Well the 2008 elections are over and it appears that everyone came out in force, not just gamblers or gays or African Americans or Bible thumpers, but everyone. Many of the supporters for Internet Gaming regulation were re-elected and our President-elect may see the failures of recent prohibitions. But, several of the most staunch opponents for Internet gaming were re-elected as well.

Overall – this election went kind of sideways for our cause. Like a day of $2500 in action where you end up ahead $20. Still this beats going down $500 and we are most likely better off on November 7th than we were on November 1.

Here are some of the key races that were won or lost.

Barney Frank (D-MA) is one of the biggest allies of Internet freedoms and thus a supporter of Internet gaming. Frank hails from the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts and crushed Republican challenger Earl Sholley in a landslide. The final tally saw Frank winning by a college football pointspread – 68% to 25%,

Republican Congressman Ron Paul was the co-sponsor of  Barney Frank’s Payments System Protection Act  (HR 5767), which ended in a tie vote in committee earlier this year. Paul represents the 14th Congressional District of Texas and ran unopposed.

Shelley Berkley, a Democrat in the First Congressional District of Nevada, introduced a bill that we support for a study of Internet gambling. (HR 2140). Berkley smoked Kenneth Wagner by a 67% to 28% margin. 

Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler, a poker supporter who introduced HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act,  easily won the19th Congressional District of Florida and with a 66% to 27% margin over Republican challenger Edward Lynch.

Washington Congressman Jim McDermott (D) introduced several tax-related measures that serve as companion pieces to Frank’s HR 2046. McDermott’s latest legislation is HR 6501. He had his way with the 7th district garnering over 85% of the vote.

Steve Cohen (D-TN), Melvin Watt (D-NC), John Conyers (D-MI)  and Linda Sanchez (D-CA) all received over 70% of the vote in their districts and Bobby Scott (D-VA) ran unapposed. All of these Representatives support Shelley Berkley’s bill and are considered friends of online gaming.

However, before gambling advocates go and get too excited, several Congressmen who will fight the ‘evils of gambling’ until they are voted out, did manage to return for another term.

Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), one of the architects of so many pieces of anti-gambling legislation and co-author of the UIGEA won handily in the 6th district in Virginia with a 25 point margin of victory.

Conservative Republican and arch enemy of Barney Frank and the rest of the intelligent world, Spencer Bachus from Alabama ran unopposed. This representative has been the main opponent of Barney Frank’s efforts to repeal the UIGEA. In House sessions on the subject, Bachus will bring up a late teen who killed himself because of his gambling debts and the letters from the major sports denoucning betting – everytime. He is a ranking member of the House Finance Committee and has great influence over the Republicans in it. Perhaps it is time for gambling interests to prop up a candidate in this district to oppose Bachus . . .

Republican Jon Porter was a supporter of Internet gambling as he too introduced a bill to study the effects of Internet gambling. Was, because he lost to Democrat Dina Titus by a mere 5 points in the 3rd district in Nevada. This race featured 6 candidates all getting votes. We can only hope that the newly elected Democrat is a friend of Shelley Berkley and Internet gaming. 

Home to staunch gaming opposition in the past, Arizona had no elections for Senate, though they did vote in Democrats 5-3 in the House. Unfortunately, Jon Kyl, who was gaming’s enemy #1 for years, is still in his Senate seat. And, by losing his bid for the Presidency, John McCain will return to the Senate and most likely continue to toe the party line opposinng gambling.

Of all of the operators we spoke with since Tuesday, everyone expressed positive feeling towards our newly elected President. As one operator said, Obama can only help our cause. He certainly can’t be worse for us then Bush.” However, don’t expect Internet Gambling to be on the list of things to do in the fist 100 days. After the economy, the war(s), the healthcare system and every other issue facing our president and new Congress are looked at, gaming may see it’s way to the plate.

And now that the Democrats hold an edge in all areas of lawmaking, the House, Senate and Presidency, let’s hope that the new adminstration sees the foolishness of the UIGEA. Let’s urge our new lawmakers to stamp out players like Bachus and move forward to an era of regulation, not prohibition. After all, Change is Coming to America!