This Election Day, voters loudly turned away from the Republicans, but in doing so, they didn’t re-embrace the same tired big government policies whose failure vaulted the Republicans into the majority 12 years ago.

Across the nation, voters struck down ballot initiatives that called for higher taxes and more intrusive government power. In California, taxpayers went four-for-four by defeating a major tobacco tax hike, higher taxes on oil production, a per-parcel property tax, and increased corporate taxes; Californians also wisely curtailed state power to invoke imminent domain for public to private land transfers. Voters were in the mood for change, not higher taxes.

Even in Congressional races, Republicans who ran as fiscal conservatives won, while many of those who ran away from limited government lost. Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and Representative Jim Leach (R-IA), two of the most liberal members of the GOP, both received “Ds

The news Tuesday night was both encouraging and a little sad. Sad because there were some good men and women who will not be returning to the Congress… But encouraging because several pro-life and pro-marriage Democrats will be among those coming to Washington…

This is an important period for the Republicans. If some of the timid and tired people who were more talk than action are now elevated to leadership positions in the House and Senate then religious conservatives will need to make some important choices. The party of Lincoln, Reagan and Gingrich should not have to take a poll or sit through a bunch of focus groups to determine how it feels about traditional values and freedom. And those within the party who are undecided about their values should be looking for another party. This is either an important moment of rebirth for the GOP or it is a brief pause on the downward descent of a party now consumed by inclusiveness and seeking the shelter of ambiguity.

As the liberals repeat the mantra “It is Time for a Change

In Tuesday's election, the American people made it plain that they want a change in direction -- and nowhere is this more needed and more true than in Iraq. The Administration's prosecution of the war has been plagued with serious flaws from the start and Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation will, I hope, signal the President's willingness to re-evaluate the Administration's course. The soon-to-be-released Baker/Hamilton Commission report should give the Administration and the new Congress fresh ideas on how to bring the conflict to an end.

There is something wrong in the Sarasota County in the 13th CD Election in Florida. There is a 18,000 vote deficit between the Congressional race and the other highly contested races on the ballot. The absentee ballots collected for the same race shows only a 2.5% difference in the number of voters that voted in these other races and the and the Congressional District race. The 18,000 votes missing in the 13th Congressional District Race represents a 13% drop off.

The local and state election officials are saying that voters just did not vote in that race because it was conflict driven. The key to investigating the problem is looking at the absentee ballot voting patterns and the e-voting tally--they should not deviate by that large of a margin in a race by race brake down.

The state of Florida passed a number of Draconian measures that bar inspection of the machines or the printout of all three memory devices to check for errors.

Election day 2006 will be remembered as a turning point in American political history. Twenty-five years after the Reagan Administration came to Washington with a conservative agenda of limited government, the American people chose a different course.

It is the duty of the losing party in a free election to humbly accept defeat and to acknowledge that the people are sovereign in the People's House.

As we examine the results of this election, it is imperative that we listen to the American people and learn the right lessons. Some will argue that we lost our majority because of scandals at home and challenges abroad. I say, we did not just lose our majority, we lost our way. Read more...

America's voters made it clear that they want change and new leadership that will move our nation in a dramatically different direction. A big part of that demand for change is about enacting smart energy solutions that will decrease our dependence on oil, clean up our environment, curb global warming, and create jobs. And candidates at all levels heard the people. Never before have so many candidates -- of both parties -- run on energy issues or shown such commitment to the development of new energy sources, policies, and practices.

Voters yesterday elected new local, state, and national leaders who are ready to take us forward.  America elected a greener U.S. House, a greener U.S. Senate, several greener Governors, and gave a green light to move in the direction of a new energy future. Green candidates were elected at every level of government and in every region in the country. With so many wonderful victories for the environment, it's hard to recognize them all. In the House, new greener Members of Congress were elected in every region of the country. We have gained at least 20 new seats where an anti-environment incumbent was replaced by a green challenger.

Our biggest victory obviously was the defeat of Richard Pombo in California. Sierra Club volunteers, myself included, were working right up to the last minute to turn out the vote for Jerry McNerney. Our ability to defeat an extreme anti-environmental incumbent, when no one else in the country believed the race to be in play, shows the power of these issues with voters and the power of the environmental movement in holding elected officials accountable. The Sacramento Bee reported yesterday  that even the ousted candidate recognized this fact: "Pombo ... has contended that whatever difficulties his reelection drive encountered had little to do with Iraq or Abramoff, and more to do with concerted efforts of environmental groups and other critics who targeted his race."   Looking at the election results, I can say unequivocally that the environment won a resounding victory.

I am pleased that President Bush has finally listened to the American people and recognized that the architect of his failed plan in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, should step down.

This decision is long overdue, given the Bush Administration's appalling pre-war planning, their disastrous prosecution of the war in Iraq, and their lack of a plan to redeploy our troops out of Iraq.

Nevertheless, I am hopeful that Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation presents an important opportunity for our country to begin a new strategy in Iraq and in the War on Terror, and I look forward to learning more about the President's nominee for this position, former Intelligence Director Robert Gates.

Secretary Rumsfeld deserves the thanks of all Americans for his leadership in the war on terror.  I trusted his opinion following the attack on America on September the 11, 2001. It was undoubtedly one of America's darkest days and Secretary Rumsfeld demonstrated leadership in making the right decision to go after the terrorists on their turf, not ours. I am also pleased the President now has the opportunity to appoint someone new to the position that will reassure Americans that he is a President capable of making needed change to provide Iraqi stability, U.S. security, and change tactics in the war on terror without risking defeat.

Yesterday's elections sent a message to the President, and the entire U. S. Congress, that greater flexibility is needed to do a better job in achieving positive results in Iraq.  Recent reports indicate that the young Iraqi government is moving in the right direction to quell the violence, disarm the insurgency, and empower the Sunni minority.

I hope the President's choice of former CIA chief Robert Gates, will have a perspective that will allow the American people to have greater confidence in our mission.

In May 2004, I called for the resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld as well as Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz when the Abu Ghraib prison scandal became public.  At the time I said that the prison abuse scandal demonstrated that the United States was reeling on the precipice of a major foreign policy debacle.  Our standing as a nation had been lowered to the point that the world no longer viewed the U.S. as the ambassador of peace but as a principal threat to world peace.

Two and one-half years later, the Administration continues to pursue a policy in Iraq without the benefit of any strategic or political compass.  Yesterday’s Congressional elections, and the ascendancy of the Democratic Party to the leadership of the House of Representatives, represents a clear repudiation of Secretary Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy.

It is past time to change course in Iraq.  It is my hope that today’s resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld is a signal that the Administration is not staying the course, but instead will chart a new path that enhances the security and safety of both Iraq and the U.S.