Democrats hold the Senate: What it means

Democrats prevail in several tight races, and pundits blame the GOP's penchant for nominating severely conservative candidates

Democrat Tim Kaine pumps his fists as he celebrates his Senate victory in Virginia.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

After the midterm elections of 2010, in which the Republican Party rode a wave of Tea Party fury to gain control of the House, it appeared that the Senate would be the next legislative chamber to fall to the GOP. After all, only 10 Republicans had to defend their seats in the 2012 elections, compared with 23 for Democrats, giving the GOP a very good chance to make a net gain of four seats for a majority. However, at the end of Election Day 2012, the Democrats are assured of retaining control of the Senate — and there is even a distinct possibility that they will expand their majority.

What happened? Really dumb comments about rape, for one. Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri, a Tea Party conservative who became infamous for his comments about "legitimate rape," lost to Sen. Claire McCaskill, who had once been viewed as the single most vulnerable Democratic incumbent in the Senate. Richard Mourdock of Indiana, another Tea Party conservative, lost to Democrat Joe Donnelly after Mourdock said God "intended" pregnancies resulting from rape to happen. To add insult to injury, both Missouri and Indiana were easily won by Mitt Romney in the presidential race. And the Indiana seat had long been held by moderate Republican Richard Lugar before Mourdock swept him out of power in a Republican primary.

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