Election Reax

I think I’ve written enough about yesterday’s elections, so here’s some of what the Internet is saying:

• Over at the Daily Dish, Andrew Sullivan compiles diverse election reactions from around the web, here and here. He also has some final thoughts on the pain in Maine after last night’s disappointing result. It wasn’t all bad news for the gays, though. “Everything-but-marriage” domestic partnerships survived a referendum in Washington state, and Chapel Hill—yes, the one in North Carolina, really!—elected a gay mayor.

• Alex Pareene has characteristically sensible and witty takes on yesterday’s elections, Maine, and Michael Bloomberg at Gawker.

• At the New Republic, Jonathan Chait dissects the national spin and Michael Crowley articulates what ought to become the conventional wisdom on Mayor Mike: “I’m glad Bloomberg got some comeuppance, but I’m also glad he won.”

• Brian Beutler makes a meaningful point about the elections and health insurance reform: a bill will now be easier to pass in the House.

• Reactions at NRO’s The Corner are predictably smug and self-serving. Jonah Goldberg thinks yesterday was a “very, very bad day for Democrats.” We’ll see. Mark Steyn tries to downplay Hoffman’s loss in NY-23. (Would shoulda coulda!) Never mind, of course, that the Dems actually picked up a seat in the House overall. And finally, slimy Maggie Gallagher is “so happy” about the conservative victory in Maine. (Too bad it didn’t go her way in Washington!)

In actual news, today is the 30th anniversary of the start of the Tehran hostage crisis, and protests there continue for various reasons.

Big Whoop

The media will spin tonight’s election results as huge political news, but really there’s little of note. Sure, the GOP swept the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, and may still win in NY-23 (although as I write Bill Owens, the Democrat, has a lead of just over 3,000 votes with 69% reporting).

Big whoop.

Lest we forget, in 2001 the Virginia and New Jersey statehouses switched parties—from Republican to Democrat. This is what they do—and have done for decades—when new presidents are elected. It’s called reactionary voting, and it’s especially to be expected when the economy sucks. People aren’t happy: get rid of the politicians.

As for NY-23, it’s one of the most conservative districts in New York state. This shouldn’t be a difficult win for the right. But it might well be a loss. And everyone seems to be forgetting that a special election in California’s 10th Congressional District, for the seat that Ellen Tauscher gave up to become Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, is almost certainly going to go to the Democratic candidate, John Garamendi, who, according to Nate Silver, should be significantly more liberal than his predecessor.

Far more interesting are the Maine same-sex marriage question, worryingly too close to call as I write, and the small margin—only 5%!—by which Michael Bloomberg is going to win in NYC. I’ll have more on all of this at some point tomorrow, but 2009 in general: Eh.

Decision 2009

Tomorrow is election day here in America, although with 2009 being an odd-numbered year there are only a few important races. Here’s a primer of the races likely to make headlines: the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections, a special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional district that’s drawn lots of press, and gay rights ballot initiatives in Maine and Washington state.

Oh yeah, and there’s a mayoral election right here in New York City. I wonder who will win?

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