Late night hosts surf the 'blue wave' that just wiped out Republican officeholders, Trump's ego

Late night hosts on the 2019 elections
(Image credit: Screenshots/YouTube/The Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Daily Show, Full Frontal)

"Last night there were elections all over the country, and America got hit by another blue wave," Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show. "Surf's up, Democrats." In Kentucky, Republican Gov. Matt Bevin was apparently unseated by his Democratic challenger. "Bevin lost by about 5,000 votes, and as of this morning he refused to concede defeat," he said, "proving once again that Republicans are the party of men who won't go away after you say no."

In Virginia, Democrats took control of both houses of the state legislature, Colbert said, but "perhaps the biggest victory belongs to a woman named Juli Briskman, who lost her job for flipping off Trump's motorcade two years ago. Well, last night Briskman got a new job, because she was elected supervisor in Loudoun County, Virginia. So Virginia's got a new county supervisor and a new state bird."

"Just imagine if she had mooned him! She would be governor by now," Jimmy Kimmel joked on Kimmel Live. In Kentucky, Bevin "was ahead by 5 points in the polls last week, then Trump showed up to support him, and he lost," he laughed. "Team Trump was in full spin mode today," insisting Trump almost dragged Bevin across the finish line.

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Bevin was uniquely unpopular, but "no matter how they try to spin it, this is still a hugely bad sign for the GOP," Samantha Bee said on Full Frontal. Blue Virginia now has a chance to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and "add it to — I kid you not — the U.S. Constitution," she said. Also, "for the first time in almost 40 years, Democrats gained control of the city council of Mike Pence's hometown of Columbus, Indiana."

"A lot of this good news for Democrats is due to voters in the suburbs, where GOP support is cratering," Bee said. "Look, 2020 is still going to be a huge challenge, but it's nice to be reminded that people do give a s--t. And aside from his core supporters, everyone is sick of Trump's schtick."

"Say what you want about Trump, but he's priceless," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show. "He's supposed to be campaigning for the governor of Kentucky, but he makes the whole election about himself. ... He's the kind of person who would show up at your death bed like, 'Please don't die! You said you'd give me a ride to the airport! Please! I don't want to get a taxi!'" Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.