WDEL Blog: Allan Loudell
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Election 2009: The Limits of $; Fickle "Independents"; Tea Party "victories" etc.
What lessons do I take from Tuesday's off-year elections and referenda?
(1). More evidence that a year is almost an eternity in politics. And some self-professed "independents" sway to and fro against the dominant party of the moment.
(2). Immense personal wealth can only take you so far. Just ask New Jersey's now lame-duck Governor Jon Corzine or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (who wasn't supposed to sweat on the way to re-election!)
(3). Even voters opting for "change" don't necessarily follow through as they vote for lower offices. Otherwise, you'd think all those anti-Corzine voters would've voted out at least SOME Democratic lawmakers in Trenton.
(4). Intraparty warfare can boomerang by producing an unimaginable victory for the other party: The first Democrat elected to represent that vast swath of northern New York state since BEFORE the Civil War?
(5). 'Regular organization' Republicans face an incredible dilemma going into 2010: How do you harness the energy and hard work of the "Tea Party" movement, without having it turn on candidates you regard as more competitive, more electable, in the general election?
(6). The Obama White House - and 'regular organization' Democrats - face an incredible dilemma going into 2010:
How do you harness your young idealists, the anti-war movement, African-Americans, and more... if you escalate in Afghanistan, and pass only diluted health-care reform?
(Tuesday's undercovered story: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comment that the Senate might not be able to move on health-care reform until next year!)
(7). New England, particularly non-coastal New England, remains more traditional - and more receptive to religious appeals - than the more secular, more libertarian, Pacific Northwest. Hence, the contrasting outcomes in Maine and Washington state on gay marriage / domestic partnerships.
Lessons for Delaware....
Are there any?
Seriously, every one of these outcomes reflected the peculiarities of a state, Congressional district, or city - and the individual politicians involved.
For Delaware G.O.P.'ers salivating over the Chris Christie victory, remember (as I noted above), New Jerseyans didn't exactly oust state Democratic lawmakers. The anti-Corzine sentiment didn't exactly metastasize into a throw-the-bums-out, anti-Democratic movement.
For Delaware Democrats salivating over the election of the first Democrat from that upstate New York Congressional district in 150 years, remember (as I noted above), an incredibly divided opposition provided that opportunity.
The only vaguely comparable situation in Delaware would be if Christine O'Donnell - indeed with Divine Intervention - toppled Mike Castle in the Republican Senate primary!
Side note: Has New Jersey become the California of the East, that is, inherently ungovernable?
Despite the nation's highest property taxes, New Jersey carries incredible deficits, and a byzantine, multi-layered structure of local government buttressed by long entrenched interests.
For all of Delaware's woes, the First State looks "easy" by comparison!
You can hear my interview with NEWSWEEK White House correspondent Holly Bailey about the "meaning" of Tuesday's off-year election...
 Audio Here
Also, my interviews with Christina Bellantoni of Talking Points Memo and David Mark of Politico.com...
Audio Here
Posted at 3:26pm on November 4, 2009 by Allan Loudell
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Comments on this post:
| maddy |
Thu, Nov 5, 2009 6:48am |
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| The Tea party group are the same type that gave Russia the Communists, and the Germans Nazism. The naive will wake up as the lambs being led to slaughter, if we have Beck or Palin the leader. |
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