The O'Donnell win isn't that surprising when you think about it

ILLUSTRATED: American communities are becoming unhinged. Voters usually vote for the candidate who personifies the zeitgeist of that election year. Hence, 2010 is a politically tumultuous year.

It's a simple truth about elections: candidates win who personify public opinion at the time of their election. This morning it was announced that August, 2010 had a record number of home foreclosures, with more in the pipeline. As families lose their homes, consumers lose their credit, workers lose their employability, and neighborhoods lose their old demographic character, strange things will continue to happen at the ballot box.

Economically solvent households are the building blocks of communities. As this foundation is crumbling, the political landscape becomes fertile for candidates who channel voters' frustrations and fear of the future.

The political class is "shocked" by the "upset" win of archconservative Christine O'Donnell in the Delaware Republican Senate Primary. She defeated a long term, popular moderate Republican who was expected to cruise to victory in November. A struggling woman who speaks in ideologically clear statements, she is resonating with voters right now. Even though her worldview and policies do not normally vibe with Delaware.

These are not normal times. Democrats need a message that addresses this.