Republicans Reclaim Purple States

“More striking than any Republican gains in red-state America on Tuesday were the party’s Senate victories in Colorado and North Carolina and the near miss in Virginia,” the New York Times reports.

“All are states that both parties believed were trending Democratic, and that Democrats boasted would before long be out of reach to Republicans.”

“But a powerful lesson for both parties emerged from the returns: Demographic shifts that are gradually reshaping the American electorate, making it more racially diverse and younger, cannot overcome a difficult political environment and a weak message in a nonpresidential year. And the Democratic edge in sophisticated technological voter mobilization and targeting is eroding, as Republicans adopt similar techniques and catch up.”