Unforuately...
and Wellstone's case proves it so well, there seems to has been a (fairly) recent move in politic to regard races at a national level rather than at the local level where they belong.
Both the Democrats and the Republicans in Wellstone's race have people pushing for the race to tilt one way or another not because of what they parties will do for that state but rather to the nation as a whole.
One side starts, then the other responds, escalating. Then the reverse.
What bothers me the most is that I see nothing but increased polarization of the parties in the near future.
