Students at public universities in California are planning a series of demonstrations across the state protesting tuition hikes today. While a few isolated incidents in recent weeks have provided fodder for some in the media to dismiss their concerns, the students’ cause is incredibly important. If we continue to yearly raise tuition in California far beyond inflation, we threaten to derail all that has enabled my home state to prosper in decades past.

• Oh noes! The teabaggers lose again!!!
• So did Sarah Palin.
• GOP takes back VA; wins in NJ.
• Democrat wins GOP district in CA.
• Bloomberg back in NYC.
• Gay marriage repealed in Maine.
• But wins in Washington.
• Nate has the analysis.

Polls in New Jersey and Maine are now closed. Leaked exit polls show New Jersey to be basically a tie, FWIW. There are no exit polls out of Maine. Virginia remains too early to call, which shocks me. The networks are being ultra-cautious. The latest numbers: 26.19% reporting McDonnell (R) 62.86% Deeds (D) 37.03% Deeds [...]

[Ed. Note: Dave Dayen has more on the CA-10 race.] You’re forgiven for not knowing that the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, as well as the clusterFOX Congressional race in NY-23 and referenda on stripping same-sex marriage rights in Maine (NO!) and Washington (YES!) are not the only elections today: even the Washington [...]

For those of you scoring at home, I thought I’d lay out exactly what the major races are next Tuesday, November 3. From Maine to California, New Jersey to Washington state, there are several significant races on the ballot, all of which will be spun by Democrats and Republicans as indicative of the national mood. But each have their own peculiarities about them.