Much of tonight’s initial focus will be on the presidential, gubernatorial, judicial, and Council of State races. But be sure to pay attention to the U.S. House races, not only in North Carolina but across the United States. For months U.S. House Democrats have boasted they will snatch control of the House from Republicans and that 2012 will be a repudiation of the 2010 Tea Party election when a cadre of limited-government conservatives were elected from across the country. As Roll Call reports, that narrative has been replaced as party leaders privately acknowledge the hope of a Democratic Party “takeback” of the House has ended. Here, according to Roll Call, is the new narrative on control of the U.S. House. Listen tonight for this story line from party operatives.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is spending the final 24 hours framing the elections as rolling back the “tea party tsunami” of 2010. The committee is also touting its perceived successes this cycle — the factors it describes as being “within the DCCC’s control.”
“Democrats have been on offense,” a DCCC memo said. “We outraised the [National Republican Congressional Committee] by more than $16 million despite being in the minority, we recruited a wide field of over 50 Red-to-Blue candidates, we stayed competitive on the air despite being outspent, and we mobilized an historic ground game, especially in ‘orphan’ states.”
A second missive sent today focused on Republicans who won election in 2010 as right-wing warriors, only to tack to the center in 2012 to win re-election.
“Regardless of whether they win or lose, the Tea Party of 2010 is over. They’ve been forced on defense in the message fight all cycle long, and now those who win will have done so by giving up on the Tea Party,” the memo said.
