Liz Sidoti of Associated Press, on the large Republican tide in today's off-year elections:
WASHINGTON – Republicans wrested Virginia from the Democrats Tuesday in a one-sided sweep of top offices, and New Jersey's unpopular Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine fought for his political life as independent voters swung behind the GOP in elections in both states. It was a troubling sign for President Barack Obama and his party heading into an important midterm election year...
The president had personally campaigned for Deeds and Corzine, raising the stakes in low-energy off-year elections. Thus, even one Democratic loss was a blot on Obama's political standing to a certain degree and signaled potential problems ahead as he seeks to achieve his policy goals, protect Democratic majorities in Congress and expand his party's grip on governors' seats next fall.
Oops. Looks like someone didn't read the memo.
11/3/09 2215: The President isn't interested in the returns tonight? Yeah, right.
A few hours after telling reporters they shouldn't expect "any great insight" into 2010 based on the outcome of Tuesday night's elections, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told POLITICO the president wasn't even following the results."He's not watching returns," Gibbs said.
I'm sure that's true. I mean, why go to bed with a sour stomach?
11/3/09 2225: And according to the AP, it's over in NJ. For Gov. Christie it's "winner, winner, chicken dinner." Or, as Mel Allen would've said, how about that?
11/3/09 2230: See, CBS has the "right" approach.
A majority of voters in both states said they are worried about the direction of the nation’s economy over the next year. 85 percent of Virginia voters said they are worried, as are 90 percent of voters in New Jersey. These percentages were similar on Election Day in 2008.
In both states the economy topped the list of issues that mattered most to voters in their choice for governor – in Virginia health care was second, while in New Jersey the second choice was property taxes.
And what about the Obama factor? President Obama campaigned for both the Democratic gubernatorial candidates, even visiting New Jersey as recently as Sunday to stump for Jon Corzine.Still, majorities of voters in both states (55 percent in Virginia and 60 percent in New Jersey) said President Obama was not a factor in their vote today.
So let's see if I understand this. Fully 90% of the voters in NJ and 85% of those in VA are concerned about the economy, primarily. And yet, the gentleman and his team that a)quadrupled the deficit, b) have us racking up $9+ trillion in unpaid bills over the next ten years, c) are trying to push through a multi-trillion dollar unfunded entitlement and d) are raising and will raise taxes further are "not a factor?." I'm not sure that makes much sense.
11/3/09 2255: Michelle Malkin has the election nite roundup going.
