Starhawk writing from California the day after the election reports that her state stayed dry above the red tide that swept most of the nation. Jerry Brown after 30 years returned to the governor’s office and Barbara Boxer was returned to the U.S. Senate following their battles against wealthy opponents who spent fortunes trying to buy the seats. The prodigal child of the west stood high on the liberal summit.
New York, the empire of the east, also stayed somewhat above the tide losing a few congressional seats while the outcome was still to be determined in the three state senate races that will decide whether Republicans or Democrats control that body along with the fate of marriage equality.
But more importantly, Democrats swept the statewide offices of governor, comptroller and attorney general along with our two U.S. Senate seats. Where Brown and Boxer stood tall in the west, Andrew Cuomo, Tom DiNapoli, Eric Schneiderman, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand stand as tall in the east.
So facing a tidal wave of Republican voters the firewalls in these two large states held begging the question can 53 million New Yorkers and Californians be wrong? No, for which way these states go eventually goes the nation. So enjoy your gains today Republicans because the tide will roll back out to sea in 2012.