Victories Suggest Wider Appeal of Tea Party
Michael Cooper
NY Times
November 2, 2010
The Tea Party victories by Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida underscored the extent to which Republicans and Democrats alike may have underestimated the power of the Tea Party, a loosely-affiliated, at times ill-defined, coalition of grass-roots libertarians and disaffected Republicans.
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In exit polls, four in 10 voters expressed support for the Tea Party Movement.In the case of Mr. Rubio and Mr. Paul, both of the new Senators-elect challenged far more established Republicans to win their primaries. Mr. Paul beat a Republican who was supported by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, and Mr. Rubio’s spirited run forced Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, a moderate Republican who was initially favored to win the Senate seat, to bolt from the Republican Party and run as an independent. And Democrats initially considered both so conservative — some Democrats called them “extreme” — as to be unelectable.
The primary victory of Mr. Paul, the son of Representative Ron Paul, a Texas Republican who ran for president on a libertarian platform in 2008, initially lifted the hopes of Democrats, who believed they could capitalize on some of Mr. Paul’s outside-the-mainstream views to help them win the Kentucky Senate seat. At first it looked like it might work.
Republicans roll, Democrats win key Senate race
John Whitesides
Reuters
November 2, 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans rolled up key election wins on Tuesday but Democrats scored a crucial Senate victory in West Virginia that could ensure they retain at least a slender Senate majority.
Anxiety over the stumbling economy and discontent with Obama propelled Republicans to the threshold of huge gains that would give them a majority in the House of Representatives and perhaps even the Senate, slamming the brakes on Obama’s agenda.
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But a win by Democrat Joe Manchin in the race for the late Senator Robert Byrd’s West Virginia seat means Republicans have the difficult task of sweeping six crucial toss-up Senate races, including those in Democratic-leaning California and Washington, to claim a majority.
House Races
Are updated here; obviously, commentators have been expecting the GOP to take control of the House for weeks now
Governor Races
New York: Andrew Cuomo defeats Carl Paladino in N.Y. governor’s race
Florida: Republican Rick Scott holds lead in early returns for governor
Texas: Rick Perry wins another term easily, denies interest in 2012 White House
Alabama: Republican Dr. Robert Bentley wins Alabama Governor’s race
Colorado: Hickenlooper ahead of Tancredo for Colorado governor
Georgia: Nathan Deal Leads Roy Barnes in Early Returns
Illinois: Incumbent Pat Quinn Appears to Hold Governor’s Office over Brady
Maine: Independent Cutler Takes Early Lead in Maine Governor’s Race
Michigan: Snyder scores lopsided win; Bernero concedes amid GOP surge
Minnesota: Dem. Mark Dayton leads early returns in governor’s race
New Mexico: Republican Susana Martinez becomes New Mexico’s first woman governor
Oklahoma: Republican Mary Fallin elected first woman governor in OK
Pennsylvania: Republican Corbett to win Pa. governor’s race
S. Dakota: Republican Lt Governor Dennis Daugaard elected South Dakota governor
Tennessee: Republican Bill Haslam elected Tennessee governor
Wyoming: Republican Matt Mead elected
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Senate Races
Nevada: Senate race between Reid, Angle a tossup; Nevada Union Illegally Coordinating with Reid Campaign for Votes
Arkansas: Sen. Blanche Lincoln First Democratic Incumbent Projected to be Defeated
Kentucky: WSJ: Rand Paul victory ‘sends Fed critic to Senate’
Indiana: Dan Coats Defeats Brad Ellsworth In Indiana Senate RaceWest Virginia: Manchin wins Byrd’s old seat in W. Virginia
Delaware: Coons defeats Tea Party’s O’Donnell for Senate seat
New Hampshire: Palin-backed Ayotte beats Hodes for NH Senate seat
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