Senate Races Tightening

Well, all of a sudden, the Senate races are getting closer. The reason for this is obvious: it’s much easier to get to know a statewide candidate than a local Congressional one. The House is subject to more radical swings, depending on national mood. Senators debate on statewide tv; they put up more advertising–and so the actual quality, and sanity, of the candidates have more impact in these races. Democrats shouldn’t be cheered by these recent results, however, even if they do manage to hold onto the Senate on November 2. The Republicans made several of these races much closer than they should have been, offering incompetent, extreme and inexperienced Tea Party candidates in Delaware, Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, West Virginia and a Club for Growth ideologue in Pennsylvania. More responsible Republican candidates might have had easier races. Which is one reason why, win or lose, Democrats have some hard thinking to do before they face the public again in 2012.