Voters to Pols: Give Us Jobs, Results, Not Spats

Governor elect Chris Christie answers a question as he stands with Lt. governor elect Kim Guadagno...

Governor elect Chris Christie answers a question as he stands with Lt. governor elect Kim Guadagno at the Robert Treat Academy charter school Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, in Newark, N.J., the day after he won over incumbent Jon S. Corzine. Christie said with the visit to the highly successful school, he wanted to highlight his plans to improve education. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

(AP)

Voters' memo to politicians: We're angry and fearful, mostly about jobs and the economy. We want tangible solutions, not partisan bickering or intraparty spats. And we'll vote either party out of office if we don't think you're listening.

That's the latest warning to thousands of candidates who will seek offices low and high in all 50 states next year, when the number of elections will far exceed those held Tuesday.

This week's message came from New Jersey, Virginia and upstate New York, where restless voters rewarded candidates who focused on jobs and competent-but-restrained government and punished those steeped in drama or making uninspired arguments to continue a string of Democratic governors.

Republicans clearly had the better day. They picked up the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey, even though President Barack Obama had campaigned for both Democratic nominees.

The results underscored Obama's limited ability to excite liberals when he's not on the ballot. That message is unwelcome by the roughly 250 House Democrats and 16 Senate Democrats expected to seek re-election next year, when Obama will be halfway through his four-year term.

Many of those Democrats have safe seats. But a few of the senators, and at least three dozen House members, could face stiff GOP challenges. Over the next year, they often will have to decide how closely to align themselves with the White House, and when to show independence from their party's leaders.

Their choices could affect major legislation, including the bid to overhaul the nation's health care system.

Numerous Democrats, and even a few Republicans, said Wednesday they doubted this week's elections would seriously threaten the health care push. But some warned that Obama and his allies will have to work harder to muster a majority of votes in the House and a filibuster-proof super majority in the Senate.

"For people who have been undecided, it either keeps them undecided or moves them to 'no,'" said Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D. With so many independent voters backing the GOP nominees in New Jersey and Virginia on Tuesday, she said, "we have to step back and say, 'What can we do to regain their support?'"