Allow me this bit of candor relating to the electoral wipeout we all witnessed Tuesday night.

My phone alerted me to a text message that arrived in mid-afternoon on midterm Election Day. A former colleague who remains a good friend wanted to know my take on the upcoming election. My answer, which I provided in a phone call to my friend missed the mark by a mile.

“I would feel better about the outcome,” I said, “were it not for what happened during the 2016 presidential election.” I told him my wife and I attended an election watch party with friends in Amarillo. We all expected Hillary Rodham Clinton to emerge as the next president of the U.S.A. It didn’t happen, despite every pundit in America calling it a slam dunk that Hillary would win. The polls had her leading Trump narrowly.

What we did not see coming was the Electoral College flim-flam that occurred. Trump lost the popular vote but earned enough Electoral College votes to secure victory. It was legal and all done according to the Constitution.

OK, Trump wasn’t on the ballot this week. But I told my friend I feared he might try something to gum up the works and toss the election into a cocked hat. I do not underestimate Trump’s ability to rig a result that doesn’t go his way.

I said it was possible James Talarico could win the Senate seat over Ken Paxton, but I didn’t suggest it would.

What’s more, I also told my friend that Greg Abbott could win re-election despite poll data that showed him trailing Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa.

I hope you understand clearly why I no longer predict election outcomes.

All told, it was a stunning outcome. I’m just bummed that I wasn’t dialed in.