Paul Begala's right, the one race that probably was a game changer tonight was the special election for Jack Murtha's old seat. Not because another Blue Dog Democrat got elected, but because had Mark Critz not defeated Tim Burns in that election, all we'd be hearing from now until November is how the Republicans are going to retake the House. That media narrative got turned on its head tonight. As Begala said, primaries define the party but they don't always mean that much for the mood of the voters in the regular elections and Blue Dog or not, and Critz ran against things like privatizing Social Security, had President Obama and Nancy Pelosi continually attacked during the election and still won. So maybe we're not looking at the Democrats losing control of the House this fall. However, it won't break my heart to see some more incumbents go down in primary races.

That said, nothing's going to stop Castellanos from trying to spin this thing as Democrats need to be more conservative to win elections, blah, blah, blah. Digby caught him spinning the Kentucky primary elections in a similar manner. Sending Messages:

Alex Castellanos just said that Kentucky proves that Republicans want Republicans to be more conservative and the Democrats want Democrats to be more conservative.

That is utter bullshit. They are talking about Rand Paul as if he's the second coming of morning in America, true, but the fact is that Jack Conway has won the Democratic primary against a far more conservative opponent --- and Dem turnout was way higher that GOP turnout, Paul-mania notwithstanding. The November narrative is turned on its axis.

Teabaggers may be sending their party a message, but progressives are sending one to theirs as well and it isn't to be more conservative. (And both of them are saying one thing in unison: would you mind if we pick our own representatives please?)

I'd like to know how the loser in the Democratic primary having more votes than the winner in the Republican primary bodes well for Republicans in Kentucky as well. Errol Lewis pointed out a little earlier in the show that Rand Paul came out in favor of repealing the Americans With Disabilities Act and said he had calls pouring into his radio talk show from older Americans and disabled Americans asking what the hell he was talking about. Mitch McConnell's got egg on his face now with his hand chosen candidate being defeated by Paul. Now they get to deal with the consequences of the Paul win and defending a far right Libertarian for the United States Senate.