Most thrilling congressional election in your lifetime

[GAinDC]

Since it's Valentine's Day, let's share what election result we LOVED the most. I have a few:

Alabama 2017 -- Never in my wildest dreams did a think I'd see a Democrat win a Senate race in Alabama. It gave me hope that even the most loyal partisans have a limit to what they're willing to overlook for the sake of a victory.

Georgia Senate Runoffs 2021 -- What can I say? Just glorious. It was wonderful to see two great men defeat two Trump lackeys. And from a broader perspective, it was heartening to see my home state, which has such a sad history of racism and discrimination, really turn a corner politically and socially.

GA-06 2018 -- Karen Handel is a career politician who was and is absolutely shameless. Lucy McBath, who has such a compelling personal story, deserved to win that seat.

[ProgressiveModerate]

A bit off topic but related to GA-06 in hindsight it's somewhat surprising Ossoff didn't win in 2017.

[Roll Roons]

NY-17. The scumbag chair of the DCCC goes down after meddling in the primary against a good man, giving the Clintons and George Soros a Republican congressman. The same DCCC chair who went along with Nancy’s desire to keep the House and Senate office buildings closed for far longer than they should have been because “muh COVID” while gallivanting off to London and Paris for fundraisers.

OR-05. Portland now has a Republican representing it in Congress. Turns out even the most liberal cities have limits on the chaos they’ll tolerate.

CA-22. After voting to impeach Trump, Valadao beats a highly-touted opponent in a double-digit Biden district even though Democrats pumped $10M into this race.

PA-01 in 2020. Despite all the gaslighting by the hacks on here who told me he was super vulnerable, Fitzpatrick not only wins but does so in a landslide. Ticket splitting is still a thing!

NC-11 primary. An extremely embarrassing and unserious member loses his primary and becomes nothing more than a footnote.

CO-03. Even though Boebert did eke out a win, it proved that there are real electoral consequences for being a MAGA loon who cares more about being a celebrity than actually working for the district.

[Lambsbread]

Yeah I think Alabama 2017 and the GA runoffs--the results coming in the day before/morning of January 6th made it easy to forget how big those victories were, but those were quite special.

Personally, I was most excited about the 2022 PA midterms. I wouldn't say they were necessarily thrilling because I was pretty sure Josh Shapiro would at least win, but Fetterman winning was also a very exciting result.

[GAinDC]

A bit off topic but related to GA-06 in hindsight it's somewhat surprising Ossoff didn't win in 2017.

The district was more Republican then and I think Ossoff was seen as too green. He also didn't live in the district which hurt him

[Tekken_Guy]

A personal one for me was NJ-07 2020, because it’s next door to where I live. Looked like a sizable Malinowski win on Election Day, only for the post-election count to heavily break towards Kean, only for Malinowski to be bailed out by overseas ballots in the end.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

The AL-SEN special in 2019 was incredible.  It just had so many twists and turns.

[GeorgiaModerate]

A bit off topic but related to GA-06 in hindsight it's somewhat surprising Ossoff didn't win in 2017.

The district was more Republican then and I think Ossoff was seen as too green. He also didn't live in the district which hurt him

His campaign was also not the best, probably due to his inexperience (in contrast to his 2020 campaign, which improved enormously).

[Vosem]

MA-Sen 2010. Nothing has come close to arguably the most left-wing state in America decisively rejecting universal healthcare.

[Atlas Force]

The AL-SEN special in 2019 was incredible.  It just had so many twists and turns.

You mean 2017

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

The AL-SEN special in 2019 was incredible.  It just had so many twists and turns.

You mean 2017

2017*, thank you! (Also how was that almost seven years ago??)

[Minnesota Mike]

MN Senate 2008. Recounts, court cases, celebrity candidate, results flipping after election day, it had it all.

[Crumpets]

Eric Cantor losing re-nomination in 2014 is up there. The only reason it wasn't more thrilling was because of how incredibly unexpected it was that there was no build-up to it.

For entertainment value, DE Senator in 2010 is also up there.

[TheTide]

Alaska Senate 2010 and Nevada Senate 2010.

[GAinDC]

Alaska Senate 2010 and Nevada Senate 2010.

Yes! I was one of those people who thought Sharron Angle was going to win and I was thrilled when Reid hung on!

[GeorgiaModerate]

I'm not sure thrilling is the right word because it dragged on so long (and required a new election to resolve!) but there were plenty of twists and turns in the NH 1974 Senate election:

https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators/durkin-wyman-election.htm

[Tekken_Guy]

I'm not sure thrilling is the right word because it dragged on so long (and required a new election to resolve!) but there were plenty of twists and turns in the NH 1974 Senate election:

https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators/durkin-wyman-election.htm

Also IN-08 1984.

[GAinDC]

I'm not sure thrilling is the right word because it dragged on so long (and required a new election to resolve!) but there were plenty of twists and turns in the NH 1974 Senate election:

https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators/durkin-wyman-election.htm

Also IN-08 1984.

Just read about that election. What a roller coaster ride!

[Brittain33]

The days after Mel Carnahan’s death in 2000 when we couldn’t believe the Dems were going to succeed in what they were trying to do. It felt like there was no plan, just a spontaneous movement that achieved the unthinkable.

Next to that was George Allen’s implosion in 2006 because he epitomized the kind of triumphant Republicanism that Bush represented, it was so unlikely he’d lose, then he was caught up by macaca and his loss not only yielded his seat but flipped the Senate. The guy’s brand was “I’m a winner who’ll kick your ass!”

[Progressive Pessimist]

Nothing could top the Jones-Moore showdown from 2017.

Come to think of it, the 2016 NJ-5 election was pretty exciting. I really didn't think we would ever be rid of Scott Garrett.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

I wasn't directly close to it, but the IA-2 Miller-Meeks/Hart showdown in 2020 that not only went through several rounds of court battles and an insane six-vote final margin followed by the loser actually appealing to the Dem majority in Congress to seat her in denial of the vote results was absolutely nuts.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

FL-22 (2012)

I worked on the Republican candidates campaign and experienced this race up close and personal.

[VPH]

The Kansas 4th District 2017 Special was thrilling. I had gone off to college and wasn't as close to the ground as I would have been had I stayed in Wichita, but I followed closely and even canvassed when I came home for spring break. There was so much energy on the Democratic side in a district where a Democrat clearing 35% had been very rare. Came so close too...

[xavier110]

MN Senate 2008. Recounts, court cases, celebrity candidate, results flipping after election day, it had it all.

I loved seeing the contested ballots! I remember articles where you could review them and determine voter intent. Damn do some people do weird things to their ballots, lol.

[KaiserDave]

The 2017 AL-special was like living through a mythic struggle between good and evil, real David versus Goliath material. The 2021-Georgia runoffs was of extraordinary consequence and just a brilliant, brilliant victory, clutching Senate victory from the jaws of defeat.

But the 2022 midterms, my God, I was positively giddy. Just....my goodness.