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Democrats Grab Senate Seats in Massachusetts and Indiana Democrats Grab Senate Seats in Massachusetts and Indiana
(about 2 hours later)
Democrats snatched Republican Senate seats in Indiana and Massachusetts on Tuesday, averted what was once considered a likely defeat in Missouri and were poised to hold control of the Senate, handing Republicans a string of stinging defeats in the second campaign season in a row. Democrats snatched Republican Senate seats in Indiana and Massachusetts on Tuesday, averted what was once considered a likely defeat in Missouri and held control of the Senate, handing Republicans a string of stinging defeats for the second campaign season in a row.
The final balance of power depended on the results of tight races in Montana, Nevada and North Dakota, but it was clear that Democrats would maintain a majority and could even add to the 53 seats that they and their independent allies control. Senate leaders declared that their strong showing must be a signal to Republicans to come to the table to deal with the nation’s intractable problems, including the “fiscal cliff” facing Congress in January.
“Now that the election is over, it’s time to put politics aside and work together to find solutions,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. “The strategy of obstruction, gridlock and delay was soundly rejected by the American people. Now they are looking to us for solutions.”
In Indiana, Representative Joe Donnelly did what had seemed impossible by taking a Senate seat for the Democrats in a heavily Republican state, just weeks after his opponent, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, said conception by rape was God’s will.In Indiana, Representative Joe Donnelly did what had seemed impossible by taking a Senate seat for the Democrats in a heavily Republican state, just weeks after his opponent, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, said conception by rape was God’s will.
Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a Democrat once considered the most endangered incumbent in the Senate, beat Representative Todd Akin, who seemingly sank his campaign when he said women who are victims of “legitimate rape” would not get pregnant. In Wisconsin, Representative Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay candidate to secure a Senate seat with her defeat of former Gov. Tommy Thompson, a Republican.
In Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard professor, swept from power Senator Scott P. Brown, a Republican whose surprise victory in January 2010 heralded the coming of the Tea Party wave. Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a Democrat once considered the Senate’s most endangered incumbent, beat Representative Todd Akin, who seemingly sank his campaign when he said women who are victims of “legitimate rape” would not get pregnant.
In Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard professor, swept from power Senator Scott P. Brown, a Republican whose surprise victory in January 2010 heralded the coming of the Tea Party wave. In Virginia, former Gov. Tim Kaine triumphed over another former governor, George Allen.
Those Democratic triumphs followed quick wins in Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, all states where Republicans had harbored ambitions of victory that would propel them to a Senate majority for the first time since 2006.Those Democratic triumphs followed quick wins in Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, all states where Republicans had harbored ambitions of victory that would propel them to a Senate majority for the first time since 2006.
Republicans lost another state when former Gov. Angus King Jr. of Maine, an independent, won his race to succeed Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a moderate who is retiring. Mr. King has yet to say which party he will caucus with next year, but he had warned Republicans and Democrats that his treatment during the campaign would bear on that decision. National Republicans and their “super PAC” allies responded by pummeling him with negative advertisements that did little to shake his lead.Republicans lost another state when former Gov. Angus King Jr. of Maine, an independent, won his race to succeed Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a moderate who is retiring. Mr. King has yet to say which party he will caucus with next year, but he had warned Republicans and Democrats that his treatment during the campaign would bear on that decision. National Republicans and their “super PAC” allies responded by pummeling him with negative advertisements that did little to shake his lead.
“We said we’d defend all of our seats and would put half of their seats in play,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, who took that job last year when others had refused it.“We said we’d defend all of our seats and would put half of their seats in play,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, who took that job last year when others had refused it.
“No one believed me,” she said, “but we did just that.”“No one believed me,” she said, “but we did just that.”
The Senate campaigns of 2012 will be remembered for the sudden salience of rape as a destructive political subject and a Democratic surge in a year once expected to be the party’s Waterloo. Two years after Tea Party-backed candidates in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada fumbled away Republican chances at Senate control, a new crop of conservatives appeared to do the same thing. That will surely raise new questions about the failure of Washington Republicans to control a right flank in their grass roots.The Senate campaigns of 2012 will be remembered for the sudden salience of rape as a destructive political subject and a Democratic surge in a year once expected to be the party’s Waterloo. Two years after Tea Party-backed candidates in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada fumbled away Republican chances at Senate control, a new crop of conservatives appeared to do the same thing. That will surely raise new questions about the failure of Washington Republicans to control a right flank in their grass roots.
“It’s very important for the Republican Party to understand if we’re going to be a majority party beyond the House, we need to select candidates who can appeal to the electorate in all the states,” said Michael N. Castle, a moderate Republican and former congressman from Delaware who was supposed to cruise to a Senate seat in 2010. He lost the primary to Christine O’Donnell, who was backed by the Tea Party and then lost in the general election. “They’re going to have to decide whether they want to be in the majority or the minority,” Senator Snowe said. “It simply doesn’t make sense if Republicans decide they’re going to drive an ideological agenda as opposed to a practical agenda that is aligned with the principles of our roots.”
Representative Christopher S. Murphy fended off the deep-pocketed campaign of the former wrestling executive Linda McMahon to win a Senate seat in Connecticut, and Senator Bill Nelson of Florida easily defeated his Republican challenger, Representative Connie Mack.Representative Christopher S. Murphy fended off the deep-pocketed campaign of the former wrestling executive Linda McMahon to win a Senate seat in Connecticut, and Senator Bill Nelson of Florida easily defeated his Republican challenger, Representative Connie Mack.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio held off Josh Mandel, the Republican state treasurer, weathering an onslaught of negative advertising from outside groups to keep a seat for Democrats in a presidential battleground that Republicans were counting on.Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio held off Josh Mandel, the Republican state treasurer, weathering an onslaught of negative advertising from outside groups to keep a seat for Democrats in a presidential battleground that Republicans were counting on.
In New York, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, cruised to re-election. Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, was also easily re-elected.In New York, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, cruised to re-election. Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, was also easily re-elected.
The results suggested that for the second consecutive election cycle, Republicans’ high hopes for a takeover of the Senate were dashed in large part by their own candidates. In 2010 and 2012, the disappointment could be laid at the feet of a very conservative Republican primary electorate that was determined to sweep out the party’s centrists.The results suggested that for the second consecutive election cycle, Republicans’ high hopes for a takeover of the Senate were dashed in large part by their own candidates. In 2010 and 2012, the disappointment could be laid at the feet of a very conservative Republican primary electorate that was determined to sweep out the party’s centrists.
Democrats started the cycle with 23 seats to defend and the Republicans 10, an imbalance produced by the Democratic sweep of 2006. With only a three-seat majority for the Democrats, including two independents who caucused with them, holding on to control of the chamber seemed like an impossible task.Democrats started the cycle with 23 seats to defend and the Republicans 10, an imbalance produced by the Democratic sweep of 2006. With only a three-seat majority for the Democrats, including two independents who caucused with them, holding on to control of the chamber seemed like an impossible task.
To defend some of the seats in heavily Republican states where Democrats were retiring, the party recruited talented candidates like Heidi Heitkamp, a former North Dakota secretary of state. They also pulled in strong candidates in Arizona, Indiana and Massachusetts, forcing the Republican Party to defend seats across a broader map in a year that was supposed to be all offense. To defend some of the seats in heavily Republican states where Democrats were retiring, the party recruited talented candidates like Heidi Heitkamp, a former North Dakota secretary of state. They also pulled in strong candidates in Arizona, Indiana and Massachusetts, forcing the Republicans to defend seats across a broader map in a year that was supposed to be all offense.
More important, the Tea Party wave that began in 2010 kept rolling early this year, again threatening the Republicans’ chances for a majority. In 2010, primary voters in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada selected Tea Party-backed conservatives, who may have wrecked the party’s hopes.More important, the Tea Party wave that began in 2010 kept rolling early this year, again threatening the Republicans’ chances for a majority. In 2010, primary voters in Colorado, Delaware and Nevada selected Tea Party-backed conservatives, who may have wrecked the party’s hopes.
This time, conservatives defeated Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, a Republican veteran who was expected to walk to re-election. Instead, they nominated Indiana’s far more conservative treasurer, Mr. Mourdock, turning the general election into a fight.This time, conservatives defeated Senator Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, a Republican veteran who was expected to walk to re-election. Instead, they nominated Indiana’s far more conservative treasurer, Mr. Mourdock, turning the general election into a fight.
Republican primary voters in Missouri chose Mr. Akin, the most conservative candidate in the field, to challenge Ms. McCaskill.Republican primary voters in Missouri chose Mr. Akin, the most conservative candidate in the field, to challenge Ms. McCaskill.
Republican fights between grass-roots conservatives and party-backed candidates led to prolonged and expensive primaries in Arizona and Wisconsin as well. In both cases, the party’s preferred candidate prevailed but emerged battered and broke.Republican fights between grass-roots conservatives and party-backed candidates led to prolonged and expensive primaries in Arizona and Wisconsin as well. In both cases, the party’s preferred candidate prevailed but emerged battered and broke.
Democrats say the same dynamic was in play in Maine, where Ms. Snowe surprised Washington with her retirement. That left the seat open to Mr. King, the former governor. Michael N. Castle, a moderate Republican and former congressman from Delaware, pointed to Ted Cruz, the Tea Party-backed Republican in Texas who coasted to victory in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison. “They can do that in Texas — that’s fine,” said Mr. Castle, who lost a Senate primary in 2010 to Christine O’Donnell, who was backed by the Tea Party and then lost in the general election. “But it gets a lot tougher in Indiana or Delaware.”
Ms. Snowe made clear that her moderate stands, especially on social issues, were increasingly untenable in a party that had shifted so far to the right.
“She just had enough,” said Mr. Castle, the former congressman from Delaware.
He pointed to Ted Cruz, the Tea Party-backed Republican in Texas who was expected to coast to victory in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison. “They can do that in Texas — that’s fine,” Mr. Castle said. “But it gets a lot tougher in Indiana or Delaware.”
He added, “The Republican Party as a whole needs to be more understanding about what can fit into the different pockets of a diverse country.”He added, “The Republican Party as a whole needs to be more understanding about what can fit into the different pockets of a diverse country.”