Deeds was a crappy candidate and Corzine is a crappy governor.

[Barack_America]

Sorry, but I can't get too worked up over these results (though it's always fun to watch them come in).

So if it turns out you can't take a turd, slap "Dem" on it and get it elected...well, good. Don't we spend enough time complaining about worthless Democrats?

One of the saddest commentaries on American politics I ever saw was when Michael Moore ran a ficus tree in a congressional election as a write-in candidate, complete with a "Vote Ficus" campaign and could've won.

People actually voted for a tree.

And, FYI, that was in New Jersey too, if I recall correctly.

So if voters demand decent Democratic candidates, all the better for both our party and our country.

That's the way I see it anyway.

[tabatha]

1. Agreed.

And their opponent winners will probably mess up.

[Ardent15]

2. This was NOT a referendum on Obama or the Democratic Party in general....

These were two isolated incidences of Democrats fucking up.

[Barack_America]

5. They're Republicans. That's assured.

I mean, the voters elected them over Dem incumbents in a backlash over the economy, neglecting to remember that it's Republican economic policies that fucked this country up.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

3. Bingo

It was clear Deeds was little more than the survivor of an unappealing bunch, and I've never liked Corzine, who comes off as a bored rich douche looking for publicity.

[Barack_America]

25. Agree.

Time to start recruiting some real Dems in these states, rather than promoting those who have been trying to run away from the party.

Hopefully Deeds' humiliating defeat and abandonment by Dems will be a lesson to Senate blue dogs.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Yeah, I just can't shed a tear for the former CEO of Goddamn Sucks.

A puke as governor of New Jersey may be a bad thing, but these Wall Street leeches need to lose their jobs once in a while.

[Barack_America]

20. Indeed. nt

[Justitia]

6. Bad news is that VA & NJ Dems will suffer when these new clowns fuck up spectacularly.

And they will, they're republicans.

I live in red state hell - I have real empathy for our Democratic brethren.

[Barack_America]

10. You could argue that NJ was already suffering under Corzine.

Who seemed to have not a clue what he was doing.

As for VA, well, that is a shame. But would Deeds have been much better? Hard to make that claim based on the campaign he ran.

[Justitia]

12. Oh I agree, I just know that they are WAY MORE screwed with a republican.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

[Barack_America]

14. Well, PA is always happy to take them in.

And is a better state to boot.

IMO, of course.

[Justitia]

18. Yo! My hometown! Born in Philly, family is still there. U can always count on the Keystone State!

Majority of my family is in NE Philly / Bucks County, have some in Jersey (who are probably flipping out tonight).

[dugaresa]

28. the electorate has memory problems because they consistently do that to themselves

[Captain Hilts]

7. Deeds was a boring repeat of Tim Kaine. Blech!

[Barack_America]

15. Boring-er.

If that's possible.

[davepc]

8. I held my nose while voting for Corzine today. He was much better as a senator.

[tilsammans]

22. Ditto

JC should have stayed in the Senate.

Thing is, if property taxes had gone down just a little, the results could/would have been far different.

[DJ13]

9. This wasnt a referendum on Obama

It was a referendum on corporatism by some really angry voters who are fed up with the wealthy getting all the breaks in this economic crisis.

With Corzine being an actual corporatist its surprising it was even close.

Our Congress members had better learn this lesson before the midterms, otherwise they will probably be next up on the angry voter's radar.

[Barack_America]

13. Corzine is going to get 10% more of the vote than his approval rating.

He is getting 44% of the vote with a 34% approval rating.

So more than 10% of NJ voters are willing to vote for a Dem they think is doing a shitty job than a Republican.

How is that not a referendum on the Republican Party, if we're going to hunt for referendums to declare?

[DJ13]

16. Good point

I think it IS more of a referendum on the GOP than Obama (or our party) because the GOP is seen as the biggest boosters to big business by the voters at a time when they've suffered tripled CC interest rates, bankruptcies, and job losses.

To be honest, those reasons also worked against Corzine since he's seen as a former Goldman Sachs insider, accounting for some of his negative ratings.

[Statistical]

11. Moral of the story.... VA is a battleground state not solid blue.

Field a crappy candidate (I still have no idea what Deeds plans are other than other guy is bad) and you will lose.

Dems can win in VA but they can't phone it in. It isn't guaranteed.

Obama = strong candidate = win in VA
Deeds = crappy candidate = loss in VA

[tekisui]

17. Same for Warner.

You said it. You can't phone it in in the battleground states. Although the Dems have the trendline from the last two elections, the next one will determine whether we can move some of the new blues into the solid blue slot.

[tilsammans]

19. Corzine was crappy, but Christie will be crappier

(I really hate to see the teabag crowd "win." )

Corzine should have stayed in the Senate.

[NikolaC]

21. Agreed

We really did not have much to choose from Democratic wise in the primary. Unfortunately, Creigh Deeds ran a very poor campaign and was, IMO, just another GOP lite candidate.

[Barack_America]

23. Let this be a lesson to the Blue Dogs.

Compromise on Dem principles and Dems will not turn out for you.

[KamaAina]

24. Bush** was a crappy candidate and Ahh-nuld is a crappy Governator.

So how come the repukes can win (or in Bush**'s case, steal) with crappy candidates and incumbents, and we can't?

[backwoodsbob]

26. dont read too much into Va

Kaine pissed off so many people in SW and the western side of Va this was almost a foregone conclusion

[Barack_America]

27. Interesting.

I didn't know that.

I heard somewhere that VA also has a long tradition of voting against the party of the sitting President, whether they be Democrat or Republican.

[lonestarnot]

29. Nothing more nothing less.