A Different Analysis of Last Night's Election Results

[louis c]

First off, Virginia is not a "Blue State", it's traditionally a "Red State" that voted Democratic in a Presidential election for the first time since 1964. At the very best, it can be called "Purple". Certainly, no one in Indiana thinks that state is now "Blue" because it was in Obama's column last year. In New Jersey, Jon Corzine had a very well publicized corruption scandal in his administration break during this election cycle. Considering how fed up the electorate is with any administration that is allowing officials to feather their own nest,it is quite understandable that Cristie, a former federal prosecutor, could eke out a win there.

But let's get one thing straight, Governor's do not vote on health care or war and peace. They administer the state government and the party in power is in trouble in every state. This is not a referendum on President Obama. That happens at the Congressional level.

Now, we get to New York's CD 23. Here a Democrat, allied with President Obama, won an open seat from a Conservative backed by Republican heavy weights, including Sarah Plain. A Democrat has not held that seat since 1872. That's Eighteen Seventy Two. Not 1972, 1872, back when US Grant was President of the United States. That person gets to vote on Obama's agenda, and it is a far more telling result than any Governor's races.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. Good analysis

It's very much in line with my own analysis and much more intelligent/rational than the fevered delusions of the corporate media whores, particularly those at MSNBC.

[aejlaw]

2. Couldn't agree more, well actually I could agree more. I'm not

sure but I think the Republicans that did get elected, although conservative, were not the rabid right wing attack dogs that Sarah Palin and Fox news supported. Those nut jobs like Doug Hoffman got their asses handed to them. When it looked like Douggy might pull it off, all media eyes were on that race, but this morning hardly a word in the NYT, all the press went to the 2 governorships. If I were a moderate Republican I might feel a little better today then I did yesterday, but the wing nuts get nothing except spin.

[louis c]

3. kick for PM

[superduperfarleft]

4. Spot-on analysis.

It should also be mentioned that the Dems are still playing the social issues game, while Republicans are focusing firmly on taxes and "the economy." The gay marriage/abortion boogeyman is so last year, the Republicans are now busy screaming about taxes. The Dems really need to keep up. Yes, McDonnell holds some very scary views on social issues, but he handled that line of attach from Deeds by effectively changing the subject, and Deeds just looked awkward and petty to keep bringing it up. Corzine fell victim to nothing more than being an incumbent during hard economic times, and the state will be just as much of a mess when Christie (hopefully) gets booted out four years from now.

[iceman66]

5. Well, to be fair,

NY23 has been trending blue-er (went for Obama in '08 by a small margin), so it is not unexpected that the voters there would chose a moderate Democrat over a frothing-at-the-mouth Glen Beck worshiping teabagger.