Politics: GOP Scores Big Victories
The Democratic party suffered stunning losses in 2 off-year races. In what can only be pegged as a very real wake-up call, Republicans scored victories in both traditionally democratic New Jersey as well as Virginia.
In the New Jersey governor’s race, incumbent Dan Corzine was ousted by republican Chris Christie, and in Virginia state senator Creigh Deeds was thoroughly trounced by republican Bob McDonnell.
Curiously, though Obama campaigned as recently as Sunday for Democrats, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs claimed the president was “not watching returns”. Was it that he could not bear to watch? In any case, chances are Obama and his Democratic strategists are pouring over the data for lessons to be learned.
Democrats that won big over republicans in the 2006 and 2008 races and who are up for re-election in 2010 now have cause for concern. Independents migrated in droves towards the republican candidates. In Virginia, exit polls showed republican McDonnell won 63% of the independent vote, while in New Jersey republican Christie won 58% of independents. These same independents voted heavily democratic in the 2008 presidential election.
As the votes were counted and the results announced, both republicans and democrats were quick to put their spin on things. Republicans called their victories a clear sign that Americans that were seduced by Obama’s promises during the presidential campaign have seen through the veil and are deeply disillusioned with the current state of our nation. Democrats predictably chalked up the losses to circumstance and disadvantaged candidates.
