Evalyn Normielib has Two Bullets
One of the longest transit strikes in recent memory rocked Montréal as people went to the polls and elected a new mayor: Soraya Martinez Ferrada.
At a time when immigration has been increasingly blamed for all manner of social ills - from crime to housing - the city has elected a proud immigrant. The success of the US backed military coup by Augusto Pinochet compelled her family to flee Chile when she was 8. In a shocking reversal of every political expectation I have ever had, post election she is sounding more left wing than while running:
"[Are you going to dismantle the Milton Parc homeless encampment?]" Ferrada: "No. Impossible. Ils vont aller ou? (Where will they go?)" A simple fucking question that somehow has never occurred to the likes of Gavin Newsom
The strike coincided with the arrival of winter. Which is beautiful, but of course, but vastly limits other options of getting around.
Two days later (the Quebecois vote on Sundays), the US elections were absolute blowouts for everyone without an (R) next to their name. The democratic socialist Zorhan Mamdani will be the new mayor of New York and Katie Wilson - to the evident fury of Jeff Bezos - will be the new mayor of Seattle.
But the standout of this moment in US politics is probably Jay Jones - who had some truly insane texts leak suggesting violence against conservatives - and still won the race for Virginia Attorney General by 10 fucking points:
For context, Todd Gilbert is former Statehouse Speaker in Virginia. These texts were leaked and basically the opportune moment during the election and had precisely zero impact on the polling or result.
The extreme anger of the center-left, which constitutes the vast majority of this country, has produced a certain rarely seen optimism in me. The next year of primary elections may very well result in a long-overdue political realignment in the Democratic party, and it's not looking like such a thing would be a move to the right.
I got an immediate break from the winter traveling to Tampa to meet my new nephew. That's right I'm an uncle now. Unc-maxxing.
I very much respect his parents for insisting on zero social media posting of pictures of someone who cannot consent to their own bowel movements much less minor child celebrity status. Rest assured, this is a damn cute baby.
Anyway here is a writhing dog.
