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Although we defended 19 seats they were largely in Blue states. Lets have a look:
These are the Blue states / seats we defended; California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, both New York seats (Special election for Hillary Clinton's seat), Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
These are the last years that these states voted Republican in a Presidential election:
California 1988 Connecticut 1988 Delaware 1984 Hawaii 1984 Illinois 1988 Maryland 1988 New York 1984 Oregon 1984 Pennsylvania 1988 Vermont 1988 Washington 1984 Wisconsin 1984
None of these states have been carried by a Republican presidential candidate in 20 years and in the case of 6 of them the last time they voted Republican was in 1984 when Ronald Reagan carried 49 of 50 states. By definition they should be expected to be carried by us.
Of these 12 states and 13 of the 19 seats we were defending, Republicans took 3.
Of the other 6 seats we were defending, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, North Dakota and West Virginia they also took 3.
Like I said. We got lucky.
In 2012 we are defending 23 seats including Lieberman and Sanders. You may not like Lieberman but he caucuses with us. The Republicans will be defending 10 seats. Although many of the Democrat held seats are still in blue states 10 are in states that the Republicans have won in recently. They include Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Remember that by design the US Senate is not supposed to turn over quickly. The Republicans get another chance in 2012. I think by then the Tea Party will have self destructed.
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