They didn’t show up in the 2009 gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. Nor did they turn up in the 2010 primaries: according to an American University study by Curtis Gans out today, Democratic turnout was a record low – just 8.2% of the eligible electorate. And for the first time in 70 years, Republican primary turnout eclipsed Democratic turnout.

While Obama is still incredibly popular amongst African Americans, he won’t be on the ballot next month and it remains to be seen if his popularity will rub off on other candidates. In fact, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already cut off funding for four of those 20 seats — Rep. Steve Dreihaus in Ohio, REp. Chet Edwards in Texas and the open seats in Tennessee’s eightUnused; c. 1965; photo by E. Tustanoff; "Cleary Auditorium and Memorial Convention Hall, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Canada's International Convention Centre, erected to the memory of the late Francis Cleary, and in grateful tribute to those men and women of the Windsor area who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War."; opened in 1960; now called St. Clair College Centre for the Arts; located on Riverside Drive between Ferry Street (left side) and Church Street.