Oh Happy Day

For once, it seems I got one right. The Dems have won the House and possibly--maybe even probably--the Senate as well.

The race of the night? Webb-Allen for Virginia's Senate seat. The moment of the night? Hands down, it was Webb's bold declaration of victory, with a slim 2000 vote lead out of 2 million cast, just moments after Allen gave a typical, this-race-goes-on-tomorrow speech.

Webb's coup de theatre showed that the Dems have finally learned some lessons from '00 and '04. There may be a recount fight, but he's already framed himself as the winner.

If this result holds, and Jon Tester maintains his slim lead in Montana, my Senate predictions will (for once) end up right on the money.

The triumph in the House is as decisive as the one in the Senate is tenuous. We've picked up 26 or so seats, well above the 15 we needed, with enough still undecided to edge toward my prediction of 34. The only thing that would make my evening complete would be to see Darcy Burner claw into the lead for Washington's 8th District. But that will have to wait until morning.