Dennis Cauchon has an article today in USA Today entitled "Dems gain in 'hidden election'", examining the results of the various state legislative races across the country. Although the story is about a month and a half old (the first articles on the subject came out in the immediate wake of the election), its placement in USA Today ensures a wide readership. Cauchon writes as follows:

Democrats had great success in state legislative races this year, even as they performed poorly in the presidential race and campaigns for Congress. Many Democratic gains came in the heart of Republican territory.

Colorado Democrats took control of both the House and Senate for the first time since 1974. Montana Democrats won the state Senate and could control the state House, depending on the outcome of a legislative race that finished in a tie and is the subject of a court battle.

Overall, Democrats took power in seven legislatures and earned a tie in the Iowa Senate. Republicans won control in four chambers and added legislators in southern states that have been shifting to the party for 20 years.

Nationwide, Democrats added more than 60 legislative seats, reversing the 2002 results that gave Republicans more state legislators than Democrats for the first time in a half century.

Among the states Cauchon examines in a degree of depth are Colorado, Montana and North Carolina; in each of these three states, Dems made significant gains despite the relatively poor performance of the Kerry/Edwards ticket. This might not seem like much, but the shift in control in various state legislatures could indicate the beginning of a move back towards the Democrats in federal races in the coming years.