[new yorker 77]

Am I the only one who enjoys looking at the FACTS?

Virginia has not elected a Governor of the same party in 32 years.

Both Democrats performed worse in 2005 than in 2001.

Ohio and Texas should have liberal ears ringing.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Exactly...but the facts dont meet the media's agenda...

[goldstategop]

California was a wipeout. Its going to go the full-blown socialist agenda. The Democrats are going to tax, spend and regulate to the hilt because the voters love them and blessed the unions and turned down the Right's conservative agenda.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Diddle E. Squat]

bump

[syriacus]

I liked the way FoxNews put it: "Virginia and New Jersey have retained Democratic Governors."

[BigYellowDog]

The NJ results are more convincing than NJ. If you take out the Independent in Virginia, Democrats actually did better in Virginia.

[djfox1]

Only the looney leftard moonbats would squeal with the glee at the prospect that hugely popular Virginia democratic governor's chosen successor beat a Republican challenger by 4 points. Only the looney leftard moonbats would squeal with glee at the idea that New Jersey - a consistently democratic state - elected elected (GASP!) yet another democrat.

This is not a surge or even a trickle - this is the status quo. It's a sad state for the dems when the status quo excites them.

[AppyPappy]

Virginia didn't change parties so it wasn't a big move. Kaine got elected because Warner signed a tax cut (along with a tax increase).

[Salvation]

It still would have been great to win one of these governors over to the right!

[roses of sharon]

Republicans/conservatives who lost anywhere last nite need to do what the Dems do after they lose.

ATTACK, criticize, spin, lie, slander, manipulate, obfuscate, and do it with ruthless abandon, and make liberal governing impossible. Seriously.

[cvq3842]

Good post.

I don't remember the story of these two states being a "referendum on the incumbent" in 2001 or 1997. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't remember it.

[Cynical Nation]

That isn't too surprising, I guess. The favorable/unfavorable numbers for both Forrester *and* Corzine were horrible. Corzine simply isn't liked that much in this state. The NJ GOP is going to *have* to find a more convincing standard bearer than Doug Forrester, though. When are they going to learn?

[TomGuy]

A win is still a win.

Corzine is the governor-elect.

That is a fact.

Regardless of whether it was by 1% or 99%.

Regardless of what the Dems did in previous elections.

Regardless of whether Gore actually won in 00 or Kerry in 04.

[joesbucks]

Ok, so W was elected and re-elected with less margins than Reagan or his father's first term win. Does that discount his victories?

[SmoothTalker]

Kilgore was up double digits for much of the campaign and was favored. Kaine was a weak but inoffensive candidate with few ideas. Kilgore should have won easily. Ultimately though I don't think this is a referendum on Bush. It was a referendum on Kilgore. He ran a horrible campaign that was very negative but presented no new ideas. I think you can see that Kaine's election was Kilgore's fault by seeing how Republicans did well in the other state wide elections in Va.

[r9etb]

Er... The FACTS are that the D's won. That's the only FACT that has any relevance.

[conserv13]

Facts? Sorry to bust your bubble but the GOP lost in both NJ and VA. Its sad but true.

[SirLinksalot]

Regardless of what we read or hear, I don't see the nationwide result as good for the GOP.

This is a wake up call to elected Republicans everywhere.

In all high profile races except NYC ( where he have a Dem who masquerades as Republican), the GOP candidates and initiatives ALL WENT DOWN IN RESOUNDING DEFEAT.

Count them --- Virginia ( where Bush campaigned for Kilgore, who was supposed to be endorsed by the favorite to run for POTUS in 2008, George Allan), New Jersey ( where a scandal ridden Dem party could not be unseated), and California, where 4 emninently reasonable propositions touted by the Governator went DOWN in RESOUNDING DEFEAT.

The voters are telling us something and we ought to listen. We HAVE NOT been governing as Republicans thats for sure. The base were not energized and simply let the other side win.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Warner basicly bought that election by spending money to get business investment in various Blue Dog areas and he carefully crafted a good ole boy image with NASCAR sponsorships and cheesy country campaign songs. Kaine was a liberal. A true liberal and he beat the sitting AG. Corzine was a dirtbag and shouldn't have won, either.

Virginia has not elected a Governor of the same party in 32 years.

So, George Allen would have lost yesterday were he the candidate?

And reasonable reforms in California were shot down. Don't sugarcoat. Yesterday was not good for conservatives who want lower taxes and less spending and more control over their children's lives.

[kesg]

I agree with you about Ohio and Texas. But the rest sounds a bit like the Democrats after they lost the special Congressional election in Ohio earlier this year. The other side still won these elections. Frankly, it really does not matter by how much. In politics as in football, winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.

[albie]

The fact is that Virginia has been headed down the "blue state" highway for a few years. The influx of NJ & NY into Virginia is amazing. All to escape traffic and taxes. Funny thing is, they continued voting dem here too and will find taxes going up soon! They never learn. Over all it was a wash. Nothing lost, nothing gained.