Republican leaders giddy, and even a bit cocky over results

From Eric Dondero:

There has been an absolutely huge shift in politics in the State of Maine. Though the final results were tighter than expected, Tea Party Republican Paul Lepage won over Independent Elliot Culter with 40% of the vote, to Cutler's 38%. Maine has not had a Republican Governor in nearly two decades.

Perhaps even more dramatic, Republicans gained the State Senate with a projected 23 seats out of 40. They have not controlled that body since a brief period in 1996.

Similarly, the State House has also gone Republican. It appears that the GOP will control 77 seats, out of 140.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network, a publicly-subsidized news service out of Portland reports:

The first thing Maine Republicans did the day after being swept into office was to gather all the victorious legislative candidates at the State House and hold a news conference in the Hall of Flags that was more like a pep rally. "This press conference starts out by, 'A funny thing happened last night,'" he said, to laughter and cheers.

Outgoing House Minority Leader Josh Tardy, who is termed out of the Legislature, says he and his fellow Republicans are "proud, excited and humbled" by the choices voters have made, "because we recognize the awesome obligation and the important obligation we have and the trust that the people of Maine have given us. And I am proud to say that Republicans have been ready for this for quite some time. We are ready, willing and able. We have the talent. We have the passion. We have the commitment and we will deliver."

Senate Minority Leader Kevin Raye, who has indicated he'll run for Senate President, says Republicans are under no illusions that their job will be easy. The state faces a budget deficit of about a billion dollars over the next two years. "We face daunting challenges. We have a big mess to clean up," he said. "We can do it. You got it! Yes we can!"

Raye says Republicans are determined to change the culture of state government so that the state of Maine is a place that values prosperity and working people.

Former Maine state legislator and current Republican Liberty Caucus State Board member Stravos Mendros described a conversation he had with another legislator who happened to be at the state capitol the day after the election:

Democrat staffers were literally crying all over the place. In all the hallways, and offices of Democrat reps staffers were balling, and blabbering. These guys have had their secure legislative jobs for 30 to 40 years.

Mendros and the ME RLC played a major role in legislative races across the state, particularly in the Lewiston/Auburn area.