The New Jersey and Virginia races were in no need of having Palin's celebrity to boost their campaigns and the same could be said of the NY-23 race which was it's own unique thing. Sarah was merely a guest star in that drama. Any positive or negative effect she had on the race was probably close to nil.
In each of these races, I see no real connection. The GOP is trying to claim the results indicate an anti-Obama sentiment. However, each election can more easily be understood when viewed individually.
Virginia: Deeds ran one of the worst campaigns a Virginia Democrat has run in a loooooong time. It was Jerry Kilgore 2005 bad (only this time, on the other side.)
New Jersey: Huge unemployment, the nations highest taxes, a Governor that is seen as corrupt and in bed with big dollar interests ... surprising he lost! Nobody likes Christie. Nobody. He won because he wasn't Corzine, and then he only barely beat NJs most unpopular governor in decades.
NY 23: Clusterfuck with zero connection to the other races. The only reason anyone cares about this race is because the GOP "conservative" wing got their panties twisted and temporarily bolted. It doesn't matter, though. Just like my district (VA5), it will be Republican again soon enough.
We'd be wise to wait until 2010 to see what happens and what influence Palin can have. My guess: not much will happen and Palin will make a lot of noise and influence very little.
Good campaigns, bad endorsements, it doesn't really matter... how much better off is anyone without regard to whether the winner has a D or an R in front of their names?
Or, in Hoffman's case, an "i" with Republican sprinkles.
Anyway, for the most part, it's a toss-up either way - though I think Joisey will be better off without that fool Corzine, though only marginally better.
Commenting by HaloScan
