Tuesday night really didn't throw any surprises in a true off-off year election. But that's didn't mean there aren't a few trends, and I have a few thoughts.
--- To no one's surprise, Chris Christie won a second term as New Jersey's governor, and for the life of me, I really don't understand why. This is a governor in a very Democratic state that has cut education funds, although a judge did put some of the money back in the budget, vetoed his own gun control bill after talking to the NRA, and refused to allow same-sex marriages until the state Supreme Court forced him to. The Democrats in New Jersey, for the most part, have rolled over for him, and the Democratic nominee for the governorship was right to call out her party. If the Democrats in the US Congress acted like those in New Jersey, the Affordable Care Act would have been defunded last month. Shame on them. And Democratic voters who voted for Christie and passed a minimum wage hike that Christie vetoed, shame on you. So you like the Governor, but don't like his policies?
--- Democrat Terry McAuliffe won the Virginia governor's race, making it the the first time in over 30 years that the party that was in the White House won the governorship. But in a lot of ways, it was a very sobering victory for Democrats. Ken Cuccinelli, the GOP nominee, was thought to be as far right as a politician could be, except for the Lieutenant Governor nominee, and he came within 4 points of winning. To the Tea Party, this won't be thought of as a loss, but as a back-stabbing by the GOP establishment, who pulled their money out of the race in the last week. Exit polling confirms this, as 25% of the Cuccinelli voters said that if he lost, it was because he wasn't right-wing enough. They won't blame his far right-wing views, but the establishment GOP.
--- A moderate GOPer beat a Tea Party backed GOP nominee in the GOP run-off in Alabama's #01 US Congressional district. Much is being made that the establishment GOP beat the Tea Party. But that district is in Mobile, AL, one of the few big towns in Alabama, and the home of a naval base. Simply, I think that if a moderate GOPer can't win in that kind of district, then they're dead all over the south. And with only a 4 point win, they're pretty close to dead right now.
--- The Tea Party not only didn't learn any lessons from Tuesday night, they're getting meaner and nastier. The Tea Party Nominee in Alabama refused to back the winner in the general election, and Cuccinelli has refused, so far, to talk to McAuliffe congratulating him. They're (The Tea Party) not going anywhere for a long time, and they have no desire to get along, even with those in their own party.
Tuesday night, several elections played big roles in the make-up of the country. But in most ways, it looks like it's just like it was Monday night. Most people don't like the Tea Party, and the Tea Party doesn't care. Their goal is to nullify every federal law they can, and last night was just a step along the way for them. It's everyone's job to stop them.
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