Depending on which side of the aisle you were on, it was either a stunning victory, a smashing defeat, a repudiation of the Reagan agenda, a staying the course and solidifying the Reagan agenda.
But everybody agreed it was the most expensive mid-term election in history. That was 1982. The end result was the Democrats still controlled the House and the Republicans still controlled the Senate, or as David Jackson of CBS News put it:
David Jackson (CBS News): “ Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent in all the campaigns, the races for the Senate, the House, the Governor’s offices and lots of local posts. It was the most expensive mid-term election ever. The Democrats gained some here and there. They call it a great victory for the people. The Republicans held on some here and there. They call it a great victory for the people. Campaign workers this morning, are rubbing bleary eyes, maybe some teary eyes. It was a long night, a good fight, and of course, we’ll do it all over again in 1984.”
One wonders if, come next Wednesday, the comparisons may be more along the lines of 1982, rather than 1994. Just saying.
Here is a capsule of the 1982 mid-term election from the opening of voting on the morning of November 2nd and the wrap up on November 3rd, 1982.
