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OUR VIEW: GOP victories crack Obama coalition

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November 5, 2009

The fragility of the coalition that elected President Barack Obama and gave Democrats big majorities in the Senate and House last year was evident Tuesday with the elections of two Republican governors in New Jersey and Virginia.

Traditionally Republican ,Virginia reverted to that pattern electing a member of the Religious Right, Bob McDonnell, governor. McDonnell played down his ties to the Rev. Pat Robertson, but they are long-standing and appealed to a majority of Virginia's voters despite President Obama's arguments on behalf of Democrat aspirant Creigh Deeds.

Even more telling was the election of Chris Christie, a reform Republican, as governor of New Jersey. Christie, who established his reputation for honesty as a county prosecutor, beat millionaire businessman and Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine, whose administration was earmarked with corruption in a time when the economy took its toll on so many jobs in the state.

When President Obama was elected, Democratic cheerleaders trumpeted a new coalition based on demographics that stitched together Hispanics and blacks, liberals and blue collar workers.

Tuesday's results showed the new coalition may not hold as Republicans demonstrated convincingly that they are not going away. Next year, when congressional seats are once again up for the vote will tell the tale.




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 3 Total Comments
3.
    Posted by Uknown November 5, 2009
No, not at all. I was merely pointing out, without comment, a FACT that was overlooked in the editorial.

I wasn't making a sweeping generalization based on limited evidence; that is what Republican talkers are doing.

2.
    Posted by Fair Tax 1 November 5, 2009
So Kent Sheetz, your declaring victory in a 2 to 1 loss. I guess you see the glass 1/3 full, not 2/3 empty. The Democrats are on the run and afraid to lose their seats, I wonder how the WH and democratic house members are going to spin not passing Cap&Trade and socialized healthcare. They know that if they pass these, their majority is gone in 2010.

1.
    Posted by Uknown November 5, 2009
Don't forget that Republicans LOST a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that they had held for many, many years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/nyregion/04district.html

The Conservative (Republican) candidate, Hoffmann, lost despite the strong support of hard right conservative celebrities Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck.

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