Election 09 – News Stories About Election 09 - Page 1

Analysis

Nov 5, 2009 11:30 AM CST

Democrats Who Should Be Worried

Election '09 puts the fear into these 2010 incumbents

(Newser) - If, as Max Baucus says, Tuesday’s elections should be a “wake-up call” for Democrats, Politico knows which lawmakers should be drinking caffeine:

Harry Reid: The majority leader is a little like Jon Corzine; an unpopular incumbent in a state where the economy is especially bad. And like Corzine,

...

Dems Torn: Too Much
Change, or Not Enough?

ELECTION FALLOUT

Nov 5, 2009 9:15 AM CST

Dems Torn: Too Much Change, or Not Enough?

Do voters want them to ditch presidential agenda, or complete it?

(Newser) - Democrats in Congress reading the tea leaves of Tuesday’s elections find themselves split: were the Republican wins in Virginia and New Jersey a vote of no confidence in the administration’s agenda, or frustration that it isn’t moving fast enough? Most agree on the first step going forward:...

Voters Now a Rampaging Herd

Daniel Henninger

Nov 5, 2009 8:41 AM CST

Voters Now a Rampaging Herd

Get ready for a permanent tea party as voters seek leaders

(Newser) - In the GOP upsets in Virginia and New Jersey, Daniel Henninger doesn't just see Obama backlash, he sees a voter rebellion from both parties, with independent Americans behaving like stampeding cattle. That independents would within one year swing from Obama enthusiasts to backing decent-to-weak Republicans in Virginia and New Jersey...

Health Bill Will Speed
Swing Back to GOP

KARL ROVE

Nov 5, 2009 4:00 AM CST

Health Bill Will Speed Swing Back to GOP

Suburban, independent voter trend is bad news for Dems

(Newser) - This week's election results spell out a trend that should scare Democrats in both red and blue states, warns Karl Rove . Suburban and independent voters turned away from the party at a rate that would have easily put John McCain into the White House last year, and the health bill...

Gay Marriage Backers Say Fight Not Over in Maine

Nov 4, 2009 2:16 PM CST

Gay Marriage Backers Say Fight Not Over in Maine

Defeated advocates say they'll find new strategy

(Newser) - Gay rights activists in Maine vowed to continue fighting today, after voters repealed a law making same-sex marriage legal in the state. “Here we are in a civil rights struggle,” said the executive director of Equality Maine. “What do we do in a civil rights struggle? We...

Economic Fury
Is the New
Culture War

PETER BEINART

Nov 4, 2009 11:19 AM CST

Economic Fury Is the New Culture War

Deficits were the rallying cry for yesterday's winners

(Newser) - "Conservatives have supposedly gotten their groove back," Peter Beinart writes about the results of yesterday's state races, "but it's not the same old groove." The candidates who won—or almost won—downplayed social issues and focused on the economy, which Beinart calls the “new culture...

Bloomberg Squeaker
Embarrasses Obama, Dems

Nov 4, 2009 9:56 AM CST

Bloomberg Squeaker Embarrasses Obama, Dems

Many bemoan tepid support of Thompson

(Newser) - No one thought Bill Thompson had a prayer against Michael Bloomberg—no one, that is, except voters. Bloomberg did indeed win yesterday, but it was a moral defeat for the mayor, who spent $90 million and won by just 5%. And it’s an even bigger embarrassment for Democrats, who...

Blame Weak
Candidates,
Not Obama

Nate Silver

Nov 4, 2009 8:36 AM CST

Blame Weak Candidates, Not Obama

Polling guru gives a post-mortem on last night's elections

(Newser) - The numbers are in, now it's time to make sense of them. Nate Silver breaks down last night's election results:

Don’t blame Obama; Creigh Deeds and Jon Corzine were probably just weak candidates. In New Jersey, 57% of voters approved of Obama, but 27% of those supporters voted Republican

...

Sorry, Dems,
2008 Is So Last Year

Analysis

Nov 4, 2009 7:45 AM CST

Sorry, Dems, 2008 Is So Last Year

Winning coalition doesn't reemerge in gubernatorial races

(Newser) - Last night’s gubernatorial defeats proved to Democrats that whatever magic they harnessed last November has left the building. Off-year elections aren’t usually great predictors, but with the Democrats’ winning 2008 coalition essentially absent, the warning signs are clear, writes Dan Balz in the Washington Post. Most notably, Democrats...

Obama Can't Save Democrats

ANALYSIS

Nov 4, 2009 4:17 AM CST

Obama Can't Save Democrats

NJ, Va. votes show that president's popularity isn't catching

(Newser) - The message to Democratic candidates from yesterday's GOP wins in New Jersey and Virginia should be loud and clear: they're on their own, writes Dan McLaughlin . Jon Corzine and Creigh Deeds tied themselves as closely to possible to President Obama and lost, demonstrating that the president's continued personal popularity isn't...

GOP 2nd Wind
Doesn't Mean
Smooth Sailing

ANALYSIS

Nov 4, 2009 3:09 AM CST

GOP 2nd Wind Doesn't Mean Smooth Sailing

Party back from last year's beating but upheaval still likely

(Newser) - The victories in Virginia and New Jersey look set to revitalize the Republican Party ahead of next year's elections, writes Adam Nagourney. The party now has the chance to re-energize its base and prepare for a proper comeback from last year's defeat, although the Democratic win in New York's 23rd...

Christie Takes NJ for GOP

ELECTION DAY

Nov 3, 2009 9:15 PM CST

Christie Takes NJ for GOP

First Republican to win a statewide race in a decade

(Newser) - Chris Christie scored the second big victory for the Republicans today, taking the governorship of New Jersey from incumbent Jon Corzine. Christie, 47, had 50% of the vote to Corzine’s 44% with nearly three-quarters of precincts reporting. He’s the first Republican to win a statewide race in more...

Bloomberg Wins 3rd NYC Term

ELECTION DAY

Nov 3, 2009 8:45 PM CST

Bloomberg Wins 3rd NYC Term

$100 million of own money keeps independent on top

(Newser) - Michael Bloomberg has won a third term tonight as New York’ mayor, outdistancing Democrat William Thompson in a race that saw the incumbent spend an estimated $100 million of his personal fortune—the largest sum in US history. Bloomberg won by nearly 20% in 2005, but early returns showed his...

Obama Is Minimal Factor in NJ, Va., Exit Polls Show

ELECTION DAY

Nov 3, 2009 8:17 PM CST

Obama Is Minimal Factor in NJ, Va., Exit Polls Show

Majorities say president has no influence on vote

(Newser) - President Obama seems to have been a minimal factor in gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, at least according to early exit polls. In Virginia, where Republican Bob McDonnell won, 55% said Obama wasn’t behind their vote; that figure was 60% in New Jersey, where the race was...

GOP's McDonnell
Elected Va. Governor

ELECTION DAY

Nov 3, 2009 7:13 PM CST

GOP's McDonnell Elected Va. Governor

Democrat Deeds loses in landslide as GOP takes top jobs

(Newser) - Republicans wrested political control of Virginia from the Democrats today, with Bob McDonnell scoring a landslide victory over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds. Independent voters swung behind the GOP, a troubling sign for President Obama, who had personally campaigned for Deeds.

5 Things to Watch in NJ

election day

Nov 3, 2009 1:23 PM CST

5 Things to Watch in NJ

Turnout is pivotal in race between Corzine, Christie

(Newser) - It remains a tight race for governor in New Jersey between Democrat Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie. Jonathan Martin of Politico offers five things to watch:

Turnout: If it's below 48% or so, that means trouble for Corzine. It's a sign he hasn't mobilized the Democratic base, particularly minorities,

...

5 Things to Watch
in NY-23 Race

election day

Nov 3, 2009 11:41 AM CST

5 Things to Watch in NY-23 Race

Hoffman looks to pick up Scozzafava's supporters

(Newser) - With late polls inconclusive, Josh Kraushaar of Politico runs down five things to watch in the NY-23 congressional race as returns filter in:

Dede Scozzafava's supporters: The big question is whether independent-minded GOP voters will go to her endorsed candidate, Democrat Bill Owens, or Conservative Doug Hoffman. Results from her

...

Atlanta May Elect 1st White Mayor in 36 Years

Nov 3, 2009 9:43 AM CST

Atlanta May Elect 1st White Mayor in 36 Years

Frontrunner Mary Norwood vows to fix the city's accounting mess

(Newser) - A simple focus on accounting is poised to radically—read: racially—change the politics of Atlanta. In a majority-black city that hasn’t had a white mayor in 36 years, a Caucasian city councilwoman from a tony neighborhood has a commanding lead in the polls. Mary Norwood has promised to...

State Races Seen as Obama Referendum

Dana Milbank

Nov 3, 2009 7:39 AM CST

State Races Seen as Obama Referendum

By GOP, that is. If they win. White House, not so much

(Newser) - Are today’s elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York referendums on President Obama? Let’s ask the experts. Michael Steele says they are. David Axelrod says they're not. Karl Rove says they are. Robert Gibbs says they're not. See a pattern? “Democrats are determined to assert that...

NJ Gov Hopeful Runs Afoul of Monty Python

election 2009

Nov 2, 2009 3:40 PM CST

NJ Gov Hopeful Runs Afoul of Monty Python

Troupe threatens to sue Republican over pirated video footage

(Newser) - Republican Chris Christie holds a razor-thin lead over incumbent Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor's race, and now he has five more potential opponents—the members of Monty Python, who are considering suing the former US Attorney for violating their copyright. An online ad the campaign swiftly yanked from...