Because she lost—and once you lose, it's over, you're out. I mean, when's the last time we heard from that loser Sarah Palin anyway? Or two-time loser Dino Rossi? So long, Christine! Says Steve Kornacki at Salon...

No matter what else happens tonight, you can't say the GOP didn't pay a price for the restiveness of its Tea Party base: Christine O'Donnell has officially lost her U.S. Senate bid in Delaware. [Her] defeat is a vivid reminder of how the Tea Party has complicated things for the GOP in this election. Because of her ideological purity, the Tea Party base insisted on nominating O'Donnell, disregarding cries from party regulars that Rep. Mike Castle—who consistently led Coons by double digits all year—would guarantee a win for the party in the fall.... We'll soon know if Tea Party candidates have cost the GOP any other Senate races; you can keep tabs on them here. But if Republicans end tonight one vote short of a Senate majority, they'll have the Tea Party to thank for it.

UPDATE: A little more good news: Linda McMahon—the former WWE exec—loses to Dem Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut Senate race. McMahon spent $50 million of her own money on the race. McMahon's defeat is a bad omen—here's hoping—for moneybagassholes Whitman and Fiorina in California.

UPDATE 2: And the Dem wins—it's a Dem hold (Byrd's old seat) not a gain—in West Virginia, making it much likelier that the Dems will hold on to the Senate.

UPDATE 3: Nate Silver now puts the GOP's chances at taking the Senate at just 6%.

UPDATE 4: Come on, Russ!