Alec mentioned that McAuliffe thanked Republican voters for their support. However, based on a Politico story this morning, it seems that fewer Republican voters supported him than he thinks:
McAuliffe declared in his victory speech that “a historic number of Republicans” supported him. But that’s just not how it happened.
The Democrat won only 4 percent of self-identified Republicans, according to exit polling. His key was getting more of his people to the polls — 37 percent of voters self-identified as Democrats and 32 percent self-identified as Republican.
In the exit polling, 28 percent of voters supported the tea party movement and another 28 percent were neutral. Virtually all the rest who oppose the tea party backed McAuliffe.
‐The libertarian Rob Sarvis didn’t cost Cuccinelli the race.