--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the…" description: "\"I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the U.S. Senate. I thought we'd come up short and I didn't think President Donald Trump had a chance of winning. Gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/mitch-mcconnell-2153_chance_i-honestly-thought-we-wouldn-t-hold-the_1667168.jpg" --- # I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the U.S. Senate. I… ![“I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the U.S. Senate. I thought we'd come up short and I didn't think President Donald Trump had a chance of winning. Given my expectations, doubly exciting because I thought we'd come up short on the Senate. We had a lot of exposure. That was really something. But…” quote by Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/mitch-mcconnell-2153_chance_i-honestly-thought-we-wouldn-t-hold-the_1667168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/mitch-mcconnell-2153_chance_i-honestly-thought-we-wouldn-t-hold-the_1667168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/mitch-mcconnell-2153_chance_i-honestly-thought-we-wouldn-t-hold-the_1667168.jpg) > “I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the U.S. Senate. I thought we'd come up short and I didn't think President Donald Trump had a chance of winning. Given my expectations, doubly exciting because I thought we'd come up short on the Senate. We had a lot of exposure. That was really something. But it never occurred to me that he might be able to win as well.” [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He was surprised by the unexpected success of his party and the opposing candidate, highlighting how predictions can be wrong. **In simple terms:** Unexpected election outcomes can surprise even insiders. Key Takeaway Stay open to unexpected possibilities. Themes politics election surprise prediction confidence Mood surprised reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - voter analysis - media coverage - post‑election reflection Key Concepts probability bias uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How do you adjust expectations after a surprise result? - What factors can cause a political upset? A Different Perspective Predictions often ignore hidden variables and voter shifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [In the House, I was named one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, and that's a title I plan on continuing to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/in-the-house-i-was-named-one-of-the-most-bipartisan-members-of/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) > [ I don't have to give \[Donald Trump\] a chance. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/i-don-t-have-to-give-donald-trump-a-chance/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [It would be great for everyone to grow up like I grew up, where everyone had a job. It would be nice for everybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stallone/it-would-be-great-for-everyone-to-grow-up-like-i-grew-up-where/) [Frank Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stallone/) > [Give Donald Trump a chance. Be there for him. Come together as a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/give-donald-trump-a-chance-be-there-for-him-come-together-as-a-nation/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [The first time I was in the ring, I wasn't good at it, and I honestly thought, 'Maybe this isn't for me.' Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-owens/the-first-time-i-was-in-the-ring-i-wasn-t-good-at-it-and-i-honestly/) [Kevin Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-owens/) > [I honestly thought winter was never going to go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mie/i-honestly-thought-winter-was-never-going-to-go-away/) [Mie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mie/) > [I kept a lot of my ideas to myself because I honestly thought no one cared. So it was surprising to find out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-kept-a-lot-of-my-ideas-to-myself-because-i-honestly-thought-no-one/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [Do ye not understand?"he said, in near desparation. "I would lay the world at your feet, Claire-and I have nothing to give ye!" He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/do-ye-not-understand-he-said-in-near-desparation-i-would-lay-the/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I've always - honestly - never thought of myself as an independent director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmony-korine/i-ve-always-honestly-never-thought-of-myself-as-an-independent/) [Harmony Korine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmony-korine/) > [“Honestly, everything else aside, I like finding stuff out about her. I mean, that I didn’t know before. I had no idea who she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/honestly-everything-else-aside-i-like-finding-stuff-out-about-her-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I honestly thought you would say a while ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/i-honestly-thought-you-would-say-a-while-ago/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [I honestly never thought in my career I was going to do a body-switching movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobkin/i-honestly-never-thought-in-my-career-i-was-going-to-do-a-body/) [David Dobkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobkin/) > [Honestly, I never thought we'd get a nomination for a Grammy, period. To be honest, we felt that if we were ever going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-shadows/honestly-i-never-thought-we-d-get-a-nomination-for-a-grammy-period-to/) [M. Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-shadows/) > [I honestly thought me and one of my exes were gonna last for a long time, but I thought wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-honestly-thought-me-and-one-of-my-exes-were-gonna-last-for-a-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The stress of me being the first person to put Hull on the TV, I honestly thought at one point I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-beaumont/the-stress-of-me-being-the-first-person-to-put-hull-on-the-tv-i/) [Lucy Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-beaumont/) ## More by Mitch McConnell > [When you hang the 'bipartisan' tag on something, the perception is that differences have been worked out, and there's a broad agreement that that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/when-you-hang-the-bipartisan-tag-on-something-the-perception-is-that/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [No matter how unusual a personality may be who gets elected to office, there are constraints in this country. You don't get to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/no-matter-how-unusual-a-personality-may-be-who-gets-elected-to-office/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I'm optimistic that none of my members in the end want to be responsible for the status quo on Obamacare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-m-optimistic-that-none-of-my-members-in-the-end-want-to-be/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [America's a land of second opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/america-s-a-land-of-second-opportunities/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [To call this a recovery is an insult to recoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/to-call-this-a-recovery-is-an-insult-to-recoveries/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-believe-that-marriage-should-be-between-one-man-and-one-woman/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I'm really proud of this Supreme Court and the way they've been dealing with the issue of First Amendment political speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-m-really-proud-of-this-supreme-court-and-the-way-they-ve-been/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I think it is to the advantage of my state to have the opportunity to come to meetings occasionally and to vote in person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-think-it-is-to-the-advantage-of-my-state-to-have-the-opportunity-to/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [It is time for a leader who will lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/it-is-time-for-a-leader-who-will-lead/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [On the issue of Iraq, it is my hope, and my challenge to my colleagues, that our debate will be based on what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/on-the-issue-of-iraq-it-is-my-hope-and-my-challenge-to-my-colleagues/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [Eventually, Americans would be stuck with government-run health care whether they like it or not. That's when the worst scenario would take shape, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/eventually-americans-would-be-stuck-with-government-run-health-care/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [Our nation has a regrettable history of drawing down our forces and readiness after each conflict, only to find ourselve ill-prepared for the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/our-nation-has-a-regrettable-history-of-drawing-down-our-forces-and/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [As President Obama reminded us, we're all on one team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/as-president-obama-reminded-us-we-re-all-on-one-team/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [The Frist fairness rule guarantees up-or-down votes for every circuit court or Supreme Court nomination, regardless of which party controls the Senate or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/the-frist-fairness-rule-guarantees-up-or-down-votes-for-every-circuit/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [I always think a debt ceiling is a good tool to carry something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-always-think-a-debt-ceiling-is-a-good-tool-to-carry-something/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) [Explore all 182 Mitch McConnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. 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With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I honestly thought we wouldn't hold the U.S. Senate. I thought we'd come up short and I didn't think President Donald Trump had a chance of winning. Given my expectations, doubly exciting because I thought we'd come up short on the Senate. We had a lot of exposure. That was really something. 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