The reason for the Republican win is the major improvement in the economy over the past 2 years. Republicans are notoriously horrible with the economy, so when it is the main issue on the voters’ minds (like in 2008 and 2012), they vote Democrat. But when economic worries recede (like right now, with the lowest unemployment in a very long time, good economic growth, etc) voters don’t mind bringing in the party that is hopeless on the economy.
Why the Republicans Won
Clarissa's Blog 
I suspect that there was also a problem with many voters conceptualizing politics as a zero-sum game (i.e., they’re upset with the Democrats so by definition they must vote Republican)
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Very true. Plus, most people simply didn’t show up because they are not extremely interested.
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I think a lot of people perceive Republicans as being better at economics, whatever reality might be.
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Only the most uneducated and illiterate segment can believe that. We all remember what Bush dud to the economy and have seen Obama lead us out of that dark place. And the tragedy of the experiment Brownback has been running in Kansas is well – known and obvious.
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Yes. For some reason, Republicans manage to maintain a reputation as being “fiscally responsible” and “good for the economy.” I don’t know understand it but what djiril says seems to be true.
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I agree with you. This is such a disaster and so depressing. I can’t believe that both Wisconsin and Illinois went with such horrible governors. And neither state is _that_ conservative. I just don’t understand what the voters were thinking.
I also hate that midterm voter turnout is so low. I am half convinced that voting ought to be made compulsory somehow. I find it maddening that people don’t vote.
I can’t even stand to read the news right now. Every single election that I cared about across the country went a horrible way. The town that I grew up in (and visit frequently) voted for a measure that will be the absolute environmental ruin of the town. And my hometown is (or was) very very beautiful; I don’t understand how or why citizens would willingly vote to destroy it. This all makes me so sad.
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I don’t get Wisconsin at all. After everything they still choose Walker??? What else do they need to dump him? This is doubly sad since now the Republicans actually have their presidential candidate in Walker. And he is a scary candidate.
Florida is also an enormous disappointment. And this Rauner fellow we elected as governor of Illinois! He is horrible! !!
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Of course it helps that Republicans, and the Supreme Court, have made every effort to suppress the vote of poor people, elderly people, and black people.
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Plus, there is still the issue of election tally security. Basically, there is none. The counting machines are just as hackable now as they were in 2000.
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Wall Street gave most of its money to the Republicans this year. Below is an interesting article by Beecher Tuttle that I found on efinancialcareers.com:
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
It’s Official: Wall Street Hates Obama and his Democratic Allies
By Beecher Tuttle
Remember back in 2008, when Wall Street was a huge supporter of soon-to-be-President Barack Obama? Fast-forward six years and the sentiment has changed quite a bit. In fact, bankers appear to have more gripes with the president than virtually any other population.
A new poll conducted in late October found that just 17% of financial industry participants approve of the job Obama has done, with 73% disapproving. That’s a stark contrast from the general population, which gives Obama a 41% approval/54% disapproval rating, according to the U.S. Midterm Elections Survey, which surveyed around 200 bankers. Roughly half of all respondents gave Obama an “F” grade when it comes to his performance on issues concerning the U.S. financial services industry.
The president can at least feel good that he is not the only one receiving dirty looks from Wall Street. Just 8% of bankers think Congress is performing well, so he’s in good company I guess?
As one would imagine, Wall Street’s donations to Democrats have dried up as Obama’s approval rating among bankers has plummeted. In 2008, roughly 20% of Obama’s overall donations came from Wall Street. This year, banks like Goldman Sachs have given two-thirds of their donations to the Republican Party. Around 70% of financial services workers would like to see Republicans control the Senate.
The reason for all the Obama hate wasn’t detailed in the study, but there are several reasons to choose from. Larger taxes for high earners, regulatory measures aimed to moderate risk but that also limit profitability, and his general stance on banker pay, to name a few.
Back in July, Obama said that profit incentives at big banks were an “unfinished piece of business” for his administration, and that he would take “additional steps” to rein in risky trading behavior.
Interestingly, 88% of respondents said that financial markets will perform better if Republicans win control of the Senate. While it’s not apples-to-apples, the markets historically perform much better with a Democrat in the White House. Since 1901, the S&P is up 12.1% per year under a Democratic president. It’s up just 5.1% per year under a Republican administration.
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