IVN Author Wes Messamore and I take the Friday before Thanksgiving to talk about civility in the US, and the ability to forgive and lend a hand to those in distress, exemplified by Republican representative-elect and  Lt. Commander Dan Crenshaw's response to a widely criticized SNL joke, as well as our broad response to help those who have been affected by the California wildfires.

In the top news of the week, the results are in for the first US House race to be decided by ranked choice voting, and it was a bad Thursday for US Rep. Bruce Poliquin.

First, Poliquin sued to stop ranked choice tabulation after an exit poll showed him losing, attempting to subvert the will of voters and throw the election into chaos. A federal judge Thursday denied his request for a temporary restraining order, but the lawsuit remains before the judge.

Then, Democrat Jared Golden beat the incumbent after the second round of ranked choice tabulation with 50.53%, but Poliquin is not exactly taking his loss like a statesman.

Another lawsuit filed this week in New Mexico challenges the public funding of closed primary elections. Wes and I discuss the potential ramifications of this lawsuit, and the impact closed partisan primaries have on the electoral process and representation.

Have questions, comments, feedback on anything discussed in the podcast? Drop them in the comment and feedback section. We want to hear from you.

No matter what your plans are for Thanksgiving, we hope you have a pleasant and wonderful holiday. Enjoy time with family, friends, and whoever you choose to spend Thanksgiving with. Thanks for listening, and as always... stay independent!

Image: Democrat Jared Golden, winner of the first US House race decided by ranked choice voting