While it would be one thing for the White House to write off
tonight's election results if it were only about Bob McDonnell's
landslide in Virginia, it will be a lot more difficult for the
administration to dismiss Chris Christie's victory in New Jersey.
The Garden State is solidly Democratic territory that has voted
Democratic in every presidential election after 1988 and every
governor's race after 1997. In 2008, Obama won the state by 15
points, and as of this writing, Christie is up by 5 points -- so
that's a 20 point swing. Obama made a number of trips to New
Jersey to stump for Jon Corzine, including two in the closing
weeks of the campaign -- and it wasn't because he thought the
weather was pleasant in the state this time of year.
Even if we don't see the New Jersey election results as a
rejection of Obama, at the very minimum what they show is that
his campaign appearances can't carry a Democrat across the finish
line, even a candidate with a huge money advantage in a solidly
blue state. And if Obama -- with all of his star power and
highly-touted political organization -- can't deliver in New
Jersey, then why would a moderate Democrat running for
re-election next year in a red district where Obama is unpopular
to begin with tie himself to Obama? Why would a red state
Democrat vote with the Democratic leadership on issues such as
health care legislation and "cap and trade"?
