From what I read Stearns got beat pretty bad by someone with no money.
One ad does not turn an election.
Stearns must have done something to alienate his district. Did he pull a Lugar? A J.D. Hayworth? Become to DC for the voters?
I don’t know but one good ad doesn’t garner that many votes.
Actually, the challenger won by less then 900 votes from what I understand.
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in. (Other than judges, who IMHO start to think they are little gods and ALWAYS should be thrown out.)
When you feel like the job is an entitlement, it trickles down and people figure it out. In my district a long time incumbent was elected by over 80% on Tues and there was a reason for that. He works his tail off.