Jonathan Singer: The Five Lessons of Election 2005

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Friday, November 11, 2005

The Five Lessons of Election 2005

Gregory L. Giroux takes a look at Tuesday's elections for CQ Politics Weekly (a free email service) and finds the following five important lessons to be learned.

The thrill is gone for President Bush -- While George W. Bush previously could push Republican candidates over the top in close races, now he "has lost a lot of his magic."
The media must interpret something -- This is a slow news period, so the media are perhaps too quick to extrapolate meaning from Tuesday's results.
Democrats may profit when they emphasize faith, especially in the South -- Tim Kaine was able to overcome his unpopular position on the death penalty by talking about his faith.
The Republicans’ vital advantage in the suburbs may be slipping -- Both Kaine and Jon Corzine were able to perform well in the suburbs, which could become a real battleground in the future.
There are limits to populism -- Reforms, if viewed as partisan, will go down to defeat, as occurred this week in Ohio and California.