Democratic Party Continues To Be A Nonentity In State Politics

What will it take to motivate Dems to revive their party? How about thousands of Kentuckians being kicked off health insurance?

So, that happened. The 2015 election is over, and Democrats' continuing failure to generate credible campaigns in down-ticket races will come at a cost, as thousands of poor Kentuckians now face the prospect of losing their health insurance as a result of the GOP's victory.

Will this finally be the moment Democrats realize that they are functionally dead as a party at the state and local level?

Meanwhile, Latino voters continue to look for some friendly overture from the GOP presidential nominees, only to find that their toxic infighting has brought about the cancellation of a debate on Telemundo. Finally, President Barack Obama has joined the "ban the box" movement -- a move that could help people with a criminal history who've paid their debt to society stay competitive in the job market.

"So, That Happened" hosts Jason Linkins, Zach Carter and Arthur Delaney are joined this week by Julio Ricardo Varela, the digital media director of NPR's Latino USA and founder of LatinoRebels.com, as well as HuffPost reporters Elise Foley and Dave Jamieson.

Kentucky Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway lost his electoral bid this week, but the biggest losers may be poverty-stricken Kentuckians who depend on the state's Kynect program -- which Conway's opponent, Matt Bevin, opposes -- as their health insurance lifeline.
Kentucky Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway lost his electoral bid this week, but the biggest losers may be poverty-stricken Kentuckians who depend on the state's Kynect program -- which Conway's opponent, Matt Bevin, opposes -- as their health insurance lifeline.
Jonathan Palmer/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT via Getty Images

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