Poll: Impact of the incoming Tea Party Congress on Hillary Clinton's campaign

[Mister Mets]

Someone described 2014 as the year of the Goldilocks Republicans. Tea Party challengers (See Kansas, Kentucky and Mississippi) lost, but the people who won were appealing to both the tea party and the establishment Republicans. They're in agreement on Tom Cotton, Ben Sasse, Cory Gardner and Joni Ernst, all of whom are conservative but unlikely to sabotage the leadership. And there are a few other likely and plausible Senators who aren't seriously associated with the tea party (Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Thom Tills of North Carolina, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Steve Daines of Montana, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.)

As for House elections, gains are generally a good thing for Boehner and co. It makes it easier to pass things on a party-line vote.

With the publicity Rand and Cruz got for their filibusters, there are more incentives for new Senators to grandstand, but it doesn't seem the new guys will be as problematic.

[Mister Mets]

I thought it was Mike Rounds of South Dakota?

Yeah. Typo.

We have to wait until after election day to discuss this scenario, given that literally anything is possible this cycle. Still, I think a GOP controlled Congress would help Hillary because then the entire legislative branch will refuse to legislate for two years.

That's about a Republican controlled Congress rather than one where the tea party has more of a voice.

Generally, every Republican elected is good for the leadership because it means they don't need everyone's vote, which avoids a few embarrassments.

Republicans could do more to pass things through the House and Senate, forcing Democrats to be the ones vetoing and filibustering popular items.