"The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
....WINNERS
Evan Bayh: The Indiana Democrat put considerable time and money into helping elect three homestate Democrats to the House. Bayh provided staff support and donations to Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill. Their subsequent victories provided Democrats with three of the 15 seats they needed to reclaim the majority. Bayh quickly worked to turn those results into a validation of his governing philosophy. "Evan Bayh has developed a formula for winning under the most difficult of circumstances," wrote communications director Dan Pfeiffer in a memo sent to reporters. "He is fiscally responsible, tough on national security, shares the values of middle class families, and values progress over partisanship." That sounds quite a bit like a 2008 campaign slogan to us.
Brian Schweitzer: The governor of Montana was already seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party prior to the 2006 election. State Sen. Jon Tester's (D) victory over Sen. Conrad Burns (R) last Tuesday provides further momentum for Schweitzer on the national stage. It also provides him a bit of revenge. Schweitzer lost narrowly to Burns in 2000 -- four years before he was elected governor. Expect Schweitzer to be a prominent name in the vice presidential sweepstakes in 2008.
Chuck Schumer and Rahm Emanuel: The heads of the two Democratic campaign committees entered this election cycle with huge expectations. Each man was seen as the perfect choice to lead Democrats to the majority despite the long odds -- especially in the Senate. Amazingly, each delivered. And now both are reaping the rewards of their successes. Emanuel is currently unopposed as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus; Schumer agreed to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for a second consecutive cycle and was named Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic conference.
Joe Biden: Already one of the most prominent voices in the Democratic Party on the war in Iraq, Biden's profile will rise even higher as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden may well use his coveted perch to further his own presidential ambitions. Or he may decide that serving in the Senate majority -- and in such a prominent position -- is more enticing than spending weeks and months in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina....
(NOTE: Cillizza's losers are Elizabeth Dole, Virginia Attorney-General Bob McDonnell, John Kerry, and, sadly, female Democratic House candidates, among them Diane Farrell (Conn.), Patricia Madrid (N.M.), Lois Murphy (Pa.), Darcy Burner (Wash.), Mary Jo Kilroy (Ohio), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), and Patty Wetterling (Minn.).)
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/11/election_2006_winners_and_lose_1.html#more