Once a radical upstart, now an increasingly successful political operator. Call Democratic candidates liberal until voters buy it. But voters didn't buy it in his New York and North Carolina Senate races. The casinos came up double sixes in their first foray into legit politics. But advertising spending disappointed all around.
Many strategists conclude that cheap shoe-leather efforts trumped expensive airwaves saturation.
Farmers Some money made a difference. Early November, farmers rewarded struggling congressmen in mostly Democratic rural districts with re-election. Mutual thank-you notes are in order. Other Democrats had similar success with racial and ethnic appeals. After backing away from their initial predictions of huge GOP wins, pundits still looked as if they were throwing darts at the wrong board.