In the hours after Republican Ed Gillespie came within inches of the unthinkable, Virginia political circles were obsessed with one simple question: How in the heck did that just happen?

Tuesday's midterm elections marked a new milestone for women in American politics. For the first time in the nation's history, the number of women in Congress will reach 100.

It’s Election Day, folks, and we’ve done all we can do to help educate voters about the candidates and their positions. Now, it’s time to have some fun.

Mia Love, Joni Ernst and other 2014 midterms winners help soften party’s image

How Obama invited a historic defeat

“Today I had a chance to speak with John Boehner and congratulated Mitch McConnell on becoming the next Senate majority leader,” said Barack Obama in the opening of his White House press conference following the Democrats’ Tuesday massacre. “And I told them both that I look forward to finishing up this Congress’s business and then working together for the next two years to advance America’s business.” The president is looking forward to “working together to deliver for the American people.”

On Tuesday, liberals lost at the polls. Republicans picked up at least seven seats in the Senate and more than a dozen in the House, along with a handful of governor’s mansions — including in the deep-blue states of Maryland and Massachusetts. All the intensity was with Republican voters and for Republican candidates. Democrats’ turnout collapsed, particularly among the young.

CNN asked commentators for views on the results of the midterm elections in which the GOP took back the Senate and retained control of the House. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors.

Republicans seem to have convinced the average American that what is good for billionaires, oil and gas companies, pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, banks, chemical companies and defense contractors is good for them. With this midterm election, we gave the country over lock, stock and barrel to our new corporate overlords.

We watched this disaster approach in slow motion over the last few weeks, but in fact it's been approaching for

President Barack Obama spoke about the midterm elections Wednesday, telling every American -- including those who didn't vote -- "I hear you."

"The American people sent a message, one that they've sent for several elections now. They expect the people they elect to work as hard as they do," Obama said. "They expect us to focus on their ambitions, not ours. They want us to get the job done."

Obama