Perspective

Let's make one thing perfectly clear: The Solipsist doesn't do "spin." What follows, therefore, is merely an attempt to put last night's elections into their proper perspective.

Democrats lost the two big governor's races (well, strictly speaking, the ONLY two governor's races) in New Jersey and Virginia. The Republican Party quickly claimed these wins as signs of public disdain for President Obama's policies. Maybe. But as the Times points out, voters in these states "remained strongly supportive" of the President. It seems these victories were referenda on nothing more than the individual candidates.

New Jersey is a predominantly Democratic state, where Jon Corzine was a very unpopular governor. He was unpopular not because he was a Democrat or because he was associated with Obama, but because the state (like most of the country) is suffering massive economic troubles. This, combined with typical Jersey-esque political corruption scandals and the fact that Corzine has the personal charisma of a brick, pretty much doomed his candidacy. The winner, Christopher J. Christie (a name so nice, they named him twice), hardly sounds like a fire-breathing conservative, and even if he is, the liberal to moderate electorate in New Jersey will keep him from doing anything too egregious.

(Digression: In his favor, Christie is a rabid Bruce Springsteen fan. Here's a thought for the next Jersey governor's race: Draft Springsteen! He should get about 90% of the vote without even campaigning. Just sayin'. EOD)

Virginia is a Republican state. While Obama carried the state last fall, that was an anomaly. It's no surprise that the GOP reclaimed the governor's mansion. Virginia governors, though, are limited to a single term (they can run for re-election, but not for consecutive terms), so who knows what the future holds?

The big news, though, came from New York's 23rd congressional district. In case you haven't been following, here's the scoop. (Note: If you're already familiar with the goings on in the 23rd, feel free to go about your business. Check back for tomorrow's posting, which will be about soup or ping pong or whatever tickles our fancy.)

New York's 23rd congressional district held a special election yesterday. Their representative, Republican John McHugh, vacated his seat earlier this year, when President Obama appointed him Secretary of the Army.

Located in the northernmost part of New York State, the 23rd is solidly Republican. Indeed, one reason McHugh was willing to relinquish his seat was probably that he felt confident the seat would remain in Republican hands, and his leaving would thus do no harm to the national party.

The local Republican party nominated Dede Scozzafava, an assemblywoman and former mayor, to run against the Democrat, Bill Owens, a lawyer and political newcomer. On paper, Scozzafava looked like a shoo-in.

Not so fast.

See, Dede Scozzafava has one major flaw: A mind of her own. A decidedly moderate Republican, she supports abortion rights and gay rights, and she even endorsed President Obama's fiscal stimulus. The wingnuts would have none of this, so such statesmanlike figures as Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Tim Pawlenty (the governor of Michigan) insinuated themselves into New York's congressional race. They and other outsiders promoted the candidacy of Conservative Douglas L. Hoffman, a partner in an accounting firm.

Hoffman quickly overtook Scozzafava in the polls, although he trailed Owens (presumably because Republican voters split between him and Scozzafava). Seeing that she had no realistic chance of winning, Scozzafava abandoned the race a little over a week ago. The paleoconservatives brayed in triumph; the national Republican Party in general, and its Chairman, Michael ("The Black Guy") Steele, in particular, "applaud[ed] her decision." No doubt Republicans felt Scozzafava's supporters would naturally turn to Hoffman, especially if Dede played the good soldier and backed her former rival.

And she was a good soldier, and she did back her former rival: the Democrat, Bill Owens. And last night, Owens edged out Hoffman for the victory.

Make no mistake: THIS was the most significant election in the country. The Republican Party is fracturing. Its leaders are struggling to decide whether they want to be part of a mainstream political movement or if they want to continue wallowing in the politics of "No." If Hoffman had won, not only would it have meant one less congressional supporter of Obama's policies, it would also have meant that the lunatic fringe could continue to impose its will on the national party. It would have confirmed the message that there is no place in the party for independent thought or for the slightest variation from the party line.

But if there is no place in the Republican Party for a moderate candidate whose views are in tune with the majority of the American population's, then how can that party ever expect to appeal to a majority again?

It should be noted that no less a conservative luminary than Newt Gingrich--while he, too, was happy at the time to see Scozzafava withdraw--saw dark clouds on the horizon: "I think we are going to get into a very difficult environment around the country if suddenly conservative leaders decide they are going to anoint people without regard to local primaries and local choices."

Last night in upstate New York, the good guys won.