It was essentially a Blue State/Red State day-- Dems gained in Gore states (plus a tiny bit in Virginia) and lost in Bush states. So the real issues remains what will happen in Florida, Missouri, West Virginia and other states Bush won (or even lost) only narrowly.
-- Nathan
Pennsylavania a big win for the Democrats Right now it looks like the Democrats cleaned house in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with wins in Allegheny County, Philadelphia and statewide.
This is big news because as some say Pennsylvania is a bellweather for next year's race. The Democrats in Allegheny County and statewide were able to consolidate their party and come out in fairly large numbers and stay unified for a candidate. If we can do that in 2004, we are in good shape.
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> From Daily Kos:
Yesterday Was Hardly A Disaster For Democrats by JJB Wed Nov 5th, 2003 at 10:35:57 PST
It would have been nice to win yesterday's gubernatorial elections in Kentucky and Mississippi. However, all is not gloom and doom for the Democratic Party, far from it. In the State of New Jersey, things went quite poorly for the GOP:
"Democrats tightened their grip on New Jersey government in Tuesday's elections, seizing undisputed control of the State Senate, toppling the state's top Republican elected official, and padding their majority in the General Assembly."
"The night's results also offered personal vindication for Gov. James E. McGreevey. Republicans had tried to make the races a referendum on the governor, whose approval ratings have dropped below 40 percent in some recent polls, but Democrats used their financial advantage to focus the races on a host of local issues in Bergen, Gloucester and Monmouth Counties."
"The sweeping victories, fueled by record-setting campaign spending, give Democrats control of the governor's office and both houses of the Legislature. For the first time in half a century, the party in power picked up seats during midterm legislative elections."
[snip]
"The majority the Democrats held in the Assembly was 41 to 38 (with one Green Party member) when the evening began, and they appeared headed to capturing at least 47 seats."
The Commonwealth of Virginia offered a mixed bag of results:
Connolly Triumphs in Fairfax --
GOP Keeps Lead In Va. Assembly -- Democrats Gain -- "Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly (D) won his bid to become the top elected official in Fairfax County yesterday, after a campaign in which he urged voters to trust in the wealthy suburb's steady progress and to reject the anti-tax campaign offered by Republican Mychele B. Brickner."
"Connolly's victory in the race for chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors stymied a push by social conservatives and tax opponents set on extending the Republican Party's success of the past four years to Virginia's most populous jurisdiction. Connolly will replace Katherine K. Hanley (D), who did not seek reelection because she plans to challenge Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) in a congressional primary next year."
"Fairfax also was responsible for three of the handful of changes in the 140-member General Assembly.. . . Statewide, Democrats increased their numbers by at least two in the House of Delegates, making what they said were their first gains in that chamber during a regularly scheduled election since 1975.. . . Many legislators across the state ran unopposed, and Republicans maintained firm control of both the House and Senate."
On balance, a plus for the Democrats.
Democratic success in affluent Fairfax County (where I live) could spell trouble for Bush in Virginia next year. Although I doubt he'd lose here, he might actually have to make an effort to woo votes in a state which ought to be safely in his column (which means the DC media market gets the campaign ad saturation bombing that makes TV viewing a hazard to one's sanity -- groan). Also, if the GOP "we don't need taxes to pay for roads and schools" meme doesn't work in Fairfax, there are a hell of a lot of other places it won't work either.
Democrats also triumphed in Arlington County, another affluent 'burb right over the Memorial Bridge from DC. Here's a money quote that might cheer up depressed Democrats:
"During the campaign, challengers Richard K. Kelsey (R) and Sarah J. Summerville, an independent, had tried to capitalize on issues such as rising property taxes and the fight over the proposed major league baseball stadium. "
"'I think we ran into, frankly, Arlington backlash against national Republican politics,' Kelsey said of his loss. 'This year, more than ever, the Democrats were able to energize their voters. . . . It's frustrating. We ran a great campaign.'"
So two GOP states got more Republican, a Democratic state got more Democratic, and Democrats held on to what they already had and gained a bit more in a third Republican state.
And don't underestimate the meaning of the local victories by Dems in Fairfax and Arlington. As you can see, the Republicans know what they mean.