General Senate discussion

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I figured we needed one of these....


Anyways, historically appointed Senators do rather poorly in re-election (for example see California 1964). Well, Gillibrand easily won, and it looks like Bennet might just, too.

[mypalfish]

A very good night/escape act for the Dems.  If you had told them 2-3 weeks ago that they could take a 6 seat loss right then and there or risk the election, I would bet they take the loss.

Geraghty said it well..."It’s the biggest Republican gain in two generations — and yet, because of a few key races, it feels a little disappointing."

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Moderately ok escape for the Dems...I was expecting them to hold PA and IL though.

All things considered, it's not too bad.

[Capitan Zapp Brannigan]

PA was a heartbreaker.

The NV margin that Reid put up was one of the most surprising results of the night. Boxer did very well in California as well, winning by 10%.

[Capitan Zapp Brannigan]

Also, Hoeven's margin in ND was even bigger than expected. And Rasmussen's Hawaii poll was..... lol.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/11/how_should_harry_reid_say_grac.html
Article says Hispanics turned out for Reid and he received 90% of the Hispanic vote? That doesn't seem possible...

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I wonder if it was that "don't vote" ad that backfired.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Random factoids on a few of the quixotic Senate challengers:

Rodney Glassman appears to have held McCain under 60% for the first time since 1992.

Lisa Johnston in Kansas still managed to win Douglas and Wyandotte Counties, despite only getting 26%.

Roxanne Conlin is the first person to run against Grassley and win a county (Johnson) since either his first election in 1980 or fist re-election in 1986 (no maps for those on the Atlas).

[Lief 🗽]

It's ridiculous that not only did Reid win, but he won with a majority of the vote! I always, always thought that if he pulled off a win it would be because of NOTA and Ashjian spoilering at least a little bit.

[Hash]

Hoeven narrowly won the rez counties. I think he had lost one of the rez counties in his 2008 landslide.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Well, things look really far better than expected, so I really can't complain. We just need Murray to hold on her one-point lead, and democrats will have much reasons to rejoice. However, I'm really disapponted about PA and IL, and I'd gladly trade WV and CO for those two...

[Brittain33]

However, I'm really disapponted about PA and IL, and I'd gladly trade WV and CO for those two...

I'm dealing with it because IL was a self-inflicted wound and Giannoulias is no great loss, and as for PA, the Dems have won so many nail biters in recent elections (Tester, Webb, Franken) that I have to consider it karma.

[Antonio the Sixth]

However, I'm really disapponted about PA and IL, and I'd gladly trade WV and CO for those two...

I'm dealing with it because IL was a self-inflicted wound and Giannoulias is no great loss, and as for PA, the Dems have won so many nail biters in recent elections (Tester, Webb, Franken) that I have to consider it karma.

Sestak's determination is something truly exceptionnal, he deserved to win just for the effort he put on this race. He was trailing by 8 points just two weeks before the elections, and eventually came 2 points close of winning ! Just imagine, a left-wing democrat running in a purple State in such a year, especially considering Specter's unpopularity, and against a strong tea party candidate, managing to make the race so close ! Pennsylvania was a race republicans couldn't lose, that's why they should have lost.


I really hope he will run again in 2012 or 2016...

[Guderian]

Hispanic vote out West saved the Senate from flipping. Most disappointing thing about 2010 midterms for Republicans is that they are still not connecting with Hispanics outside of Texas and Florida and they are still not a federal level player in New England except NH.

[Capitan Zapp Brannigan]

Hispanic vote out West saved the Senate from flipping. Most disappointing thing about 2010 midterms for Republicans is that they are still not connecting with Hispanics outside of Texas and Florida and they are still not a federal level player in New England except NH.

Yeah, everyone saying how Hispanics were drifting to the GOP this year made me quite nervous. Glad to see that wasn't the case at all out West.

[nkpatel1279]

Democratic victories in CT and WV had to due to top tier Senate recruits. Blumenthal-CT and Manchin-WV were highly popular statewide elected officials. DE-DEMS need to thank Sarah Pallin. same with CO and NV.  Dems came up short in IL,PA,and WI- but we will win those seats back in 2016. Kirk(R-IL),Toomey(R-PA),and Johnson(R-WI) are going to be in Rod Grams(R-MN),Norm Coleman(R-MN), Spence Abraham(R-MI),and John Sununu(R-NH) category.

[bgwah]

Even though he lost, Sestak's performance was very impressive. I hope we haven't seen the last of him.

[Keystone Phil]

Kirk(R-IL),Toomey(R-PA),and Johnson(R-WI) are going to be in Rod Grams(R-MN),Norm Coleman(R-MN), Spence Abraham(R-MI),and John Sununu(R-NH) category.

Let's go back to 2004. How many people expected Blanche Lincoln to get demolished in 2010?

I can't stand how people are predicting things for 2012. Predicting for 2016 is just insane.

[Capitan Zapp Brannigan]

Kirk(R-IL),Toomey(R-PA),and Johnson(R-WI) are going to be in Rod Grams(R-MN),Norm Coleman(R-MN), Spence Abraham(R-MI),and John Sununu(R-NH) category.

Let's go back to 2004. How many people expected Blanche Lincoln to get demolished in 2010?

I can't stand how people are predicting things for 2012. Predicting for 2016 is just insane.

Have to agree with Keystone Phil on this one.

[Keystone Phil]

2016 is going to be a neutral Presidential year.

And you know that for a fact six years in advance? What kind of money are you making off of these predictions?

[rob in cal]

Unlike big Senate shakeup years like 1980, 1986, 1994, 2006, no party got lucky and won the vast majority of the reasonably close seats.  This time around GOP takes Pa, Wisc, Ill, but Dems counter with WV, Colorado, Wash, (guessing that Murray wins) and Nev.