2002 Midterm Elections

By Mark Alexander · Friday, November 8, 2002

For the first time in history, the Republican Party picked up seats in both the upper and lower congressional chambers in midterm elections -- with a Republican in the White House. This, despite the fact that 20 of 34 Senate seats in play were Republican, and of those, retiring incumbents Gramm, Thompson, Helms and Thurmond would have been shoo-ins.

Republicans accomplished this feat despite enormous obstacles, the most significant being a very weak economy as reflected in the security markets. (More than half of Americans are stockholders.) Democrat polling indicated economic concern was a far more important motivator for voters than the impending conflict with Iraq, and the conclusion was that Republicans would pay a heavy price for the recession inherited from Clinton/Gore. The polling may have been correct, but the conclusion certainly was not!

For all their bluster about the state of the economy, the Democrats lacked anything resembling an economic plan. Strikingly, most Democrats up for reelection voted for President Bush´s plan themselves. Americans did not, as it turns out, blame the Bush administration for the nation´s economic woes, rather, they affirmed their confidence in the President´s efforts to restore economic prosperity for all.

While Americans are concerned about the economy, the historic, unprecedented results of this election indicate another area of concern: national security -- and confidence in the Bush administration to answer the problem. After President Bush campaigned for candidates in so many states, yesterday´s elections amount to a mandate for the administration to deal with Iraq as it deems necessary.

Tuesday´s results are being called a "win for George Bush and the Republican Party," but it is, most significantly, a victory for the American people!

The votes may have been close in many states, but that does not mean the nation is ideologically indifferent, as many commentators have suggested. The election results put to bed the challenge to George Bush´s election in 2000 -- particularly with the landslide re-election of his brother Jeb in Florida -- the state where Gore´s 2000 presidential election challenge was rooted.

Democrats and their Leftmedia parrots are now asserting that the "Bush victories" are the result of the 9-11 tragedy, a tragedy which "made George Bush." As The Federalist has argued repeatedly, 9-11 did not make George Bush, it provided an unfettered view of what our president is made of -- and that is a major distinction.

*It says much about the character of Americans that a majority of us, against huge political odds repeatedly voiced by the Leftmedia, are willing to elect representatives who run on campaign themes of responsible citizenship rather than handouts.

*It also says much about the character of Americans that every two years, there is a bloodless shift in the balance of power over the most powerful nation in world history. The "Great Experiment," though battered and bruised by those who would turn our Constitutional Republic on end, is still alive and well.

The best entertainment on the Leftmedia networks Tuesday night was the reality TV lineup -- no, not the stupefying selection of network absurdities, but the netwonk talkingheads who we so afraid of their shadow after the 2000 campaign that the Associated Press was the only news outlet calling elections before virtually every vote was counted. Of course, we support this newfound journalistic responsibility!

As The Federalist has noted since George Bush was inaugurated, the real power of government lies in the judiciary, and Bush´s focus for two years has been to regain control of the Senate -- the judicial gate keepers. He has succeeded. Bring on those constitutional constructionists waiting for confirmation, and let´s set the clock right!

In the final analysis, some of the Republicans elected yesterday are RINO centrists, which is to say, they constitute the lesser of two evils. That having been said, the election results are good for constitutional conservatives.

Footnote: Perhaps now Jim Jeffords can receive his just rewards and be appointed Chairman of the Federal Latrine Maintenance Oversight Subcommittee -- better, Lincoln Chafee, co-chair!