Senate Results

Republicans right now have won 6 Democratic Senate seats. Based on the seats that were up, that total would be unlikely in a less GOP year. Half of the seats they won (Arkansas, North Dakota, Indiana) were in Republican leaning states. They should wins those no matter what year it is. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are swing states, so it’s not that surprising they won those. Pending a Washington win, the only heavily Democratic victory is in Illinois. Considering that Republicans pulled off statewide victories in New Jersey and Massachusetts within the last year, these results are hardly shocking. In a normal year the GOP certainly wouldn’t win as many swing states as they did this year, but in 2012 the Democrats will have to defend 8 Republican leaning seats vs. 3 this year. So the Republican wins are hardly as surprising as the Democrats winning Alaska and having both senators in Montana.