Wyoming simply went to no residency requirement in order to vote at that time.  

Grey also went after the media in his speech on Saturday.

It's clear he intends to keep his name in the news in this fashion, rather than on the clerical duties associated with his elective office.

The Daily also reports the head of the Wyoming Democratic Party gave a speech in which the leader proclamed he was "proud to be woke", thereby giving an example of why the Democrats can't win anything in the state.

Indeed, that declaration was an example of why more and more people nationwide register as independents.  The more extreme the parties become, the less people wish to be associated with them, left and right.

And with Grey obviously vying for a futurue office, by campaigning from the far right, and the Democrats having once again jumped off the electoral building, we'll close this chapter.

Last Prior Edition:

The 2024 Election, Part I. Early adopters.

Related Threads:

The Post Insurrection. Unfit for any office. Part V.

Tuesday, March 30, 1943. The Martyrdom of Sister Maria Restituta. Patton and his B-3. UW wins the NCAA. The 505th Jumps.

Sister Maria Restituta, age 48, was beheaded under orders of Martin Bormann.  An absolute vocal critic of Hitler and Nazism, she refused to be quiet about her opinions, no matter the cost.

Sister Restituta.

Sister Restituta had been born in Austria, and was of Czech desecent.  Her full name, after becoming a nun, was Maria Restituta Kafka.  She had been born Helene Kafka and had joined the order in her 20s, having first been a nurse.  She was a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.

She was beatified in 1998.

One of the most iconic photographs of George S. Patton to be taken, was taken on this day in Tunisia.

This photo is justifiably famous, but it's sometimes a bit misinterpreted.  It really doesn't show anything that unusual for a senior officer of the period.

Patton is wearing a B-3 flight jacket, the heavy sheepskin jacket that was issued to aviators who flew at altitude until synthetics and electrically heated flight suits started to replace it mid-war.  It would not be fully replaced during the war.  Both the heavy B-3 and the light A-2 saw widespread use beyond airmen, however.

A-2s were issued as a semi dress item to airborne officers (and perhaps enlisted men, although I'm not completely certain on that), signifying that 1) they were an airborne service and 2) there were a lot of them.  A-2s made their way into the Navy in some roles as well.  They were also widely worn by officers.

B-3s were issued not only to air crewmen, but to ground crews as well, as there were a lot of them.  They were a private purchase item with officers, and senior officers sometimes favored them as they were warm.  

Patton's B-3 here has had some alterations made to it, including at least one front pocket.  You can see his reading glasses held in the visible pocket.  You'll frequently see it claimed on websites that Patton had epaulets added to this coat, but that's completely incorrect, at least at the time this photograph was taken. His general's stars are visible, but they are neither pinned nor sewed on epaulets.  Indeed, the seam that's visible is simply a coat seam.  Other, sometimes later, photos do show Patton wearing a B-3 with epaulets, but that probably actually depicts a different coat, or that this one was subsequently altered as he was promoted.

Patton, perhaps with same B-3 as it has reinforced upper sleeves, but now featuring also epaulets, with the coat featuring the 1st Armored Corps patch.  The other figure is Major General Geoffrey Keyes, whose coat features II Corps insignia.  This photograph was taken in January, 1944.

The odd things about those photographs are that they show that Patton had that coat at the time that he was the commander of the 1st Armored Corps, which he had relinquished prior to March 1943 when he took over II Corps.  Patton was a bit of a stickler about uniforms being correct, but at least in that case his having had the 1st Armored Corps patch put on an expensive coat probably proved to be a mistake, as it couldn't be removed, so he therefore kept wearing it.

The stars on this one, or this coat at this time, are probably painted on.

This coat does have a reinforced upper arm, which is also an alteration, but not one that's as uncommon as might be supposed.  I've seen at least one photograph of a conventional aviator with the same alteration.  Alterations, often done at the local level, were very common.  The location of the unit patch on the reinforcement probably explains why the patch was never replaced.  Subsequent promotion probably explains why epaulets were later added.

Sailors in 1950.

Today In Wyoming's History: March 30: 1943  Led by legendary UW basketball player Kenny Sailors, UW beat Georgetown 46 to 34 in Madison Square Gardens.  Sailors would enter the Marine Corps as an officer at the conclusion of that year.  UW would suspend basketball due to the war after that year.  Sailors eventually became a hunting guide in  Alaska, but returned to Wyoming in his old age, where he still lives, following the death of his wife.

Note: that item was originally penned, Sailors was in fact alive.  However, he subsequently passed on January 30, 2016, in Laramie, Wyoming.  Sailors remains a Wyoming basketball legend.

The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment made a 2,000 trooper jump, the first such mass jump in US history.

The 505th had been formed in July 1942 and was originally under the command of James Gavin.  It had been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division only a month prior to its first mass jump.

The jump took place near Camden, South Carolina.

May 10, 1919. Homecomings, Mourning, Occupations, and Race Riots

A J. C. Leyendecker illustration was on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post this day in 1919, with a veteran recounting his service to two youngsters.

It's a bit odd to see an illustration of this type now, although they were common in the World War One and World War Two time frame.  The celebration of military service still occurs, but it tends to occur in movie form much more now, as opposed to illustrations, which was very common then.

Service went on, of course, for troops on occupation duty in Germany.

Germany itself declared a national week of mourning over the terms of the proposed treaty to officially end World War One.  The Germans were shocked by the terms.  Even some of the press in the United States was a bit shocked for that matter, and acknowledged the terms as severe.

In Charleston, South Carolina, a horrible race riot occurred when sailors from the Charleston Navy Yard went on a rampage directed against blacks in the town. The initial cause was that five sailors felt that they'd been cheated by a single black man, which developed to an all out assault by sailors, and then some white residents, of the town against blacks.  The Navy was forced to send in Marines and blue jacket Sailors to put down the riot, which involved over 1,000 sailors and some white civilians.  While there were some criminal charges that were filed shortly after the event, they came to nothing as the event had so overwhelmed the police that they were unable to treat the event as a conventional criminal one in their effort to address it.

The Charleston riot was the first of a series of race riots across the United States that year, contributing to the summer of 1919 being called the Red Summer.  The country was slipping into a recession which was in turn causing racial tension to rise.