I am relatively new to politics, so on the topic of the close Virginia race

[Matty]

Do midterm elections usually have a surprise race like that? I know some of you were on here the last few weeks predicting that there would be a race that no one saw coming, but is that prediction based on past surprises? What were some completely unexpected, come-out-of-nowhere races in past midterms?

[IceSpear]

Warner was ahead by 9 points in the aggregate, and is only going to win by 1. Kind of like when Reid trailed Angle by 3 points but actually won by 5.

[henster]

Warner blew his GOTV big time. I don't even believe he sent out mailers to Dem voters or had people knocking on doors he blew this race it was only close because he let it be.

[KCDem]

Warner blew his GOTV big time. I don't even believe he sent out mailers to Dem voters or had people knocking on doors he blew this race it was only close because he let it be.

^^^This. Did warner even have a field team? LOL

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The consensus was that Warner could get a high single digit/low double digit win without even campaigning, so he didn't campaign.

Also, so much for Non-Fairfax NoVA being a 'blue wall'. Gillespie won Loudoun County, and only lost Prince William County by 2 (Obama won PW by 17). The reason why Gillespie lost? He couldn't get past 40% in Fairfax. Had Gillespie gotten 43 or 44 percent in Fairfax, he'd be a senator right now.

[henster]

Warner basically ran a few ads and little else and thought he would win on the goodwill of VA voters. He probably thought he'd win every county like he did last time..

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Do midterm elections usually have a surprise race like that?

Yes