December 3, 2010 8:56 PM
Looking Ahead to 2012
As the 2012 election cycle begins, 61% are positive about the election results, while 33% are negative. 48% are positive and 27% are negative about the Republican takeover of the House. 68% voted hoping that things would change over the next two years. 66% supported a particular candidate with a goal of cutting Federal spending, while 49% voted in support of repealing the healthcare reform law. [NBC/WSJ 11/15/10]The 2012 House elections could well be volatile, if not quite as volatile as 2010. In 2010, 25 House races (13 Democrats and 12 Republicans) were decided by 3% or less.
56 Democrats and 52 Republicans won with margins of 56% or less. (Source – Mark Gersh)
Redistricting could cost the Democrats a dozen or more seats.
Senate Democrats will be defending 23 seats, while only 10 Republicans will be seeking re-election.
Both Parties would be well served to think about a lesson that Speaker O’Neill taught, quoting the famous Mayor Curley. "Over the years hundreds and hundreds of people will come to ask for favors. Some will be great, some will be small, some will be important, some trivial, some easy and some difficult. The one thing you need to remember is it is important to the person who comes to you. If they could take care of themselves they would—so treat them all alike—no matter how big or small." Folks on the Hill have forgotten that simple lesson of politics. It has become more about politics and less about solving problems together.
