Election Day results are in. While interpretations of the results can vary dramatically, focusing on a few key political races can help us understand what they mean.New Jersey

New Jersey elected Republican Chris Christie as governor over Democrat Jon Corzine. President Obama supported Corzine, and while Democrats claim that the race was centered on the issue of property tax, Republicans are saying that it reflects voters’ dissatisfaction with the president.

Virginia

In Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell easily won the race for governor. This didn’t come as a surprise to analysts, but it’s notable because Obama won the state in 2008. Some are saying that McDonnell’s victory reflects a shift back to Virginia’s traditionally conservative voting trends.

New York – Special Election 23

In New York, Democrat Bill Owens, Republican DeDe Scozzafava, and Conservative Doug Hoffman, competed for a vacant seat in the House of Representatives. Just before Election Day, Scozzafava dropped out of the race. She realized that her moderate stances on issues like abortion and gay rights killed her chances in the overwhelmingly conservative district.

Hoffman, on the other hand, had domineered most of the Republican vote with his ultra-conservative positions. He appeared to be a shoe-in for the seat until Scozzafava surprised everyone and endorsed his challenger, Owens.

With Scozzafava’s support and a divided Republican party, Owens quickly began gaining momentum in the district. In the end, Owens managed to squeeze out a victory over Hoffman, claiming a House seat that the Democratic Party had been unable to win for over a hundred years.

California – Special Election 10

Democrat John Garamendi claimed the available House seat. This gave Democrats a clean two-for-two sweep of the available House seats.

Maine – Special Question 1 & 2

There were some hotly debated issues in Maine. Voters repealed the pioneering law that had previously made Maine the first state to legalize gay marriage. At the same time, they chose to legalize medical marijuana in the state.

Across the Nation –

These key races have been interpreted and spun in every way by the media, but the facts are yours to interpret.

Conservatives present Election Day as a huge shift towards conservatism, declaring the Republican victories proof that people are showing their disapproval for Obama and his recent policies.

On Rush Limbaugh’s Web site, his post-election day blog states, “You know, we’re turning this ship around, and it’s just beginning here.”

Junior Matt Clausen, president of College Democrats, sees no validity in such claims.

“I don’t buy into that stuff,” said Clausen, “New Jersey and Virginia were won based on local politics. I don’t think that off-year elections like this have any bearing on the president or on the political temperature.”

Maria Rosales, assistant professor of political science, seemed to agree.

“It’s clearly not a huge deal,” Rosales said. “Off-year elections are never good indicators. Fewer people turn out, and those who do tend to be white, more educated, and higher class. This doesn’t mean that’s how our country is going to vote in real elections.”

In an email, Kyle Dell, associate professor of political science, responded to some questions regarding his thoughts on what this year’s election could mean.

“This is probably one of those moments where everyone can see what they want to see in the results,” he said. “If you’re a Republican, there’s hope that the independents that were a key part of the Obama coalition in 2008 are still in play. If you’re a Democrat, you should take heart in the fact that Republican victories in key races around the country don’t erase the real challenges of putting together a winning national coalition for the GOP.”

As ambiguous as the results of this election have been, there were decisions that will unequivocally affect the lives of thousands of people — results that were met with both tears and cheers. Maine is a prime example.

“I think it’s sad,” said Rosales, on Maine’s decision to repeal gay marriage. “And I was surprised by medical marijuana in Maine. A lot of people are saying they were surprised that one passed, while the other one didn’t.”

While Tuesday was a mixed day for people from all sides of the political spectrum, it certainly brought out concerns and hopes for a better future.

Dell shared a few of his own hopes for political change, focusing particularly on the political culture that has emerged in the nation over the years.

“Compared to voters around the world, Americans have very odd notions of what makes for a healthy democracy,” he said. “We tend to fixate on elections and the chance to keep politicians on a short leash.”

Adding that he hoped we could learn to trust our leaders, Dell said, “Political communities depend on trust and this seems sorely lacking in our conversations today.