Among the many comments on last Tuesday’s race was Charles Krauthammer’s noted in  the Washington Post.  Read it here.

An excerpt:

“The ‘08 election was a historical anomaly. A uniquely charismatic candidate was running at a time of deep war weariness, with an intensely unpopular Republican president, against a politically incompetent opponent, amid the greatest financial collapse since the Great Depression. And still he won by only seven points.”

HKO comment- I agree with Krauthammer, but there is another dynamic. The growth of the independents shows a disaffection with party politics in general or more likely a common belief in reasonable government that is not represented yet by either party.  The problem with independents is that they rarely carefully define their principles and they are often attracted by appearances and thus quick to express disappointment or buyer’s remorse. I think this is expressed in Tuesday’s election in VA and NJ.