Vermont Bellwether

Almost as soon as Vermont's polls closed, Democrat Peter Welch was declared the winner of the race for the state's lone U.S. House seat, downing Republican state Adjutant General Martha Rainville. This is not an upset, but this seat -- held by the outgoing independent/Democrat Bernie Sanders -- was actually one of the brighter pick-up prospects for the national GOP. The fact that they lost so decisively isn't a good signal for them. -- Steve Kornacki