Dean: Yesterday's Elections Offer Good News For Democrats

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on Tuesday's elections, which offered good news for Democrats, both in terms of yesterday's gains and the long-term goal of winning in 2008 and beyond to build a permanent Democratic Majority.

In Kentucky, voters embraced Steve Beshear's positive vision and rejected more-of-the-same Republican culture of corruption, and in Virginia strong Democratic leadership helped not only reclaim the Virginia Senate for the first time since 1999, but ensured that Virginia will be in play in 2008.

Even with a well-financed Republican incumbent at the top of the ticket in Mississippi, Democrats took back control of the State Senate and won the state-wide attorney general election.

With victories in New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Pennsylvania and Maine, Democrats continue to hold 28 of 50 governorships, control a majority of state legislatures around the country, and are poised to build on our Congressional majorities and elect a Democratic president in 2008.

"Democrats won big victories in yesterday's elections. I want to congratulate all of our strong candidates across the country.

"Together they showed that when Democrats show up, talk about our values and offer clear solutions we can win anywhere in the country. While yesterday's results offer a lot of good news for Democrats as we head into 2008, we aren't going to take a single vote for granted as we continue to mobilize voters across the country in all 50 states. We will continue to work hard between now and Election Day to ensure that America elects a Democratic president to deliver the change that Americans so clearly want. From ending the war in Iraq to ensuring that our children have health care, a Democratic president will put America's priorities first again."