$6.6 million dollar man

C-Ville Weekly checks out the campaign finance reports from the 5th District congressional race.
The candidates spent $11 million and Republican Robert Hurt will be the new congressman.
Democrat Tom Perriello's parting gift to the area was around $6.6 million in spending - $3.6 million raised by him and $3 million spent by outside groups.
Yes, the Democrat spent more than the Republican - in both outside groups and his own campaign.
Media General thanks them for their support.

"Don't touch my junk"

Isn't that what voters told Democrats and President Obama on November 2?
Charles Krauthammer expounds.

You've got a friend in D.C.

Via NRO's Corner, an analysis of the election results through the eyes of Toy Story 3.
Well, the deficit is going "to infinity, and beyond."

Ten questions to ponder

NRO's Jim Geraghty looks at 10 puzzling parts of the Republicans' good election day.
One clear lesson from the 2010 results is that the red-state/blue-state divide established at the beginning of the decade is stronger than ever — the red states turned redder, while many blue states barely budged in a big Republican year. Self-financing Republicans on the coasts spent fortunes only to fall short, while the GOP largely wiped out long-serving Democrats who had hung on in heavily conservative regions of the country.

Proving Luntz's point

Blue Virginia reacts angrily to Frank Luntz's column on his polling of the Tea Party movement.
And proves Luntz's point.
Luntz takes positions - removes the party labels - and finds plenty of people agree with Tea Party members. Blue Virginia says, "So? People don't like the Tea Party."
Exactly what Luntz is saying. Positions are more popular when the party label is removed. Liberals push their policies as being popular, but call them Democratic policies make them as popular as the plague.
Luntz tried to tell people what he's seen. We'll see if either side listens or learns.

Keep analyzing like this

I like checking out Blue Virginia to see the unhappiness of Democrats.
And you can only watch Lawrence O'Donnell mention the debt limit vote so many times.
The latest analysis looks at the clean energy bill. More than half of the Democrats who voted against it lost on Tuesday.
So is that because:
1. Voters were unhappy with their no vote.
2. Voters were unhappy their party members voted yes.
I lean toward number two on many of the Democratic excuses coming out. The vote that ousted them came in January 2009 - voting for Nancy Pelosi as speaker.

Whiners and losers

Blue Virginia looks back in sadness at the election.
The losers part is best. Probably because Democrats know losing best.

Round the clock with Instapundit

Instapundit and Ed Driscoll provided nearly round the clock election coverage.
Scroll down and see what you've missed.

Enjoy your Election Day evening

If you've voted, it's time to wait until the votes are counted. Forget about those exit polls.
They just help the media know where to look Election night. You don't need polls to know where to look tonight.
Relax and enjoy yourself. Or relax and hide from the news. In 1974, my family went to see "2001: A Space Odyssey" at the movie theater. Better than watching election coverage with three boys ages 12, 10 and nine.
Election Days as a newspaper reporter aren't as good. All the waiting with none of the payoff for being on the winning team. Although when I lived in South Carolina, I would write-in the names of my newspaper colleagues and my precincts' results were the first ones posted. That gave them a good laugh.
In 1988, I was in a back room of the county courthouse, calling in voting totals precinct by precinct. Where was the internet when I needed it?
My co-workers celebrated in 1992, and I celebrated in 1994. Even if you aren't supposed to root in the newspaper's editorial area.
Tonight, I'll probably be watching Cartoon Network or Nick with the boys. As long as I get to check the computer for the latest news.

Frost on the car; ballot in the box

It's a boring Election Day in Fishersville. The Democrats didn't bother having a candidate to face Rep. Bob Goodlatte, and there's no statewide races in Virginia this year.
I scraped some frost off the car and headed off to the polls. Several Fishersville residents were there when I arrived at 6:07 a.m. to cast my ballot.
Get out and vote in your races, since they have to be more exciting.

How to stop Sarah Palin - gain 90 seats

It's not even Election Day and the establishment GOP is trying to slow the Sarah Palin express.
Haven't they seen the promos for the movie "Unstoppable?"
Only one way to slow the express. Get on board. Sitting in your seat and reading your paper, you can't tell if it's going 5 mph or 105 mph. And the Palin express is going 105 mph this Election Day.
If GOP operatives and current political gurus want to keep Palin from running for president in 2012, the best way is an overwhelming win Tuesday. Palin doesn't need to run for president if everybody gets on board with her message.
If Republicans only has 230 seats in 2011 (only, just 51 more than now), then the battle continues and will be rough. Palin will need to weigh in to keep the momentum going.
With 250-plus Republican seats in the next House, everybody will have gotten the message. Palin can keep doing what she does so well, instead of dealing with the expectations of a presidential primary run. No dealing with the package other people carry when they think of her.
Palin doesn't need to run for president to be powerful. Those operatives and gurus need somebody powerful to make them powerful.
The operatives and gurus just need to take Palin's message to heart. The message will win, even if they doubt Palin would win in 2012.

Be the wave

Ace of Spades has been promoting "Be the Wave."
Interesting where the slogan can appear.

What's Creigh Deeds thinking?

Is it, "They thought it was my fault, heh?"

Awaiting the expected horrors

Politico helps me start Monday on a good note.
Hope it brightens your day also.
Among those in the Democratic consulting class, there’s a gloomy acknowledgment that many of the incumbents the DCCC has spent millions of dollars to protect won’t be coming back to Congress.
“Everybody that is tied will lose, and everyone that is ahead by a few points will lose because of the GOP wave,” said one party media consultant who is involved in a wide array of House races. “There are going to be some surprises.”

Almost president, Sarah Palin

In honor of Sarah Palin's trip to suburban Poca Saturday, a take on one of West Virginia's favorite songs. Apologies to John Denver.

Almost President, Sarah Palin
From the mountains to the Kanawha River
Voters think here, hate the deficit,
read the Constitution, watch the Democrats flee

Tea Party, on the road
to the place, we belong
big White House, beat Obama
Tea Party, on the road

All the voters gather 'round her
No finer lady, strange still to blue voters
Dark and dusty, liberal charges fly
She offers Reagan's sunshine, makes Pelosi cry

Tea Party, on the road
to the place we belong
big White House, beat Obama
Tea Party, on the road

We hear her voice, from the podium she calls us
Internet reminds me the Tea Party's here to stay
Listening to her talk I just can't wait to go cast my vote on Tuesday, Tuesday

Tea Party, on the road
to the place we belong
big White House, beat Obama
Tea Party, on the road
Win the vote, now Tea Party
Win the vote, now Tea Party


And a video of the inspiration


UPDATE: Part of Don Surber's Monday scoreboard.

How Obama is the Messiah

He raised the Republican Party from the dead.
Pretty impressive feat after what George W. Bush did to the party brand.

Thanks, Mitch

I signed up to receive Obama emails, and answered the call that I'm committed to vote.
They can count it as a vote, probably for them.
It's a Republican vote, but I guess they don't care. Because I just received a new email from the Obama crew.

Yesterday, we sent an email to those who committed to vote with Organizing for America.

Because of a technical error, a small group of individuals received the wrong reason for their commitment. We're sorry for that mistake.
When you signed up, you wrote that you were choosing to cast a ballot because:
I'm voting Republican. And urging my friends to do so.
Thanks for all you do,
Mitch


Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
 
Thanks for reminding me to cast my vote for Republicans Tuesday. And please readers, join me in casting a vote for your local Republican.

How about this endorsement

Blue Virginia touted some endorsements for Rep. Rick Boucher.
How about an endorsement for his challenger from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph?
There is no questioning Boucher’s record. He has been a loyal and steadfast supporter of Southwest Virginia. Through his successful Showcasing Southwest Virginia program, he has created many jobs for the 9th District. Boucher also has helped fund roads, broadband, water and sewer projects for our region, and a large-scale flood-proofing project in Grundy over the past decade.

However, he seems to be out of touch with his constituents on the much demonized —and rightfully so — cap-and-trade legislation. Boucher supported — and continues to defend — this legislation, which could be particularly harmful to the region’s coalfields.
In the coalfields, vote for the coal supporter - Morgan Griffith.

Headed for the home?

Obi-Wan gives some good news, which might mean a change of residence for him.
Crazy stuff happens in wave elections. And right now the “happy times” wave seems close. But if the Superwave shows up — and the Gallup low turnout number is probably indicative (at 14 this week, which is unheard of) — anything could happen. Here is the fun thought for the weekend. (Though, remember now, this is all but pure recreation.) Will certain Senate islands get washed over? Oregon and Wyden? One of the New York seats? Maryland and Mikulski? Though, as I say, if Leahy loses in Vermont you can get me at one of the local homes. Old guys can handle just so much cognitive dissonance.

Bring on the cognitive dissonance.

Go Bielat, retire Barney

How's it going for Barney Frank the weekend before the election?
His seat is leaning the wrong way.
People are betting he won't be in Washington in 2011.
Hoping to see him replaced by a robot maker.