Friday, November 12, 2010

Er, I Think Republicans Had A Good Election Night

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the Republicans win control of the House of Representatives this past election night? Gain at least six senate seats? Take control of many statehouses and governorships?
But reading around the blogosphere and listening to many an analysis, one would think that the GOP had a lousy night.
OK, the GOP did not win enough seats to take control of the senate. Yes, it is disapointing. But is taking six or seven seats a bad thing? Of course not. The Republicans will either wind up with 46 or 48 seats. The Democrats have 50 but the two "independents", Joe Lieberman and Bernie Saunders side with the Democrats creating 52 seats. The 60-seat "super majority" is gone for the Dems. This is a good thing, right? They will not be able to pass the more radical elements of the Dear Leader, President Obama's agenda. Again, this is a good thing, right?
But, as I have noted, some long knives have come out. Some against the Tea Party folks in general. Some against perceived leaders of the said movement. Again, I submit that at the end of the day, candidates are the ones that make the difference. In other words, Christine O'Donnell was not a great candidate. So Sarah Palin, Mark Levin and a lot of other folks supported her. But she needed to deliver. For what ever reason, Miss O'Donnell did not win. It is not the fault of the Tea Party folks or conservatives that endorsed her. Period.
And one can insert the following names, Carly Fiorina, Ken Buck, Sharron Angle, Dino Rossi. See, it is the candidate and events on the ground. Period.
And as I noted in a previous post, the Republican party is at a level not seen since 1928. The Republican party will control more governors and state legislatures than any point in recent history. The GOP gained in such diverse states as Maine (control of both Houses and the governor's mansion), Alabama (also control of both Houses and the governor's mansion), Oregon (at least a split in the lower house). The GOP solidified their control of the South. There are only three Democrat governors in what is called the Old Confederacy. And the gains made in the Midwest are huge. The governor's office in Ohio, Wisconsin, and possibly Minnesota. Amazing.
And let us not forget the biggest gains of all in the House of Representatives.
No less than 63 seats, making it over 240 seats. Remember, the Democrats had 258 seats in the last congress. An absolutely huge gain. And couple that with redistricting, this should solidify Republican gains. Yes, they can afford to lose some seats in the next election but it is more likely they will maintain their advantage. And most important, it forces the Dear Leader, President Obama, to deal less radically than I am certain he would like.
I do not know about you, but I call it a good night.
Yes, before one gets excited, I know that the left coast was not all that good for the GOP. Especially in my state of California.
But I address the reason in this post. It is not as easy as some pundits would like to make it.
And it should be noted that many Republican parties in deep Blue states have their own unique problems.
But I will take what has happened. That the Republican party is on the rise. And it is very possible that the party will keep going up so long as they follow through on their promises. That is the key to success for the GOP.
And the gains they made can not nor should not be squandered.

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