The GOP seems to be having some trouble in New York.  Some thoughts,

1.  The Republican candidate seems flat footed and the "Tea Party" candidate is a classic straw (a candidate with no chance to win whose goal is to to help one of the viable candidates by pulling votes from another viable candidate.)

 2.  Medicare reform has to be a choice between centrally administered rationing that will hit current seniors (the Obama/Democrat approach) and patient-centered reform for future seniors.  If it is just Republican Medicare cuts vs. nothing, then Republicans lose.  And Republicans have to be on offense tying their Democratic opponets to IPAB.

 3.  Gingrich made the job of Democrats marginally easier.  His new first name is Even (as is even Newt Gingrich the right-wing Speaker is against this radical right-wing social engineering plan.)

4.  The Capretta-Miller Medicare reform plan would be a more prudent reform plan for 2012 (along with being better policy imho.)