Rand Paul, Tea Party Messiah - Politics - The Atlantic

Joshua Green corrects a few misconceptions about the Rand Paul victory:

What was most notable about a race that was captivating the national media was how little it seemed to penetrate the consciousness of most Kentuckians. It was a big a deal only to a small group of energized Republicans. But more Democrats voted (about 500,000) than Republicans (350,000). The disparity between the media's expectation and the reality on the ground was a source of no small amusement for Kentucky's political veterans.