It took a day to

It took a day to sink in, but the comprehensive nature of the Republican victories in Minnesota on Tuesday recalls 1978’s “Minnesota massacre.” In Minnesota, Republicans won the statewide races for senator, governor, secretary of state, and state auditor (suburban mayor Pat Awada, a budding star). In Minnesota’s congressional delegation, Republicans picked up one seat as a result of our friend John Kline’s sweet, sweet victory over Bill Luther in Minnesota’s redistricted second district. Minnesota’s eight-member congressional delegation is now evenly divided.
In the state legislature, Republicans added to their previously narrow majority in the state house of representatives. My personal favorite, Rep. Eric Lipman of Lake Elmo, is not only one of the smartest guys in state politics, he was the number one target of the Democrats’ interest groups while running for re-election in a slightly less Republican redistricted district. Eric survived the onslaught. Republicans picked up five seats in the state senate, where they have been a perpetual minority. At 31-36 (I think), they are at an all-time high-water mark and now within hailing distance of the Democrats. Dane Smith provides a good recap in “Minnesota GOP savors role in national sweep.” He even quotes our friend David Strom of the Taxpayers League–after the Republican party, the Star Tribune’s least favorite organization.