2008 campaign seen as rejection of Republicans, not conservatism.  "The American people voted to punish the Big Government Republicans who made a mess of things," says Richard A. Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, "from the conduct of the Iraq War to Katrina to the Wall Street bailout." 

"But," Viguerie added, "at the same time people were voting to throw the Republicans out, they were giving the Democratic Congress the lowest approval ratings ever recorded.  This was a vote against Big Government Republicanism, not a lurch to the Left."

Indeed, conservatives won huge victories in marriage amendments in three states-California, Arizona, and Florida.  (See this week's edition of What's Happening with Christian Values for details.)

Republicans lose big-time.  Democrats not only won the White House, but made significant gains in the Senate and House-compounding the GOP losses of 2006. 

In the presidential race, as of last Wednesday, Obama led McCain by 7.5 million popular votes.  In electoral votes, it was 349 to 163, with two states, totaling 26 electoral votes, still too close to call.

Republicans had lost at least five Senate seats in New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, and New Mexico. 

It seemed likely that, when late votes are counted from liberal areas, Oregon would also be lost.  And there will likely be a recount in Minnesota, and a runoff in Georgia.

In Alaska, Republican Senator Ted Stevens was recently convicted of criminal charges for failing to report gifts but apparently won re-election anyway.  With 99% of the votes counted, Stevens led Democrat Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, by 3,353 votes with 40,000 absentee votes still be counted.  Observers believe Stevens is considered likely to win those votes, but it will take about two weeks for the count to be completed.

If Stevens is re-elected and then resigns or is expelled from the Senate, a special election must be held within 90 days.

In the House, Democrats had hoped to gain 30 seats but picked up only 18 with 8 still be decided.  12 Republican incumbents were defeated, while 4 Democratic incumbents were unseated.  The others were "open" seats where no incumbent was running.

Unfortunately, some good conservatives were swept away in the anti-Republican tsunami.  They include Tom Feeney in Florida, who had an American Conservative Union (ACU) rating of 96%; Steve Chabot in Ohio (100% ACU rating), Tim Walberg in Michigan (100% ACU rating), Thelma Drake in Virginia (100% ACU rating); and Marilyn Musgrave in Colorado (100% ACU rating).

No leftist mandate seen.  The Democrats ran as centrists who would cut taxes for 95% of the people, balance the budget in four years, go line-by-line through the budget eliminating wasteful programs, capture Osama bin Laden, and leave law-abiding gun owners alone. 

The big developing fight in the new Congress will be between Democrats who understand that these are the approaches approved by American voters on November 4, and the pressures and demands from the party's far-Left pressure groups, such as MoveOn.org, unions, race-based groups, and pro-abortion and homosexual groups. 

If the Dems cave in to these groups, they will learn, like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, what happens when politicians claim mandates they didn't earn.