NH Goes Blue

Well, the state narrowly went blue. Hodes beat Bass rather handily and Shea-Porter squeaked by Bradley.

Hodes's victory was larger than experts had predicted. With 96 percent of the votes counted, he led Bass, 53 to 45 percent, with 2 percent for Libertarian Ken Blevens.

Hodes won by huge margins in traditional Democratic strongholds, and Bass fell well short of making up the difference in the scores of small towns he had virtually owned in his previous six elections.

The 1st District followed the same pattern, although the margin was tighter. With 96 percent of the votes counted, Shea-Porter led Bradley, 51 to 49 percent.

She defeated Bradley in Manchester, Exeter, Epping and by huge margins in Portsmouth and other Seacoast communities. The margins of Bradley wins in the Manchester suburbs were too small to make up the difference.

With the House going to the Dems pretty much as expected, I'm expecting that we'll be hearing lot's of crowing about their mandate, though a gain of 27 seats isn't what I would call an overwhelming call for change. But they certainly should move ahead on that assumption. And considering that they have provided practically nothing but interference in the last six years it will be refreshing to actually hear them come up with some proposals.

The Senate is still being played out. Though I suspect that may end up going to the Dems as well. Though the margin will be as narrow as it gets.

I'm not holding my breath that anything will really change in Washington. That would be expecting a lot from politicians. I expect there will be just as much obstructionism as there has been in the last six years, just the source will be the other side of the aisle.

I do expect that there will be the fulfillment of the Vietnam scenario in Iraq though. Or at least a really concerted effort to ensure failure. After all, they didn't get us into Iraq so it won't be any big deal if we fail, at least from the politico's point of view.

So, more of the same, just in a shade of blue.