Scott Walker - Wisconsin's Next Governor!

Fox News has just announced that it projects Scott Walker as the winner in the Wisconsin governor's race.  He's up by nearly 20 points.  RC Blog is a proud supporter for Walker and wish him the best as he moves on to Madison!  Scott's a future national star!!

Goodbye Blanche!

Arkansas gets rid of Blanche Lincoln in the Senate where she was a critical vote in the passage of ObamaCare.  Congrats to John Boozman for defeating her!

Rubio Rolls!

Looks like Marco Rubio will smoke Charlie Crist for the Florida Senate seat.

Keith Fimian with a decent lead (2,200 votes) over Gerry Connolly in the Virginia 11th House District race.

Interesting exit poll statistic -- women were +13 for Obama in 2008; today, there is no gender gap between R's and D's.

Early Results In Senate Races...

Rand Paul (KY) - Winner!
Dan Coats (IN) - Winner!

Rain Is Good News for Republicans

My wife finally has to admit I was right. She thought I was stereotyping Dems as lazy when I would pray for rain on Election Day each year as a way to keep the Libs at home and away from the ballot box. Now I have the proof (thanks to weather.com)!  I can't help it if they're lazy....

You Didn't Vote? Don't Blame it on the Weather
by Tim Ballisty, Editorial Meteorologist

Does weather affect voter turnout?

When election day rolls around in November, that question seemingly always enters the political discussion.

Pundits spout out their beliefs - "Democrats are loving the rain in Dixie!" or "Republicans are happy to see that there's snow in the forecast for New England!"

But again, does weather truly act as a barrier between the voter and the voting booth?

In 2007, researchers actually got down to business and sought out an answer to this very question.

The study was written by political scientists Brad T. Gomez of the University of Georgia, Thomas G. Hansford of the University of California, Merced, and George A. Krause of the University of Pittsburgh.

The researchers analyzed the affects of precipitation and temperature on voter turnout in more than 3,000 U.S. counties for 14 U.S. presidential elections from 1948 - 2000, which they say is the most comprehensive test of the weather-turnout thesis ever done.

The evidence they uncovered does indeed support the claim; rain and/or snow significantly decreases the level of voter turnout within a county.

Not only does weather affect turnout but it provides a noticeable bump for Republicans. The study found that foul weather conditions are positively related to Republican Party vote share in presidential elections.

Let's dig into some of the numbers and find out how much rain and/or snow can add some intrigue into the voting returns.

Each one inch increase in rain above its Election Day average for a typical county yields a gain of 2.5% of Republican vote share.

Every one inch increase in rain above its Election Day average yields a decline in voter turnout by just slightly 1%.

Each one inch of snowfall above its Election Day average results in a gain of 0.60% in the Republican vote share.

Each one inch of snowfall above its Election Day average reduces voter turnout by nearly 0.5%.

Final RC Blog Predictions for Election Day 2010

House +56, Senate +8, Governors +7

Heritage Releases "Solutions for America"

Compiled by a team of Heritage experts, Solutions for America identifies the nature and scope of our most pressing problems in 23 discrete policy areas, and recommends 128 specific policy prescriptions for Congress to consider. Some of the recommendations are groundbreaking. Others are familiar. Some are being debated right now. All have one thing in common: They would return power to the people. And, collectively, they will transform America, setting her back on the track to prosperity and greatness.

Perilous times necessitate bold action. America is at a tipping point. To continue on the current path of ever-expanding central government will plunge us into a statist abyss of lost liberties, vanishing opportunity and dying prospects of a better tomorrow. But our nation can just as well correct course, as she has so often in the past.

Americans by the millions have begun the process, rallying around the vision of the Founders. The policies articulated in Solutions for America are calculated to make that vision a reality, to build an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish anew.

To download a copy of Solutions for America, click here.

RC Blog Upset Special of the Day...

RC Blog predicts that senior House incumbent Jim Oberstar (D-MN) will lose to Republican challenger Chris Cravaack in the Minnesota 8th District House race.  Cravaack has run an excellent campaign and Oberstar has been showing his age (76) as of late.  Cravaack seems to be the right person at the right place at the right time to unseat Oberstar.  This would be a major leadership blow the Dems...