<![CDATA[The Battle In The States]]>Abby Rapoport thinks the real GOP victory in 2010 wasn't in Congress, but in the gaining "control of 21 house and senate chambers" at the state level:

While Republican members of Congress were focused on blocking the Democratic agenda, Republican state lawmakers began to drive the national policy debate. They wasted no time slashing social programs, weakening women’s reproductive rights and collective bargaining, and creating new barriers to voting rights.

What's more, she notes, the GOP bankrollers understand the superior return on investment of down-ticket races. She claims that "Republican groups, with their deep-pocketed backers, are aiming for a repeat performance in 2012":

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