Big Night for Progressives

Ohio is probably the biggest story. The Republican anti-union bill was soundly rejected by the voters of that state. Organized labor has to walk away feeling a foot taller from this.  Millions of dollars and a huge ground game were poured into Ohio and the result was extremely positive for their movement.  Going into last night, I expected, if not guaranteed such a result.

Mississippi's anti-birth control ("personhood") defeat was a pleasant surprise, however.

"Personhood" was a GOP-designed initiative that legally defined life from the moment of conception.  Such a definition would have outlawed abortion in all cases including rape and incest.  It also would have made some forms of birth control like the morning after pill and IUD's illegal.  Voters rejected it by a large margin.

Kentucky Democrats also won big.  As of right now, Republicans did pick up one Virginia Senate seat.  They needed two seats to swing the balance of the senate into their favor, however.

Not a bad tally for an off-year election heading into 2012.