Amodei Wins NV Special Election, Signals More Trouble for Obama

Across the nation on Tuesday night many eyes were on the special election in the New York’s 9th Congressional district as “citizen” candidate, Republican Bob Turner defeated his Democrat opponent David Weprin to win the vacated seat of disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner.  Turner became the first Republican in over 80 years to hold the seat.

However, NY-09 was not the only Republican victory that night.  In Nevada, former state senator and Nevada Republican Party chairman Mark Amodei easily beat Democrat Kate Marshall in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.  The special election was called to fill the seat of former Congressman Dean Heller, who was forced to resign after admitting to an extramarital affair.  Amodei’s victory was not as surpising as his New York counterpart’s, as it seemed like it would just be a matter of one Republican handing over the reigns to another.  The real surprise was in the margin of that victory: Amodei defeated Marshall by more than 20 points.

Although the NY-09 race seemed to indicate a referendum on Obama’s policies, particularly regarding Israel, some pundits have warned against that particular opinion.  Many believe it was nothing more than a fatigued constituency that was simply weary of Weiner’s seedy sex(ish) scandal looking to distance themselves from the party he represented.  However, Amodei’s large victory debunks that point of view.  If that were the case, wouldn’t the NV electorate have at least indicated the same type of fatigue, considering the similar circumstances of that special election?

Whatever the case may be, the Obama administration is sure be paying close attention to these election results.  They may well be a precursor to the Presidential election in 2012.