5 Winners and Losers From the Midterm Elections
Some didn't even have to run to come out crying.
— -- On a night when Republicans took over the Senate and Democrats experienced even more losses than they were originally expecting, some of the longer-term winners and losers were people who didn't have their name on a ballot.
Fortuitous fundraising and a focus on presidential prospects helped a few Republicans on Tuesday, while two candidates who tried to game the system -- by physically moving to another state in one race and moving to a new political party for another -- didn't work out for them in the end.
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WINNERS
Not only was Mitch McConnell able to hold onto his job as Senator from Kentucky, but now he gets a promotion as well after Republicans were able to tilt the balance of power in the Senate.
The tough-talking New Jersey governor wasn't listed on any ballots this year but, because of his role as the head of the Republican Governor's Association, he increased his national presence and has the results to prove it. With some races left to call, at least 21 of the 34 candidates that he stumped for ended up winning.
After keeping his post as Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker has essentially shown his critics that his constituents are fans of his attempts to break unions. This also secured his spot as a top Republican presidential contender.
House Republicans
While the Senate was the center of most analysts' attention during the race, Republicans in the House also had a good night because now their majority is even stronger than before.
The incumbent Democratic Senator no longer has a job, but she also lost her job in the most expensive race of the entire election. The cumulative fight between Hagan and Republican challenger Thom Tillis is estimated to have cost more than $1 million.
LOSERS
President Obama
Many are casting these midterms as a referendum on President Obama's policies and a general reflection on Americans' general displeasure with this administration. His low approval ratings and attempts by candidates to distance themselves meant that the president tried to steer clear of the campaign trail for much of the lead up to the election, but he still ended up being the biggest loser on Tuesday night.
Harry Reid
The Nevada Senator did not have a race to run himself but -- because of how the other races played out -- ended up losing a title out. Reid will have to hand over the Majority Leader mantle to McConnell.
The fan behind his podium wasn't enough to keep his campaign cool, as Charlie Crist now has the distinct honor of being considered a loser for each political party. He started his political career as a Republican, but decided to rebrand himself an Independent when Marco Rubio beat him in the 2010 Senate race. His time as an Independent didn't work that well either, so he registered as a Democrat in 2012. He lost as a Democrat on Tuesday.
Though he never switched parties, former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown did try running in another state this time around, but that didn't turn out too well. Brown, who has had a summer home in New Hampshire for years, lost that state's race against incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen.
The former Massachusetts Attorney General isn't going to be able to lose her unfortunate nickname (of "Choakley") after Tuesday's race. She was first appointed to fill Ted Kennedy's Senate seat after he died, but then was beaten by Scott Brown in a special election. This time around, her former foe had moved up north in hopes of friendlier folk in New Hampshire, but that didn't help her new gubernatorial cause as she still ended up losing this race to Republican Charlie Baker.