Republicans swept every statewide elected office--governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general--in the commonwealth of Virginia, something the GOP failed to do in their 1993 landslide. They captured the governorship of New Jersey, defeating incumbent multimillionaire Jon Corzine. In New York's 23rd congressional district, where Republicans didn't even have an active candidate on the ballot, Democrats barely eeked out a victory over the longshot Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. With 87 percent of the ballots counted in Maine's same-sex marriage question, the vote to affirm traditional marriage and reject state-sanctioned gay marriage held a five-percentage-point lead.

The results may or may not forebode bad tidings for the Democrats in next year's mid-term elections. The economy could turn around, a foreign policy crisis could move the country to rally around Obama, a scandal could hit the Republican party. Next year's elections are a year away, and a lot can happen in a year. That said, Tuesday's results aren't a good sign for Democrats. Their string of victories--in 2008, 2006, and 2005--have come to an end. Republicans have checked their momentum, and, to some degree, reoriented it in their direction.

Worse for Democrats than the losses in New Jersey and Virginia is the effect they will have on Obama's legislative agenda. By mismanaging the centerpiece--universal health care--of his legislative agenda, Barack Obama has almost assured its defeat. The further the calendar got from last November, the fewer the number of Democrats there would be willing to stand with Obama. Now that big-state gubernatorial candidates who he had campaigned with the president have gone down to defeat, Democrats representing middle-of-the-road or conservative districts will be even less likely to support his controversial health-care package.

The big win for Republicans, then, is not Tuesday night's actual victories, but the Democratic defections from the ObamaCare bill that Tuesday night's victories will assure. Do you think the three freshmen House Democrats from Virginia, all representing districts in which Republican Bob McDonnell soundly defeated Democrat Creigh Deeds, will be more or less likely to support Obama's plan after seeing their fellow Virginia Democrats get clobbered last night? The elections will embolden Republicans and make it easier for Democrats to break ranks.

If politicians really are, as political scientist David Mayhew theorizes, "single-minded seekers of reelection," wouldn't it pay for Democrats in competitive districts to distance themselves from the president?

Party affiliation aside, this is good for our country.

Considering that what has been written here plays out the way we would expect, Healthcare HAS TO be defeated. It and other programs slated by the far left agenda need to lose if we are ever to save this nation.

So I'm happy that the Party has taken away these victories but Conservatives need to build on this momentum as way leftist policies, if left to any legislative success, will kill the golden goose that is (was?) America.

Yes but, the Huffington Post said it wouldn't be so!! How could this be?

Nice! Is that you, Eric?

I predicted two races correctly, the Virginia race and the NY congressional race. The losses in Virginia and New Jersey are a disaster for Democrats, the loss of a seat held for over a century by Republicans in NY isn't positive, particularly for the conservative movement, but congratulations to Republicans nonetheless.

Mr. Hope and Change campaigns heavily for two gubernatorial candidates and they both lose. Especially in heavily Democrat and nearly socialist New Jersey.

No worries. Nothing to see here, move on....

Right.

Who?

It's okay to use "handles" and pseudonyms when you post. It's not okay to use other people's "handles," names, or pseudonyms when you post. I realize it was probably pretty obvious to regular readers that the first "PMA" posting above wasn't the genuine article, but not everyone is a regular reader. Please refrain from imitating other posters in the future.

I thought that was weird. Despicable practice. My posts have my name for the whole world to see.

PALIN 2012!

Despite the election results I still see a health care/government take over passing anyway. The democrats/Obama from all appearances have a kamakazi mindset. Against all logic, regardless of the consequences are going to pass this disaster even if it costs them the next election.

I think it's fairly obvious that Obama only cares about Obama and what his handlers think and tell him to do. So, if jamming through a noxious 2000 page Healthcare Rationing bill that nobody really wants at the expense of the health of the nation and his Party he, and those in Congress who see this as a one time shot to socialize through government monopoly another sector of the economy, could care less what the fallout is. This is another example of why I think these are evil, mad people.

Opus,

Recently Harry Reid said health care reform might not pass this year. You guys might still win this, particularly since the Obushma administration isn't really all that interested in fighting for true health reform. They slyly passed the buck to congress, knowing the institutional obstacles that must be overcome to pass legislation (reform forces desperately needed a proactive approach from the administration, not a passive one), while proceeding to forfeit single-payer off the bat while holding extensive meetings with the pharmaceutical and health care industry. It may well turn out that this is all empty rhetoric. Btw, if health reform passes it's not scheduled to take effect until a few years later, which would be plenty of time for a new congress to repeal it.