Ever since the appearance of Lee Atwater as an aggressive, untruthful smear campaign specialist, and of the mean=spirited aggressiveness of Newt Gingirich, Republican political campaigns at all levels have become more and more untruthful, malicious, smear machines. These campaigns have poisoned the political landscape and greatly increased incivility as the norm.

I truly hope that tonight's results will show that enough Americans have mature politically to the point that they are willing to punish Republicans for the use of such intellectually and morally dishonest tactics that deeply wound our political discourse and ethos. Make them pay until it stops.