National Review Online asked politicos and commentators a series of questions about their top picks and low points from the midterm elections of 2010.
Who was the biggest winner of Election Day 2010?
Who was the biggest loser?
Who was your hero of the midterm election cycle?
What was the most important lesson?
Who do you have the highest hopes for?
Gary Andres
Biggest Winner(s): This has to go to Boehner/Sessions and the whole NRCC political team. They broadened the playing field, which created an opportunity to exploit a very positive political environment. They recruited top-flight candidates. They raised money early in a Washington culture that — until the last couple of months — was pretty hostile to and skeptical of the minority party. They also moved the chess pieces around pretty well at the end, effectively exploiting opportunities and taking away resources in areas that didn’t make sense politically.
Biggest Loser: Nancy Pelosi. She sacrificed her colleagues on the altar of her extreme liberal agenda. It was more important for her to expand government and take over the health-care system than to honor the political vulnerabilities of some in her caucus. By indulging her extreme instincts, she lost her majority and she will lose her leadership position.
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Hero: Marco Rubio. He was in a tough three-way race. He didn’t sacrifice principle. He ran as a solid conservative. Now as a newly elected senator from a large swing state, he can help the GOP grow its appeal to Hispanic voters nationally. He is the future of the Republican party.
Most Important Lesson: Two lessons. America is a center-right country. Talk of a lurch toward liberalism following the 2008 election was the progressives’ pipe dream. Second, Americans reacted more against this misunderstanding on the part of the Democrats than they embraced the Republican brand. As Rubio said, Republicans now have a second chance to brand themselves as the party that embraces and best represents this center-right coalition.
My highest hopes are for John Boehner. He says he wants to run the House differently from the way both the Democrats and the Republicans have done in the past. I believe him. He can do it. He has the experience and commitment to deliver on this promise. And if he succeeds, it will represent real Hope and Change in Washington.
— Gary Andres is vice chairman of research for Dutko Worldwide.
Brian Brown
Winner: I’ll go out on a limb and guess that no one else will pick this one: Paul LePage, the new governor of Maine. Great life story of overcoming adversity, great conservative. Who would have thought a year ago that a pro-traditional-marriage, pro-life Republican would win the governorship in Maine and Republicans would take both houses? Last time Republicans had the governorship and legislature in Maine: 1962.
Losers: Iowa supreme court judges Ternus, Baker, and Streit. Historic and unprecedented victory for judicial accountability. Big loss for activist judges. Highlights how wrong the Left is when it claims that voters don’t care about same-sex marriage.
Hero: Marco Rubio. Young, bold, and inspiring.
Lesson: Social issues matter. Not only were the supreme court judges in Iowa defeated, but in key races throughout the country social conservatives won. The notion that Tea Partiers don’t care about social issues is just wrong, but we’ll hear a lot about it today as the progressives try to “frame” this election. The simple fact is that the newly elected Congress will be the most socially conservative Congress in decades.
Highest hopes: It’s important that state candidate after state candidate supporting traditional marriage won, and won big. In New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, and Iowa, the state legislatures have dramatically been reshaped with new batches of conservatives. This is the untold story of this election. And Marco Rubio again.
Reading these highlights would be more exhilerating if California wasn't falling deeper into the pit of socialism. Its a state with so much to offer from so many resources. Most folks who do not live in LA and The Bay Area would love to have a senator like Rubio or a governor like Nikki Haley. The hearts of conservative Californians are with the rest of the nation, but I'll admit we're a bit jealous.
Hero: Got to be Boehner. Not only is he the leader of a profound movement in the house, but his victory speech was pitch-perfect: humble, with an emphasis not on revolution but on duty.
Lesson: There is no inevitable leftward march of history. In addition to socialism, gay marriage, drug culture and identity politics all suffered major losses.
Highest Hopes: Ethnic diversity within our movement. Any young person who is currently under indoctrination about "racist republicans" or "the racist South" has got to be incredulous at this moment.
@Brian Brown, you had better get out of your religious Fantasy Land. Many Independents and Tea Partiers like me left the Repupblican party because it was hijacked by Religious zealots like yourself. It was made very clear at early Rep events I attended that there is No room for Atheists, Jews, or even plain old non christian deists. So where do they go? They go democrat or leave the party. This was NOT a victory for Social Conservatives in any way, shape or form. Canidates who won kept their mouths shut on DADT, Marrige, abortion and concentrated on things that affect us all Jobs, Debt, Econonmy, creeping socialism and and ever growing Government. Repubs had better put all the "social" issues on the back burner and keep them there while focusing on the Econonmy and turning the country around. It's the Economy Stupid! There's plenty of time for that social BS AFTER we have righted the ship and set a steady course, you can argue about whos sleeping with the captain later.
I am also a Californian and lament what happened here...we seem to have reverted to the past with Jerry Brown. I will hope for the best and perhaps, one day, we will see the likes of a Marco Rubio here. California is too beautiful a state to fall into complete and utter failure but then again if screwed over long enough (gee, for how much longer) we may wake up from this self induced leftist slumber.
I am gonna remain hopeful...
3rev I am thinking that you will need to drop the religious fantasyland stuff. Without commitment to conservative values and morality economic freedom leads to chaos. Only when we are a socially conservative country and economically free can we really advance as a nation in every way. Also jettisoning all social issues will be a killer in 2012 millions might not vote and that will be the end of the Republican chance for the presidency. There are plenty of issues where social and economic conservatives converge and plenty of political space for us to all win victories. The first step in all of that is always showing each other respect. We don't have to be antagonistic we can cooperate to make a better country over all.
