Research Briefing

Politico: “Dems, Incumbents Get Wake-Up Call” (John F. Harris & Jonathan Martin, Politico, 11/4/09)

• “The off-year elections were, in two big races, an unmistakable rebuke of Democrats …” (John F. Harris & Jonathan Martin, “Dems, Incumbents Get Wake-Up Call,” Politico, 11/4/09)
• Politico: “Independents took flight from Democrats. They suffered humiliating gubernatorial losses in traditionally Democratic New Jersey … and in Virginia …” (John F. Harris & Jonathan Martin, “Dems, Incumbents Get Wake-Up Call,” Politico, 11/4/09)

The Associated Press: “Voters nervous about the economy and fed up with the political establishment dominated the off-year elections, sending a strong message to President Barack Obama …” (Beth Fouhy, “Analysis: Nervous Voters Send Message To Obama,” The Associated Press, 11/4/09)

• AP: “For now, Obama must worry about the impact of the 2009 contests on health care reform, his signature legislative priority.” (Liz Sidoti, “GOP Sweep: Big Governorship Wins In Virginia, NJ,” The Associated Press, 11/3/09)
• AP: Losses Will Feed Discussion On “The Limits Of The President's Influence.” “The outcomes were sure to feed discussion about the state of the electorate, the status of the diverse coalition that sent Obama to the White House and the limits of the president's influence—on the party's base of support and on moderate current lawmakers he needs to advance his legislative priorities.” (Liz Sidoti, “GOP Sweep: Big Governorship Wins In Virginia, NJ,” The Associated Press, 11/3/09)

Los Angeles Times: “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

• LAT: “By seizing gubernatorial seats in Virginia and New Jersey, Republicans on Tuesday dispelled any notion of President Obama's electoral invincibility, giving the GOP a lift and offering warning signs to Democrats ahead of the 2010 midterm elections.” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)
• LAT: “Also worrisome for Democrats was the sentiment among independents, the voters who swing between parties and often decide elections. They went overwhelmingly Republican in Virginia and New Jersey …” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza: “An Independent Move To GOP” (Chris Cillizza, “An Independent Move To GOP,” The Washington Post, 11/3/09)

• Cillizza: “Independent voters are moving strongly to Republican candidates in the New Jersey and Virginia governors races, an ominous sign for Democrats whose gains in 2006 and 2008 were built on heavy support from unaligned voters.” (Chris Cillizza, “An Independent Move To GOP,” The Washington Post, 11/3/09)
• Cillizza: “Obama's appeal to independents was at the foundation of his successful 2008 coalition. And, Independents are an increasing block of the national electorate and, as a result, their importance will only increase between now and November 2010.” (Chris Cillizza, “An Independent Move To GOP,” The Washington Post, 11/3/09)

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer:  “[I]t sounds like back -- it's an old refrain: ‘it's the economy, stupid.’” (CNN’s “Situation Room,” 11/3/09)

Larry Sabato: “What tonight may prove once the figures are in is that Obama has to be on the ballot in order to motivate African Americans, the young, those new suburbanites who came to Obama in 2008. If he's not on the ballot, they don't show up. That’s bad news for Democrats in the midterm elections of 2010.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 11/3/09)

George Stephanopoulos: “But the GOP won big tonight because the voting was a referendum on the economy.  On that top issue, voters let out a primal scream. Which will echo across Obama’s second year.” (George Stephanopoulos, “It's the Economy...,” ABC News’ George's Bottom Line Blog, 11/3/09)

• Stephanopoulos Called Independents Predators And Incumbents “Their Prey.” George Stephanopoulos: “Independents now are the largest voter group in the country. They outnumber Democrats. They outnumber Republicans and if you look back to the last three elections, 2006, 2008 and last night, these independents have become the predators of politics and incumbents are their prey.” (ABC’s Good Morning America, 11/4/09)

Charlie Cook: "[I]t's been increasingly clear over the last few months that Democrats were likely to have a tough midterm next year … What we've seen tonight doesn't dispute that assumption.” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

• Charlie Cook: “The congressional election in New York was so bizarre it doesn't resemble any race we've seen and isn't likely to look like any of the 510 House, Senate or gubernatorial races next year.” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

CBS News’ Jeff Glor Says “Independent Voters Who Supported President Obama In 2008 Broke Heavily For Republicans.” "Independent voters who supported President Obama in 2008 broke heavily for Republicans in yesterday's elections and that helped Republicans win the governors races in New Jersey and Virginia. In New Jersey, Chris Christie unseated Jon Corzine in a bitterly fought contest." (CBS’s The Early Show, 11/4/09)

Mark Mellman: "Democrats who look at 2006 and 2008 and assume there was some kind of permanent change should be shaken out of their lethargy.” (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

Stuart Rothenberg: "The results can only further frighten Democrats on Capitol Hill from swing and GOP-leaning districts." (Mark Z. Barabak & Faye Fiore, “GOP Victories Send Message To Democrats,” The Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09)

Time: “Republican Wins Show Dems They Are On Their Own” (Karen Tumulty, “Republican Wins Show Dems They Are on Their Own,” Time, 11/4/09)

• Time: “The Evening Produced A Sweep For The Republicans In The Two Most Closely Watched Races.” (Karen Tumulty, “Republican Wins Show Dems They Are On Their Own,” Time, 11/4/09)
• Elections Could Have “Implications For The President's Agenda.” “Looking forward, that could have implications for the President's agenda. His fellow Democrats could become even more attuned to the rhythms of their constituencies and less willing to risk stepping out of line to further Obama's priorities when they are not in line with those of voters back home. That may not bode well for Obama's health care bill...” (Karen Tumulty, “Republican Wins Show Dems They Are On Their Own,” Time, 11/4/09)

Dan Balz: “Contests Serve As Warning To Democrats: It's Not 2008 Anymore” (The Washington Post, 11/4/09)

• Balz: “[A]s 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 and New Jersey delivered clear warnings for the Democrats.” (Dan Balz, “Contests Serve As Warning To Democrats: It's Not 2008 Anymore,” The Washington Post, 11/4/09)

David Gregory: “It's going to be a real fear within the White House that those moderate democrats are going to now find it more difficult to cast a difficult vote on health care that could increase the deficit, that may be unpopular with key parts of their constituencies as they face voters next year.” (NBC’s The Today Show, 11/4/09)

ABC News’ Gary Langer: “Vast Economic Discontent Marked The Mood Of Tuesday's Off-Year Voters, Portending Potential Trouble For Incumbents Generally And Democrats In Particular In 2010.” (Gary Langer, “'09 Exit Polls: Voters Approve Of Obama, Wary Of Economy,” ABC News, 11/4/09)

• Langer: “Perhaps most striking were economic views: A vast 89 percent in New Jersey and 85 percent in Virginia said they were worried about the direction of the nation's economy in the next year; 56 percent and 53 percent, respectively, said they were ‘very’ worried about it.” (Gary Langer, “'09 Exit Polls: Voters Approve Of Obama, Wary Of Economy,” ABC News, 11/4/09)

The Washington Examiner: “Big GOP Wins Spell Trouble For Obama And Dems” (Julie Mason, The Washington Examiner, 11/4/09)

• WE: “Voters' persistent economic concerns delivered stark electoral setbacks to Democrats and laid a marker for tough obstacles President Obama faces heading into next year's crucial midterm elections.” (Julie Mason, “Big GOP Wins Spell Trouble For Obama And Dems,” The Washington Examiner, 11/4/09)

Charles Krauthammer: “I think what this night does is it completely explodes the mythology of the meaning of the 2008 election.” (Fox News’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” 11/3/09)