So what happened? The story of the '06 elections was that of an "upheaval," and yesterday the president admitted as much. The Democrats have taken control of the state Senate, effectively halting controversial legislation like concealed carry for firearms and the ceremonial execution of out-of-state University of Wisconsin students. But how did national trends impact Wisconsin races, the nature of democratic majorities in both branches of Congress and this newspaper?
Gov. Doyle won re-election because, frankly, things are going all right in Wisconsin — from the budget to job creation — and no amount of negative campaigning can change that. The biggest surprise is the margin of Doyle's victory combined with the loss of his ally Kathleen Falk in the race for attorney general. The simple answer is that Falk ran a shoddy campaign. She went around the state in a very dignified fashion, treating the campaign like a standard job interview. Falk just could not grasp the politics surrounding the attorney general's post and woefully misjudged its public perception. J.B. Van Hollen was able to clearly define himself, while Falk had nothing but a vague philosophy, even for Doyle voters in the Milwaukee area.
The smaller surprise of the night was Dave Magnum's inability to make significant progress on his last congressional bid. He has the platform and temperament of an electable Dane County Republican. Yet this is another case of the scarlet letter (R) catching a quality candidate in landslide country. His inability to gain any new support, as evidenced by an identical margin of victory for Baldwin in '04, points to a completely ineffective campaign. Although Magnum has hinted at another run in '08, telling supports to store his yard signs rather than throw them away, the GOP would be wise to choose another candidate if they want an honest chance to win this seat. Perhaps the name is just too much for voters to look past.
Nationally, the Democrats have a new brand. The election of red-state moderates like Jim Webb and Jon Tester mean this Congress won't be radically liberal or even as liberal as they were in the minority. Odds are this country will be run from the middle for two years, and judging from the president's leadership history of advocating his positions but accepting compromise, expect the passage of watered-down, Democrat-sponsored legislation.
The resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld may be the first indication of at least a nominal shift in Iraq war strategy. With each party pledging to work together to achieve a dignified "victory*" in Iraq, a bipartisan panel will likely save face for wary liberals and shell-shocked conservatives. Look for the words "Baker Commission" to become part of your standard political vocabulary.
To all of you political nerds and angry partisan hacks: Thanks for following our coverage of the mid-term elections and the issues surrounding them. Thanks to everyone who harassed us with e-mails and comments; please keep them coming. It may not seem like it, but the staff really does pay attention to all of your feedback and seriously considers your arguments. If you're still pissed about coverage, it's your page, so write for it. We absolutely despise ideological purity, but we are naturally a reflection of the community.
Now that the elections are over, we should take a page from President Bush and future House speaker Nancy Pelosi and have lunch together. Well, maybe not literally, but if liberals and conservatives get together and discuss the issues, we might learn a thing or two about ourselves as well. Often, when we get past the partisan demagoguery, the only thing that truly separates us is the priority we place on our nation's various ills. By respecting these common values, and making concessions to what our opponents see as vital issues, we can make this country move again. The voting public will inspire its representatives to rationally debate legislation and avoid the wedge politics that have been all too common in recent history. If you can't tell, I'm optimistic. If George W. Bush and Nancy Pelosi can joke about measuring the drapes in Congress over lunch, maybe they can chew on sensible immigration reform as well.
* Getting out of Iraq as soon as possible
Bassey Etim ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and political science.
