Rand Paul has been declared the winner of the Kentucky Senate seat.

After flying Andrew Breitbart all the way out to Phoenix, Arizona yesterday to participate in an online Townhall election event, after taking him out of his home state, away from his business, and nearly making it impossible for him to vote in today’s crucial midterm election (though he’s on an airplane now in order to cast his ballot), at about as close to the last minute as you can get, Andrew Morse, chief of the ABC News digital division, sent the following email late this afternoon abruptly canceling Breitbart’s appearance:

We have spent the past several days trying to make clear to you your limited role as a participant in our digital town hall to be streamed on ABC News.com and Facebook. The post on your blog last Friday created a widespread impression that you would be analyzing the election on ABC News. We made it as clear as possible as quickly as possible that you had been invited along with numerous others to participate in our digital town hall. Instead of clarifying your role, you posted a blog on Sunday evening in which you continued to claim a bigger role in our coverage. As we are still unable to agree on your role, we feel it best for you not to participate.

This is yet another obvious attempt to build a narrative that puts the blame on Breitbart when the truth is that this is nothing more than ABC News caving in to and attempting to appease the organized left’s outrage machine that went into full astroturf mode after Breitbart’s ABC News appearance was made public.

As a reminder as to who’s exaggerating, here is exactly how Breitbart’s election night townhall event was described by an ABC News producer to him in an email:

This program will broadcast on the ABC Television Network, abcnews.com, ABC News Now, and ABC News Radio. …

The show will be live on the web and ABC News Now as well as on the network from 4:00pm till 11:00pm MST.

With this in mind and in writing, here is how Big Journalism announced Breitbart’s ABC News appearance: (more…)

The first polls have closed, in most of Indiana and Kentucky. There are three house races in IN to watch. In Kentucky, look for results in Democrat Rep. Ben Chandler’s seat. If he loses, the GOP wave is historic.

As millions watch the election results for Congressional races across America tonight, thousands of state legislative races will fly under the radar of most political pundits. Even though these state legislative races will receive little ink in the mainstream press, their outcomes will influence national politics for years to come. The importance of state legislative control will be showcased after the 2010 Census, when states will begin the task of redrawing legislative districts – for state legislative seats and Congressional seats alike.

As the GOP prepares to make major gains in Congress tonight, political observers should also keep a close eye on numerous state legislative bodies that could also experience a seismic shift in the direction of conservatives. Overall, some observers suggest that Republicans could realize a net gain of more than 500 state legislative seats.

See the list below for a quick breakdown of some of the most closely contested legislative chambers. Note that Democrats are not expected to capture control of a single GOP-held chamber.

State legislative bodies considered “in play:”

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Earlier today, I urged people to vote for the GOP, even people they see as RINOs who show strong qualities as LiGIEs (Limited Government Intervention in the Economy).  I urged them to drag their friends too, as a victory in the House creates gridlock, but a victory in the Senate stops the judges.

Drew Kurlowski (A protege’ of Larry Sabato), has predicted a Senate surprise will lead to a GOP taking the reins there.  He uses historical data to back up that assertion.

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A friend from Northern Virginia reports that, much like toadstools in the rain, a large number of “Republicans for Connolly” signs sprouted with the opening of the polls.  The signs are in the same color scheme as the more traditional Connolly yard signs.  Apparently, the Connolly campaign gets discounts for bulk printing.

A “Republicans for…” organization would not be a bad strategy for a Democrat in this climate.  However, you would a) want to actually have a few Republicans to point to and b) you would want to launch the organization sooner than 12 hours before the polls close.

Nice try Gerry.  I hope lobbying works at better for you.

A much more shameless act of elephant envy occurred here in Illinois on Friday.  Every ten years, State Supreme Court Justices have to be “retained” by the voters.  Nobody else is on the ballot.  The ballot simply asks whether the Supreme Court Justice should be retained, and sixty percent of the voters have to say “yes.”

In the history of Illinois, no justice has ever not been retained.  These guys die in office.

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Our mantra, “We all go forward together, or it all ends right here!” For the past 18 months, I’ve been saying that Republicans in Illinois could start winning elections if the establishment/patronage wing married the reform wing of the party. Since the Illinois “gravy train” was being derailed by its functional bankruptcy, establishment Republicans finally got the message. And, today, we see the culmination of this unfolding at the ballot box and in the volunteer centers.

Government reform in Illinois has a fighting chance. Here’s the bell-weather state house races on reform…

In a central Illinois state senate district, 9-12 groups formed over the past year boast 3,000 members and have lifted Sam McCann to a slim pre-election lead vs. Sen. Deanna Demuzio. The Demuzio family held this state senate seat for over 35 years. In desperation, Sen. Demuzio spent over $2.4 million and set the record for the most money ever spent by a candidate in a statehouse race. McCann spent $1 million and has the energy of the movement plus the “wave”. Prediction: Sam McCann by 3 percentage points.

In a state representative district outside of St. Louis, businessman Dwight Kay is running with a fierce ground game of seasoned volunteers. The Kay volunteer armies go all the way back to 1998 when the last “reformer” was elected statewide, U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald. Kay’s opponent is Jay Hoffman, an 18 year incumbent and best known to be corrupt Governor Rod Blagojevich’s “floor leader”. Hoffman started the election season with $1 million in the bank and he has had to spend it all. Prediction: Dwight Kay wins by 2 percentage points.

In the 43rd state senate district, the now nationally recognized “One Mom” vs. the Machine, Cedra Crenshaw spent $200,000 vs. Sen. AJ Wilhelmi reportedly spending $1 million.

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On October 30th, the Left went crazy and there was immediate talk of official investigations when a local McDonald’s owner simply suggested to a “handful” of McDonald’s employees, they should consider supporting the right candidates.

“If the right people are elected we will be able to continue with raises and benefits at or above our present levels,” the insert said. “If others are elected we will not.”The fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., distanced itself from the action by Canton franchisee Paul Siegfried, saying it was not reflective of the company’s position. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, the Democratic elections chief, said she was launching an investigation because the action appeared to violate Ohio election laws.

Today via NRO, here’s a look what actual staff members of Harry Reid are up to in Nevada. This is coercive and far more significant effort than a simple pay check insert. Don’t wait for any calls for investigations involving this outrageous abuse by the Reid campaign.

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In today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech discuss what comes next — they are joined by RedState’s Erick Erickson to talk about today’s elections, what Republicans will do once they take over in Washington, and the role Erick and RedState have played in the conservative movement.

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Good Morning. It Is Election Day.
A Special Note to Our Democrat Readers in Washington
Midterms 2010: Americans aren’t stupid – but they are angry with Barack Obama
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Those of you who have been following the New Black Panther Party scandal will be very interested in a new article published in The Washington Post last week. It includes some explosive new accusations of racism against the Obama Department of Justice (DOJ) as documented in a draft report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, as a result of a year-long investigation into the DOJ’s decision to drop the Black Panther voter intimidation case.

Of course, much of this report necessarily relates to the specific voter intimidation case against the Black Panthers, who brandished weapons and threatened voters at a polling station during the 2008 elections.

According to Post excerpts, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report reflects a deep and rancorous divide within the DOJ over whether that case should have been prosecuted. Here are a few excerpts from the article, which I suggest you read in full:

•Interviews and government documents reviewed by The Washington Post show that the [Black Panther] case tapped into deep divisions within the Justice Department that persist today over whether the agency should focus on protecting historically oppressed minorities or enforce laws without regard to race.
•After the Obama administration took over, high-level political appointees relayed their thoughts on the case in a stream of internal e-mails in the days leading to the dismissal….That decision to pull back the lawsuit caused conflicts so heated that trial team members at times threw memos in anger or cursed at supervisors.

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It looks like Matt Damon’s been overdosing on Kool-Aid again.  He’s apparently doing the bidding now for the ACORN spawn, Working Families Party.  Watch as he asks you for his birthday present.

I’m about to celebrate a very important birthday myself, Matt.  On November 13^th, I turn 41 ! I know, I can’t believe it either.

If there’s something you want to give me for my birthday that’s going to really cheer me up, please tell the recently departing Working Families Party co-chair Bertha Lewis to stop referring to constitutional conservatism as “McCarthyism”.  And while you’re at it, could you please ask your friend, President Obama not to call American citizens “enemies” simply for not belonging to his political party?

I think maybe it’s time to step away from Soroswood and start paying attention to the real world.

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In the 3rd Congressional District of Missouri, a race for the ages is taking place.  Ed Martin (R), one of the originals involved with the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition and endorsed by that organization, is fighting to replace Russ Carnahan (D), representative of everything the tea party movement has been fighting against.

This was not supposed to be a competitive race.  The district was designed as a safe seat for Democrats, carving out pieces of St. Louis and the union stronghold of Jefferson County.  If it had not been a safe seat, Carnahan’s campaign would have been over a year ago when SEIU goons beat Kenneth Gladney at one of his health care town halls or a few months ago when the state passed the Missouri Health Care Freedom Act with 71% of the vote.

The 3rd District likes politicians that like to politic.  Traditionally, the representatives of this district have been fairly public figures that engage the voters.  This is not Russ Carnahan.  He cannot speak without his constituents laughing at him. He knows nothing about guns in a gun-friendly district.  He sends video of himself to speaker forums instead of showing up.  He does what he is told to do by Nancy Pelosi, and he sends taxpayer dollars outside of his district to support his brother’s windmill farm. (more…)

At one of the last poll watcher training sessions held by the King Street Patriots on November 1, Assistant Harris County Attorney Doug Ray made an admission that contravenes the media meme that charges KSPs poll watchers with harassing voters here in Harris County, Texas.

All week the media and Democrats have charged that voters were being harassed by King Street Patriots poll watchers and thus far county officials have not countered the claims being made by KSPs opponents. But this evening the myth has been busted.

During an address to those attending a late training session, attorney Ray admitted that most of the reports the county has gotten about “hovering” over voters has been blamed on poll judges and workers, not the King Street Patriots poll watchers.

In his first address to the room, witnesses heard Ray say, “There were lots of reports about poll watchers intimidating or ‘hovering’ over voters. We learned that those were actually poll workers for the county.”

After he spoke to those gathered, I asked Attny. Ray about his comments.

I asked Ray if he would say that most of the complaints his office received of “hovering” were blamed on the KSP poll watchers. Ray replied that, “many” of those complaints were of KSP poll watchers “hovering.” But he said that investigations proved the complaints to be baseless.

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In a story that will appeal to lovers of irony and hypocrisy everywhere, and is perhaps illustrative on the micro-level of the attitudes that precipitated this historical wave, Chellie Pingree (ME-01) finds herself down by four to Dean Scontras.

As an aside, I had to look up the state abbreviation for Maine when I wrote that last sentence, because I have never had to use it while working in my day job for Peter Roskam in Congress.  Maine has been pretty blue, and shockingly, nobody has reached out to collaborate on legislative issues. But today, Republicans are within the margin of error on both Congressional seats in Maine.

Back to Pingree.  Pingree was President of Common Cause prior to being elected. During her first term in Congress she lobbied for a ban on private travel for Members of Congress.

Here are Pingree’s remarks at a Congressional hearing:

“Most Americans never have and never will fly on a chartered jet, much less a fancy corporate jet complete with wet bar and leather couches. So when members of Congress constantly fly around on corporate jets and pay only the cost of a commercial ticket, it contributes to the corrosive public perception that members of Congress are more like the fat cats of Wall Street than they are like the rest of us.”

Now that Pingree is dating hedge fund manager Donald Sussman, she apparently feels no shame in catching a ride on his jet. As a bonus, Sussman is under investigation by the SEC.

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It was a rough weekend for the corrupt bastards at KTVA Channel 11 in Alaska.

Now we have exclusive video from behind the scene in the coffee room at Channel 11. This was captured shortly after the story broke this weekend that their butt-call to Joe Miller was caught on tape:
(Warning on language)

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Over the last twenty-two months, Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid have sown the wind. Today – if the polls are any indication – they will reap the whirlwind.

The portents have been there for a very long time. It all began on 19 February 2009 with a rant on CNBC on the part of Rick Santelli, which struck a nerve and occasioned the birth of the Tea-Party Movement. That the tide might be beginning to turn was made evident in mid-April of that year when the adherents of that movement successfully mounted demonstrations across the entire country, and the Democrats and their minions in the media began denouncing them as Astroturf, Nazis, racists, and tea-baggers. And to anyone who cared to notice, the seriousness of the opposition and the depth of their concern was made manifest that August when constituents confronted their Senators and Congressmen in town halls throughout the land and shouted them down. It was on 2 August 2009 that I first suggested that, if the Republicans embraced the Tea-Party Movement and articulated the grievances that had occasioned its emergence, a genuine political realignment might be in the offing.

As it happened – and it was by and large an accident – the Republicans were well-positioned to take advantage of this political opening. In January, 2009, many of the House Republicans and not a few of their colleagues in the Senate would have been willing to cooperate with the Democrats in promoting the agenda of the Obama administration. In 2008, they had received a drubbing at the polls, and they were appropriately cowed. But, campaign rhetoric aside, no one on the Democratic side was seriously interested in bipartisan accord. They had won the election; they persuaded themselves that they had a mandate; and though President Obama had presented himself to the voting public as a moderate, he and his fellow Democrats had not the slightest intention of seeking the middle ground. In the House, it would not have taken much to swing a sizable group of Republicans behind the Democrats’ program, but Nancy Pelosi was intent on revenge. So, when the so-called “stimulus” bill came up for a vote, she made sure that there were within it no earmarks for the Republicans, and out of pique nearly all of them voted against the measure.

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What are you doing for liberty today?

President Obama is on the campaign trail warning voters about “returning to the very same policies that failed us during the last decade.”

If he’s talking about bailouts, ineffective stimulus packages, and massive government spending, then we won’t be returning to them because we’ve never left in the first place. The continuities between George W. Bush and Barack Obama and their parties are far more disturbing than the differences.

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In 1983, Ronald Reagan infuriated liberals worldwide by accurately labeling the Soviet Union as the evil empire. George W. Bush received a similar reaction following his “axis of evil” speech in which he used the politically incorrect term, evil, to describe the regimes of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. Although most Americans found it refreshing to hear a politician speak so directly and honestly, the media and the rest of the liberal elites went berserk. Imagine that. It was not that the Kim Jong-il regime kept the people of North Korea in a state of poverty and near starvation that got liberals in a tizzy. Rather, it was that Bush had the audacity to use the word evil to describe it.

The nearly two years of corruption, plunder, and economic destruction—combined with the mockery of the American people and vilification of the private sector—has crystallized for many a realization of a home grown threat more destructive and imminently dangerous to America than any of the substantial external threats we faced over the last century. It’s a threat that has been building quietly for many years but has come to the fore since President Obama was elected. Have you wondered how the radical left managed to capture the reins of power and govern in direct opposition to the will of two thirds of the population?  The answer is the New Axis of Evil. It is the power base of the left (and the Democratic Party).

No doubt, the list can be debated and expanded, but here, at least is a starting point—the dirty dozen if you will, with a few prime examples included.

1. Old Media (ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, NPR, NY Times)
2. Engorged Public Unions (SEIU, NEA, AFSCME)
3. Global Socialist Elites (Robert McChesney, Andy Stern, George Soros)
4. Liberal “Think” Tanks (Media Matters, Center for American Progress, ThinkProgress)
5. America Hating Academics (Noam Chomsky, Paul Krugman )
6. Professional Victims Groups (La Raza, CAIR, NAACP, NOW)
7. Community Disorganizers & Activists (ACORN, Code Pink, ACLU)
8. Environmental Redistributionists (Greenpeace, EDF)
9. Social Justice Preachers (Jeremiah Wright, Reverend Jim Wallis)
10. Progressive Hollywood Elites (Oliver Stone, Sean Penn)
11. Bloated Federal Bureaucracy (DOE, DOA, TSA)
12. Public/Private Colluders (AARP, Government Motors, Goldman Sachs)

It almost goes without saying (but here I’ll say it anyway)—there are many good people scattered among these institutions.

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