Is Hostettler Loss an Early Sign of the Wave?

House Democrats are now 14 seats away from a majority.

Rep. John Hostettler (R) lost his reelection bid in the 8th District of Indiana, according the Associated Press. The race has been called for Vanderburgh County sheriff Brad Ellsworth (D). Hostettler has held the so-called "Bloody Eighth" since 1994, running non-traditional campaigns every two years in which he raised very little money and hired no professional political consultants.

(Remember that Indiana's 8th was one of the nine districts that Jim VandeHei, Chet Rhodes and I traveled through during the "Ohio River Ramble.")

Rep. Anne Northup (R) continues to trail former alternative newsweekly executive editor John Yarmouth in Kentucky's 3rd District. Should Northup lose, it would be a signal that a strong Democratic wind is blowing -- at least in the Bluegrass State.

The lone Senate switch so far is in Pennsylvania where Sen. Rick Santorum (R) has lost to state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D). Santorum was widely seen as the most endangered incumbent in the country and his loss is not surprising and should not be read an indication of a national trend.

In governor's news, Rep. Ted Strickland (D) won the Ohio governorship over Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R); in Massachusetts, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General DeVal Patrick (D) has defeated Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R). Both are pickups for Democrats.