Even GOP sweep of vote today won't cast out party's problems

By Liz Sidoti

WASHINGTON - For Republicans, an election win of any size today would be a blessing. But victories in Virginia, New Jersey or elsewhere won't remove enormous obstacles the party faces heading into a 2010 midterm election year when control of Congress and statehouses from coast to coast will be up for grabs.

It's been a tough few years for the GOP. The party lost control of Congress in 2006 and then lost the White House in 2008 with three traditional Republican states - Indiana, North Carolina and Virginia - abandoning the party.

So even if political winds start blowing harder behind them and even if they can capitalize on Democratic missteps, Republicans still will have a long way to go over the next year because of their party's own fundamental problems - divisions over the path forward, the lack of a national leader and a shrinking base in a changing nation.

The GOP would overcome none of those hurdles should Republican Bob McDonnell win the Virginia governor's race, Chris Christie emerge victorious in the New Jersey governor's contest, or conservative Doug Hoffman triumph in a hotly contested special congressional election in upstate New York.

In fact, 2009 seems to have underscored what may be the biggest impediment for Republicans - the war within their base.

Not that the GOP would casually brush off even a small stack of victories today.

One or more wins would give the Republicans a jolt, and a reason to rally. Victories certainly would help with fundraising and candidate recruiting. And they might just be enough to reinvigorate a party that controlled the White House and Congress through much of this decade, only to lose power in back-to-back national elections.

Viewed from the other side, a GOP sweep could be seen as a negative measure of President Barack Obama's standing. Also, it could signal trouble ahead as he seeks to get moderate Democratic lawmakers behind his legislative agenda and protect Democratic majorities.

Still, with Democrats in control, the onus is on the GOP to get its act together. George W. Bush is gone, but troubles many in the GOP link to his presidency linger.

Republican leaders in Washington certainly are mindful of the challenges.

"It's going to be a difficult road to walk," House Republican leader John Boehner told CNN on Sunday, arguing that there's "a political rebellion" taking place.

Others are more blunt.

The GOP message is "muddied. What do they stand for? Right now it's opposition to Obama," conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh told Fox News on Sunday.

A debate is waging over whether that's enough.

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What's at stake in today's election:

GOVERNORS:

Voters in two states, New Jersey and Virginia, are electing governors.

The New Jersey race has centered on the economy and the state's highest-in-the-nation taxes. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, the billionaire former Wall Street executive, is fighting to earn a second term. His opponents are Republican former U.S. attorney Chris Christie and an independent candidate, former state environmental official Chris Daggett.

In Virginia, where Democrats last year handed the GOP its first presidential defeat in 44 years, the GOP is trying to stage a comeback. Republican Bob McDonnell and Democrat R. Creigh Deeds, a state senator who narrowly lost the attorney general's race to McDonnell four years ago, are running to replace the term-limited Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine.

MAYORS:

Mayors are being elected in several major cities, including Houston, Atlanta and New York, where billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to spend more than $100 million of his fortune in a bid for a third term, the most expensive self-financed campaign in U.S. history.

The mayors of Boston, Detroit and Pittsburgh are up for re- election.

U.S. HOUSE:

Two special elections, one in Northern California and one in upstate New York, won't change the balance of power of the 435- member House, where Democrats hold 256 seats. Both seats were vacated when the incumbent took a job in the Obama administration.

The special election in New York's rural and strongly Republican 23rd Congressional District has highlighted divisions in the GOP. Some prominent Republicans, including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, backed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman; the defections led the GOP candidate, Dierdre Scozzafava, to bow out and support Democrat Bill Owens.

Democratic Lt. Gov. John Garamendi faces off with Republican attorney Dave Harmer for a Northern California congressional seat.

BALLOT MEASURES:

Voters in Maine have the opportunity to make it the first state to approve gay marriage at the ballot box with a referendum on whether to accept or reject a same-sex marriage law.

In Washington state, voters will be deciding whether to keep a Legislature-approved "everything but marriage" domestic partnerships law, which grants registered partners the same legal rights as married couples.

Ohio voters will decide whether to bring casinos to the state.

- Associated Press

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Originally published by Liz Sidoti Associated Press .

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