Perspective

Jim Geraghty has some for you:

Battleground Texas – the well-funded effort by liberal organizations to duplicate their previously (briefly) successful efforts in Colorado and turn the state of Texas into a competitive or Democrat-leaning state – will probably never go away entirely.

But after last night, liberal donors may start to ask what the heck they’ve gotten for all their efforts. Not only did every Republican win every statewide race last night; at this hour, no Democrat hit 39 percent in any statewide race. The political world is laughing at Wendy Davis’ 38.88 percent this morning, but that was the best performance of any Democrat running statewide.

Emphasis in the original.

Two years ago as the returns started coming in from Virginia and Florida, I got a sick feeling in my stomach, and at almost the exact same moment a Twitter friend DMed to say, “Nothing is breaking out way, is it?” The GOP was simply outclassed and out-fought, and ran into a brick wall — the Democrats’ high-tech turnout machine.

The GOP did a good job playing catchup this time around, at least good enough for a midterm election. Had they been a sharper and more ambitious, they probably could have picked up additional wins in VA and NH. I hope they learn that lesson as well as they seemed to have learned the lessons of 2016.

Last night was the practice run, and it went well for the Senate and was outstanding at state-level and local races. Two years from now is the real deal, and nothing should be left to chance — and the effort must start now. Today. There’s no time to bask.

Dear @GOP: Spend the next two years on responsible, grownup governance. Clean up VA, education, IRS. Lay anti-crazy 2016 groundwork.

— Stephen Green (@VodkaPundit) November 5, 2014