Rough Election Night For Conservatives
Virginia, New Jersey gubernatorial elections spotlight GOP fractures. W. Post's Dan Balz: "[Chris] victory in a solidly blue state will be touted as a model for a party that needs to expand its coalition in national campaigns. But will the formula Christie employed in New Jersey work in Republican primaries and caucuses or in a national election for president? ... [In Virginia,] Republicans will debate was whether Cuccinelli was personally too conservative — and his party too toxic after the recent government shutdown — for what is now a classic swing state."
W. Post edit board sums up Cuccinelli loss: "As a state senator and, for the past four years, attorney general, Mr. Cuccinelli was a crusader against illegal immigrants, homosexuals, abortion and higher taxes. That may have suited Virginia in an earlier era. It didn’t suit the Virginia of 2013."
De Blasio romps in NYC. NYT: "His landslide victory, stretching from the working-class precincts of central Brooklyn to the suburban streets of southeast Queens, amounted to a forceful rejection of the hard-nosed, business-minded style of governance that reigned at City Hall for the past two decades and a sharp leftward turn for the nation’s largest metropolis."
No Christie coattails in NJ. Star-Ledger: "Democrats in the state Senate and Assembly withstood Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s decisive victory over Barbara Buono on Tuesday, retaining majorities in both houses of the Legislature and ensuring at least four more years of divided government in Trenton. With most of the votes counted Tuesday night, Democrats said they would hold onto their 24-16 majority in the state Senate. They also appeared to hold a majority in the Assembly — currently 48 to 32 — though they lost at least one seat."
61% in NJ vote for higher minimum wage in its state constitution. W. Post: "he now-approved constitutional amendment raises the state minimum wage from the federally mandated $7.25 to $8.25 and sets it to increase automatically with inflation. It is the fifth state to add a minimum wage to its constitution and the 11th to implement automatic hikes..."
Unions out-organized business for NJ wage hike. Star-Ledger: "The business community put up a tough fight to defeat the minimum wage measure, spending about $1 million to persuade the public the measure will lead to job losses and undermine their ability to move past the lingering effects of the recession. But they were outspent by unions and other supporters who raised $1.3 million to wage a very public campaign that included large rallies in cities across the state."
Business beats Tea Party in Alabama primary. Roll Call: "Former state Sen. Bradley Byrne defeated tea-party-backed candidate Dean Young in a special GOP runoff in Alabama’s 1st District on Tuesday, marking the first big win for more moderate Republicans in the fight for control of the GOP since the government shutdown. With 91 percent of precincts reporting, Byrne led Young, 53 percent to 47 percent..."
Moderate Republicans escalate civil war, launch ad campaign. NYT: "...Main Street Advocacy, set to start an ad campaign on Wednesday that blames conservative groups like theTea Party for the recent series of political losses in critical elections across the United States. The ad cites what it calls a 'Hall of Shame,' including Representative Todd Akin, Republican of Missouri, who lost his bid for the Senate last year ... It also pokes fun at conservative groups like the Club for Growth andFreedom Works — stamping the word 'Defund' over their names ... 'We want our party back,' said former Representative Steven C. LaTourette of Ohio, who is leading Main Street Advocacy. 'And we are going to do what it takes to accomplish that.'"
Obama On Obamacare Offense
Obama to push GOP governors on Mediciaid expansion. The Hill: "President Obama will press Republican governors to allow the ObamaCare expansion of Medicaid into their states during a trip to Dallas on Wednesday. The president will call on Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) to 'put politics aside' and 'not deny people healthcare because of ideology,' White House deputy senior advisor David Simas told reporters on Tuesday ... White House officials and Cabinet members are being dispatched to the 10 cities with the highest rates of uninsured residents that participate in the federal marketplace."
Sebelius back to Senate to testify. Time: "Sebelius was due to face questions Wednesday from the Senate Finance Committee, whose chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., [who] has concerns about the problem-plagued HealthCare.gov website and the potential security risks it poses for consumers‘ private information."
Next weeks' enrollment data not actually important. National Journal: "For starters, the number is sure to be small. Democrats anticipated low take-up in the first month, and they have acknowledged that HealthCare.gov’s technical problems will make October’s numbers even lower than expected. Republicans might be able to crow over a small number of enrollments, but it won’t be a surprise. Moreover, focusing on the total number of enrollees leaves other important questions unanswered. Obamacare’s success will depend not only on how many people enroll, but also on who they are and where they sign up—information a top-line enrollment figure won’t necessarily provide."
