Folks, this is the upset of the night… I started watching the race a month or so ago when Ken Silverstein of Harpers Magazine pointed out a bit of corruption by the incumbent Bradley. (Turns out he was paying his family (high school students) with campaign money big bucks for jobs not worth what they were getting and quite high for a highschool student.
Things didn’t look great a month ago, but Carol Shea-Porter has pulled it out (http://www.carolforc…)
Please share widely!
I had to leave the Dem’s victory party in Keene (for new state Senator Molly Kelly) at 10:15 when Bass conceded to Hodes. At that point Shea-Porter had held her 51-49 lead for some time, but I was barely ready to believe it would hold up. Then I came home to find that it had!
<
p>
I will blog my day in Keene later, but I saw some really motivated Dems and some pretty disillusioned GOP folks there today. In Ward 2, there was a flood of younger people at the polls between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. Also, a lot of GOP voters must have either stayed home or voted for us.
<
p>
It appears that the NH legislature, both houses, may go blue!
GOP turnout was low, rather than Dem turnout high, at least in Keene.
Overall turnout in Ward 2 of Keene was about 47%. Wouldn’t that be consistent with presidential-level for the Dems and midterm-level for the GOP? Though I may be wrong, NH tends to get very high turnout in general.
<
p>
Someone estimated 150 same-day registrants from Keene State in this election, compared with about 800 in 2004.
I don’t remember the ward-by-ward stuff I heard, and IIRC Dem turnout was up in some places and down in others from what was expected, but the consistent thing was low GOP turnout.
Just as conservative Dems in the South switched to Republican in 1994, the liberal/moderate Republicans of the Northeast are switching to the other side.
<
p>
This solid blue Northeast will be the anchor for the Democratic Majority in Congress–and if Dems play it right, they can take the Senate in 2008.
<
p>
(Even if Dems take the Senate by winning 3 of the 4 tight races, now, Lieberman will vote to uphold the Republican majority–he’s been bought now by GOP donors, and he’ll stay bought.)
Amazing. Carol won in Republican strong holds like Goffstown,Straham and Rye. Bradley’s past opponents NEVER broke 40%, so Carol’s 51% (or so) is impressive. The 1st district is considered much more conserative than the 2nd. Carol was outspent 10 to 1 in the Primary and atleast 6 to 1 in the General.
<
p>
This is among, if not is, the biggest upset in Congress this year. To tired, must sleep.
I am SO HAPPY for Carol, and for NH.
a few times in the 2004 primaries and really liked her a lot, but going in to yesterday even I was writing her off. To me this is an epic gain. Having NH1 and NH2 is right up at the top of my list of upsets along with the 3 in IN. Amazing. Kudos
…the Dover office or Portsmouth office for Wes Clark?
As a political junkie…as well as activist this is the most amazing story of the election year (well of the races complete). Carol Shea-Porter and the folks who supported her when the geniuses said “no” are to be congratulated. It only makes one wonder what could have been possible if the anti-war message of more Dems was that much clearer.
<
p>
People have to keep an eye on the “hanging” elections like CT2 and some in Florida, Ohio, Washington and elsewhere… where the counting continues. Keep an eye out for Republican mischief.