Post Race Analysis

My government classes had a marathon session last night on Twitter.  We held class from 8:30 until 11:30 (my favorite Tweet was when one of my students asked if she could go to sleep).  Some of the kids actually started at 7 pm and the last Tweet (way after I was asleep) was at 2 am. I am curious as to the kids' feelings, but I feel Tweeting the debates and the election was an incredible way to involve the students in the interactive learning.

At any rate, here is the electoral map I will be using the NYTimes as it has full page graphics my students can bring up in their laptops or tablets.  Here are the presidential results, US Senate and House of Representatives.  For the presidential results, these graphics show how Obama won using women, Hispanics and younger voters in swing states.

VA was obviously one of the swing states and the two key counties were Loudoun and Prince William counties which were solid Republican areas in 2004 and have been growing quickly.  Both went to Obama in 08 and since they were trending (and finally went) for him last night, and threw the state to Obama with their Democratic result.  This is important to point out to students as the campaigns know not only which states, but which counties to target.

State by state results are here.  What I like about this page is that it has both the key congressional races as well as the referenda results.