Bellwether?

In what could be regarded as the first test of the political landscape since health care reform passed, Democrat Ted Deutch, has easily won the Florida congressional seat in a special election to replace Democrat Robert Wexler, who resigned to head a Middle East think tank.

It is ordinarily considered a safe Democratic seat -- Obama won the disctrict with 65% of the vote, and Wexler was a "fire-breathing liberal," But so was Ted Kennedy. And Wexler's opponent tried to make the campaign a referendum on health care reform and on the Obama administration.

Deutch won by 62-35 in a vote where about 40% were senior citizens, who obviously didn't drink the kool aid about reform taking away their Medicare or pulling the plug on grandma.

This one election doesn't prove anything, but I breathe a little easier. At least Scott Brown's win in MA wasn't the bellwether some would like to think.

Ralph