Top Items:
Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
In NY-23, Conservatives Win — The race has now been called for Democrat Bill Owens. — This is a huge win for conservatives. — “Whaaaa. . . ?” you say. — There are two big victories at work in New York's 23rd Congressional District. — First, the GOP now must recognize …
Discussion:
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Watertown Daily Times:
HOFFMAN CLOSING ON OWENS — Democrat ahead of Conservative by 2,512 votes — Democrat Bill Owens is leading in the 23rd Congressional District race. — The Plattsburgh attorney has 50,884 votes compared to Conservative Doug Hoffman, a Lake Placid CPA, with 47,166 votes.
Michelle Malkin:
The GOP elite's $1 million object lesson — and the message of NY-23 — Conservatives owe NY-23 candidate Doug Hoffman immeasurable gratitude. He overcame impossible odds (single digits just a month ago) to come within two points of defeating Democrat Bill Owens. Hoffman had zero name recognition.
David Weigel / The Washington Independent:
NY-23: Watertown Mayor: 'It's Over' — SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. - I caught Watertown, N.Y., Mayor Jeff Graham, who endorsed NY-23 Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman this weekend, looking very glum at Hoffman's election party. I asked him what happened in Jefferson County, where Watertown is located …
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Conservative Loses Upstate House Race in Blow to Right — SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — Democrats won a special election in New York State's northernmost Congressional district Tuesday, a setback for national conservatives who heavily promoted a third candidate in what became an intense debate over the direction of the Republican Party.
Glenn Harlan Reynolds / New York Post:
The Obama magic has faded — All politics is local, they say, and Tuesday's off-off-year elections certainly had their local angles. Jon Corzine has been a terrible governor even by the undemanding standards of terribly governed New Jersey. Creigh Deeds, though he looked …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Scared Monkeys, Betsy's Page, QandO, Runnin' Scared and Joust The Facts
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New York Times:
G.O.P. Wins Two Key Governors' Races; Bloomberg Prevails in a Close Contest — Republicans swept contests for governor in New Jersey and Virginia on Tuesday as voters went to the polls filled with economic uncertainty, dealing President Obama a setback and building momentum …
Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Gubernatorial contests serve as warning to Democrats — Off-year elections can be notoriously unreliable as predictors of the future, but as a window on how the political landscape may have changed in the year since President Obama won the White House, Tuesday's Republican victories in Virginia …
Alexander Burns / The Politico:
GOP sweeps gov races; Dem wins N.Y. — Republican gubernatorial candidates racked up major wins for the GOP in Virginia and New Jersey Tuesday night as Democrats scored a single victory in a special congressional election in upstate New York. — Former Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell …
Discussion:
The Swamp, The Roanoke Times, New York Times, Wake up America, Pajamas Media, Clusterstock, CNN, The Nation and Left Coast Rebel
Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
A Year After Dousing, Republicans' Hope Rekindled — WASHINGTON — The Republican victories in the races for New Jersey and Virginia governors put the party in a stronger position to turn back the political wave President Obama unleashed last year, setting the stage for Republicans to raise money …
Gary Langer / ABCNEWS:
'09 Exit Polls: Voters Wary of Economy, Obama Not a Factor
'09 Exit Polls: Voters Wary of Economy, Obama Not a Factor
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Ruth Marcus / Washington Post:
Ruth Marcus on empty harbingers in Virginia and New Jersey
Ruth Marcus on empty harbingers in Virginia and New Jersey
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Slate, Washington Wire, Time, Newsweek Blogs, Economist, PostPartisan and NewsBusters.org
Abby Goodnough / New York Times:
Maine Voters Repeal Law Allowing Gay Marriage — In a stinging setback for the national gay-rights movement, Maine voters narrowly decided to repeal the state's new law allowing same-sex marriage. — With 87 percent of precincts reporting early this morning, 53 percent of voters had approved the repeal …
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Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
What Happened and Why? — The outcome of all seven contests that we were tracking tonight appears settled, or very nearly so: — Virginia Governor: Republican Bob McDonnell wins by 17 points, toward the upper end of the range predicted by the pollsters, although not to anybody's great surprise.
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Yesterday's Overwhelming Historic Republican Victory Makes Democratic Health Care Reform Just A Bit Easier — Most of the commentary about last night's elections has centered around Republican pickups in the New Jersey and Virginia statehouses. But what's gone largely unnoticed …
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TalkLeft
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly: THE IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE.... To hear a certain cable news network put …
Joe Garofoli / San Francisco Chronicle:
Garamendi beats field for Tauscher's seat
Garamendi beats field for Tauscher's seat
Discussion:
The Nation
Cory Doctorow / Boing Boing:
Secret copyright treaty leaks. It's bad. Very bad. — The internet chapter of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, a secret copyright treaty whose text Obama's administration refused to disclose due to “national security” concerns, has leaked. It's bad. It says:
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Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Fiorina officially announces Senate candidacy — Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina officially has announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate after months of speculation. — Fiorina will run as a Republican against Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) The ex-Silicon Valley executive's entrance …
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The Page
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Carly Fiorina / Orange County Register:
Why I'm running for Senate — Our most pressing problems today are too few jobs for Americans and too much spending in Washington. — CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE FROM CALIFORNIA — Recommend — Admittedly, I have not always been engaged in the electoral process, and I should have been.
Discussion:
Townhall.com
New York Times:
Bloomberg Wins 3rd Term as Mayor in Unexpectedly Close Race — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg pulled out a narrow re-election victory on Tuesday, as voters angry over his maneuver to undo the city's term limits law and his extravagant campaign spending provided an unexpected lift …
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Ben Smith / The Politico:
Bloomberg survives scare
Bloomberg survives scare
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, NY Daily News, AMERICAblog News, Taegan Goddard's …, Swampland, Runnin' Scared and JammieWearingFool
Wall Street Journal:
Iranian Police Clash With Protesters — DUBAI — Iranian authorities battled with opposition protesters in Tehran Wednesday, after demonstrators used the 30th anniversary of the storming of the U.S. Embassy as cover for their first significant protest in weeks.
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Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Bush, Clinton debate: Radio City — Suffice it to say that an entertainment company is in charge of this show: — Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in debate. — The two former presidents have have agreed to meet at Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 25, according to MSG Entertainment …
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Joe Arnold / WHAS:
Survey USA: Rand Paul surges for GOP, Mongiardo maintains lead in Dem. race — The Republican party in Kentucky has never seen anything like it. — Bowling Green eye doctor Rand Paul has no political experience, but with the support of the same people who backed his Dad, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, when he ran for president.
Mickey Kaus / Kausfiles:
Election 2009: Some Winners, Losers, — Winner: Robopolls. Rasmussen's final poll, showing a 46-43-8 Christie win, was pretty damn accurate. Polls using conventional human operators tended to show Corzine ahead. They were wrong. ** ... If you have a choice between Rasmussen and …
Rod Nordland / New York Times:
Iraq Swears by Bomb Detector U.S. Sees as Useless — BAGHDAD — Despite major bombings that have rattled the nation, and fears of rising violence as American troops withdraw, Iraq's security forces have been relying on a device to detect bombs and weapons that the United States military and technical experts say is useless.