I agree, the GOP was playing offense, for about the first time. I think this is a remarkable change from last election. I live in Gainesville, and I was really impressed by the aggressive, energetic volunteer presence this time around. They were occasionally hampered by people in charge who were part of the old GOP way of doing things - that is, do nothing and hope you win anyway - but I think things are never going to be the same down here.
We had one woman that I heard about who went to the poll wearing a Bush/Cheney shirt. Ignorant workers told her (after she waited in line for a long time) that she could not vote wearing a shirt promoting a candidate (which is completely wrong--in Florida, voters can wear anything they want).
Unfazed, she took off her shirt and voted in her bra. She said she would vote for "W" naked if she had to!
I live in Land O Lakes - much of the article about the area is right on. My wife and I are in our mid-20s and we just moved to the area two years ago, along with many thousands of others who bought homes up here.
We saw this coming - everything here has changed so much in just the two years we have been here. Republicans swept virtually every position in our county and we are proud to be a small part of it.