Deep Sigh Of Relief: Democrats Hold On To The Senate

What looked like an impossibility just a few months ago is now a reality: the Democrats are managing to hold onto the Senate, putting to rest fears of what a GOP-controlled Congress would do. (Yes, that includes Queerty!)

Tammy Baldwin’s win is just one of many successes for the party. Among tonight’s victories:

• Elizabeth Warren defeated former Cosmo centerfold Scott Brown in Massachusetts, who won a special election in 2010 to fill the seat left empty by Ted Kennedy’s death.
• Claire McCaskill defeated Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akin. McCaskill was considered the most vulnerable Senate Democrat up for reelection. Then Akin opened his mouth.
• Joe Donnelly defeated Richard Mourdock, who said that children conceived as the result of rape were “intended by God.” The seat was formerly held by a distinguished moderate Republican, Richard Lugar.
• Chris Murphy defeated former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon in Connecticut.
• Angus King, an independent, won his race in Maine and is expected to caucus with the Democrats.

Given that the Republicans are holding onto control of the House, the Senate will be the firewall for some of the loonier extremes emanating from the House. And once again, credit the Republicans for proving that they can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by nominating really lousy Senate candidates.

photo by qwrrty