Democrats Dispirited After Losses in NY, Nev.

Republicans beat Democrats in two special congressional elections Tuesday, in Nevada and New York. And the outcomes have left Democrats depressed, Politico reports.

In New York, Democrats lost in a solidly Democratic New York City district when Republican Bob Turner defeated Democratic Assemblyman David Weprin to fill the vacancy of disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner. And in Nevada, an important state for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, former Republican state Sen. Mark Amodei shellacked Democrat Kate.

During a high-level campaign conference call Tuesday afternoon, before the votes had even been counted, Democratic donors and strategists expressed their disappointment in Obama. “People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” a source on the call told Politico.

Many are pointing fingers at the president. A senior Democratic aide on Capitol Hill, explaining the loss of the New York seat, said, “The approval ratings for the guy at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue cratered.”

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said, “I think every election reflects on the person in charge, but do I think it is an overall statement on the president alone? No. Do I think it will be interpreted as being a statement on Obama? That’s probably correct.”