Fair enough...

Rothenberg...

Bill Owens' victory in New York's 23rd was the good news for Democrats this week and continued the party's winning streak in competitive House special elections. But the dynamic that helped Owens win -- including a divided Republican Party -- can't be ignored and aren't likely to be replicated again. For now, his reelection next year is a Pure Toss-Up.

…but it bears noting that as recently as last month the election, let alone re-election, of a Democrat in NY-23, a safe Republican haven since the 19th century, seemed like a fantasy. Toss-up? That's an incredible advance.

And that Republican divide? That's not going away anytime soon.

Hat tip to Political Wire.

One of these Dick Armeys…

…is not like the other. Space Cowboy busts the "Lord of the Teabags"...

And guess who tried to help Hoffman out when it became clear he had no grasp of local issues? Lord of the Teabags, Dick Armey:

Coming to Mr. Hoffman's defense, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who accompanied the candidate on a campaign swing, dismissed regional concerns as "parochial" issues that would not determine the outcome of the election.

So, now that Hoffman has been defeated (how he even got vote 1 is beyond me), take a look at what Armey has to say about the cause of his defeat:

"The fact of the matter is, he didn't pay enough attention to the local concerns, and they were able to tag him as being unaware of the local needs and concerns," Armey said.

Ideology aside, Hoffman would have been better off reading Tip O'Neill than listening to Dick Armey.

Good guess.

greg on NY-23…

I guess the Rockefeller Republicans are now Palin Democrats.

Thanks, I needed that.

Steve M. offers a little perspective before we start sifting the election entrails for omens...

* A Republican might win by an eyelash in the gubernatorial race in New Jersey -- a state that's had Republican governors for 16 of the past 28 years.

* In Virginia, a Republican will almost certainly win the governor's race -- which means that the Virginia governor will be of the party opposite that of the president who was just elected ... just like the last eight governors of Virginia, each of whom was elected a year after a presidential election and none of whom was of the president's party.

* A Democrat is probably going to lose in New York's 23rd congressional district -- a district that's changed shape over the years, but has mostly not sent a Democrat to Congress since the 19th century.

File it all under "Big whoop."