We'd be hearing a lot more about this race if it was close, if it was something we had any reason to worry about before Election Day. But we knew, and we've known for quite a while now, that Kirsten Gillibrand was going to crush Wendy Long in the New York race for Senate. Nate Silver projected her winning the race with 62.4% of the vote to Wendy Long's 37.0%. But even that was a major underestimation of the decisive mandate New York was about to hand to its Senator.
Even as she has consistently stood up for liberal, progressive values in the Senate, she managed to cobble together a coalition of New York voters that included just about everybody except die-hard Republicans. NBC exit polls show her winning about a third of voters who consider themselves Republican or conservative. In doing so, she won every county in the state except for Wyoming County and Allegheny County, which she lost by 86 and 357 votes, respectively. She won her race by a wider percentage margin than any other Democratic candidate (only Sanders in Vermont and Barrasso in Wyoming did better), with a whopping 2.6 million votes, comparable to Obama's current nationwide lead of 2.8 million.
Let's all take a moment to reflect upon this fine Senator (and fellow Kossack!) of ours, and all the hard work she has done and has yet to do for our principles. She is a shining example to the progressive movement that we can win, and we can win big, even among people who may not normally support the left, with positive leaders who demonstrate to voters how our ideas make their lives and our country better.
NBC election results