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Actually, Mr. Steele, Obama won on Tuesday
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Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele referred to Republican gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia as more than just local, calling them a "referendum" on Mr. Obama's policies. I'm sorry but they are a referendum on local and state politics and nothing more.
For example, New Jersey governor-elect Chris Christie will have his hands full with an underfunded state pension plan, a decision on whether or not to raise taxes, an unemployment rate of 9.8% and a state assembly controlled by Democrats (who by the way, did not lose any state assembly seats). Beyond last night, I don't see the rest of America listening to New Jersey's clarion call. Let's face it. Up until last night, most of America thought that Tony Soprano was the governor of New Jersey.
Virginia fares no better when it comes to giving the Republicans a sustained national boost. Governor-elect Bob McDonnell still faces transportation issues that have been plaguing northern Virginia for years although with an unemployment rate of 6.6%, he is spared some of the high unemployment issues that his New Jersey counterpart faces. Then again, sitting right next to the stimulus trough and relatively higher job growth in Washington, DC, the last thing we should expect from Mr. McDonnell is too much slapping of the hand that is feeding his northern Virginia constituents.
If there is to be any national impact from these elections going into 2010, it will be from the special congressional elections in New York's District 23. Even after Conservative Party rival Doug Hoffman received endorsements from the likes of Sarah Palin and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Democrat Bill Owens was still able to eek out a victory. While Owens may be an obscure congressman-elect from New York, he will have the benefit, from time to time, of the soap box that only C-span and the floor of the Congress can offer.
No, Mr. Steele. Transcendent this election was not.
What it has done, however, is given President Obama some wiggle room, if he wants it. If the press continues to spin this as a turning point for Republicans, Mr. Obama can start taking a slow, steathly roll to the middle, especially since most of his role in stimulus implementation and health care legislation is just about completed. He can leave the Congressional Democrats holding the bag on either a second stimulus package (which he will wisely veto) and the health care bill, upon which senate majority leader Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is now waffling. For moderates, centrists, and independents, the perception of a Republican transcendental win may be the magnet we have been looking for to pull an otherwise personally popular president to the policy and political middle.
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