In other California election news, the "Meatheaded" Proposition 82 was trounced. This would have assesed a tax on the "rich" to pay for four-year olds to go to pre-school provides an excellent lesson in the quality of survey research. Early polls showed the ballot measure, which was concocted by frequent political meddler and sometime actor Rob Reiner, a surefire hit, which helped it to raise money and sponsors. Yet a funny thing happened on the way to the real polls. Voters across the Blue State of California looked past the gooey phraseology "for the children" and affirmed that bedrock ideology, no new taxes.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) said Bilbray's narrow victory in a safe district proved that Democratic hopes for substantial gains remain very much alive. "The message of change is still filled with a lot of jet fuel," he said. "My only hope and prayer is that Republicans take solace in this election so they continue to sleepwalk through it."

The former No. 2 House leader criticized his Republican colleagues for "panic, depression and woe-is-me-ism," and predicted they will lose control in November "if they continue the attitude they have right now."

"The fact that Busby got 15 points over Democratic registration, that should make Republicans nervous," said David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University. "It's not that Bilbray won. This is a safe Republican seat. I was very surprised that $5 million doesn't allow you to break 50 percent."