What many do not know is that there was a massive sweep in state legislatures, a historic sweep.
The GOP picked up at least 19 chambers and hundreds of seats, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures -- though the tally is not final and Republican recruitment arm GOPAC pegs the party's chamber pickups at about 23. In several states, Republicans took control of both chambers and the governor's seat.
Though the taking of the U.S. House of Representatives overshadowed the victories for the Republican Party on the state level, the state legislatures take on outsized importance ahead of the 2012 cycle. State governments are responsible for redrawing the congressional districts in accordance with the results of the 2010 Census, and the GOP now has a much stronger voice in that process.
"It is truly historic that we could flip that many legislative chambers in one off-year election," GOPAC Chairman Frank Donatelli told FoxNews.com. "It's broad, it's deep and it's across the entire country."
The messages may or may not have been received. People will interpret the voter's message in many way, ignoring exit polls, avoiding the scope of what last night's election meant, but one thing is very clear.
Voters are watching. Voters are remembering.
Last but not least, voters expect their representatives to represent them, not their party, not their own best interests, but to represent their constituents.
Starting January 2011, we will see which politicians heard us and which did not.
2012 begins then.
.