No Bellweathers Today

Jillian Bandes | November 03, 2009 11:53 AM

We're expected to win in New York and Virginia. New Jersey and Maine are a toss-ups, but we've got more than a fighting chance. How shall we read into the results? We shouldn't at all,

says Charlie Cook.

Whatever the outcome of this year's New Jersey and Virginia governor's races, the results will depend on conflicting factors that are unlikely to be replicated in many contests next year. Beware, then, of drawing sweeping conclusions.

In New York...

Losing the seat would be a bit painful for the GOP but would not signal much about the party's 2010 prospects elsewhere. After all, how many states have a viable Conservative Party and how many times next year will the GOP nominate someone as liberal as Scozzafava?

That's not the first time I've heard that recently. "Why was Scozzy nominated in the first place?" seems to be a battle cry for those who are anticipating 2010.