I agree. “Conventional” political wisdom would say that Hoffman would win.

This may be a case of the voters being fed-up with the political games in which both parties engage. Instead of a “referendum on Obama” or a “referendum within the GOP” it could be a “referendum of political upheaval. That would gel with Congress's 20% approval rating (or lower) over the past 2 decades.

Looks like the Scozzafava endorsement helped a bit, huh? Of course, there are several “conservative” precincts that have not been counted yet. They are more rural and tend to hold more conservative votes. I guess we'll see tomorrow for the true skinny.

I cannot help but be amused at this struggle for a name. Some call McCain, Snowe, Collins, or other moderates “RINOS.” However, perhaps they are the RINOs, and McCain and the moderates are the real Republicans. Of course the extreme right would never admit that, but who are they to judge?

The significance of these races are not the epicenter of a tsunami.

It could be a start of one. A wave of enthusiasm among conservatives who begin to believe they really can gain power without all those RINO's (read GOP).

I certainly hope it does.

I will also be prone to agree that the majority of voters won't be swayed by any spin that comes out tonight or tomorrow from the Republican Party but it is also already rather obvious that those same voters aren't swayed by any spin voiced here at TMV either.

That's all the GOP has left, hope that people don't vote or watch the coverage and get excited about being part of the process. They know, the more people that get excited = the more people that will vote “not-republican/conservative”

never better said. LAT on rural america? Priceless catch Jer, thanks!

Your calls are great. Do you rate the ponies too? maybe we could, you know, make some extra $ to like, you know, buy medicine?