Politics | midterm elections Establishment in Trouble? A Definite Maybe Good luck finding a pattern in last night's tea leaves By John Johnson Posted Aug 25, 2010 8:57 AM CDT Copied Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, waves to supporters at an election victory party. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Pundits looking to wrap up last night's election results in a tidy little bow got thrown for a loop, writes Dan Balz in the Washington Post. The establishment vs. outsiders theme yielded at best a "mixed verdict." John McCain proved an establishment figure can prevail, while Lisa Murkowski's tight race in Alaska against the "underfunded" and Palin-backed Joe Miller sent the opposite message. As for Florida, Kendrick Meek scored one for the establishment in the Senate race, while gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott notched one for the newcomers. Despite the mixed results, "there is little to suggest that voter disaffection with Washington is dissipating or that Republican energy and enthusiasm are weakening," writes Balz. "The question is whether some embattled Democratic incumbents have had enough time to prepare for the tests they will face this fall." Read These Next Horrific tragedy reported at Rob Reiner's house. Suspect in Brown University shooting is a Wisconsin man, 24. A beach massacre at a Jewish event in Australia killed 12. Father and son killed 15 people on Bondi Beach, police say. Report an error