Michael Doyle (PA-14) | D+19
Artur Davis (AL-7) | D+18
Joe Baca (CA-43) | D+13
Tim Ryan (OH-17) | D+12
Dale Kildee (MI-5) | D+11
Stephen Lynch (MA-9) | D+11
Daniel Lipinski (IL-3) | D+11
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) | D+10
Silvestre Reyes (TX-16) | D+10
Jim Langevin (RI-2) | D+9
Richard Neal (MA-2) | D+9
Jim Costa (CA-20) | D+5
Paul Kanjorski (PA-11) | D+4
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) | D+4
David Obey (WI-7) | D+3
Jim Cooper (TN-5) | D+3
James Oberstar (MN-8) | D+3
Michael Michaud (ME-2) | D+3
Jerry Costello (IL-12) | D+3
Steve Driehaus (OH-1) | D+1
John Barrow (GA-12) | D+1
Sanford Bishop (GA-2) | D+1
Henry Cuellar (TX-28) | EVEN
John Murtha (PA-12) | R+1
Joe Donnelly (IN-2) | R+2
Bob Etheridge (NC-2) | R+2
Charlie Wilson (OH-6) | R+2
Solomon Ortiz (TX-27) | R+2
Bart Stupak (MI-1) | R+3
Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3) | R+3
John Boccieri (OH-16) | R+4
Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23) | R+4
Vic Snyder (AR-2) | R+5
John Salazar (CO-3) | R+5
Collin Peterson (MN-7) | R+5
Mike McIntyre (NC-7) | R+5
Tom Perriello (VA-5) | R+5
Baron Hill (IN-9) | R+6
Heath Shuler (NC-11) | R+6
Harry Teague (NM-2) | R+6
Jason Altmire (PA-4) | R+6
Tim Holden (PA-17) | R+6
John Tanner (TN-8) | R+6
Nick Rahall (WV-3) | R+6
Mike Ross (AR-4) | R+7
Zack Space (OH-18) | R+7
John Spratt (SC-5) | R+7
Marion Berry (AR-1) | R+8
Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) | R+8
Chris Carney (PA-10) | R+8
Ben Chandler (KY-6) | R+9
Alan Mollohan (WV-1) | R+9
Jim Marshall (GA-8) | R+10
Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL) | R+10
Parker Griffith (AL-5) | R+12
Charlie Melancon (LA-3) | R+12
Lincoln Davis (TN-4) | R+13
Bart Gordon (TN-6) | R+13
Ike Skelton (MO-4) | R+14
Travis Childers (MS-1) | R+14
Dan Boren (OK-2) | R+14
Jim Matheson (UT-2) | R+15
Bobby Bright (AL-2) | R+16
Gene Taylor (MS-4) | R+20

Bobby Bright (AL-2)
Parker Griffith (AL-5)
Artur Davis (AL-7)
Mike Ross (AR-4)
Jim Marshall (GA-8)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Ben Chandler (KY-6)
Charlie Melancon (LA-3)
Collin Peterson (MN-7)
Ike Skelton (MO-4)
Travis Childers (MS-1)
Gene Taylor (MS-4)
Mike McIntyre (NC-7)
Heath Shuler (NC-11)
Harry Teague (NM-2)
John Boccieri (OH-16)
Dan Boren (OK-2)
Jason Altmire (PA-4)
Tim Holden (PA-17)
Lincoln Davis (TN-4)
Bart Gordon (TN-6)
John Tanner (TN-8)
Jim Matheson (UT-2)

It was only a matter of time before the most popular fictional ex-President and First Lady made such an appearance.

Following the election, Sarah Burris wrote What Yesterday Says About Young Voters, a lengthy analysis about the lack of youth outreach and the need to incorporate youth in both campaign and activism strategy.

Later that day I wrote about the success of young candidates throughout the country on election day and the Democratic Party takes the youth vote for granted at their own peril.

The Weekly Standard began to claim that the GOP’s youth vote win in Virginia was a sign that they are reclaiming the youth vote. Sarah Burris rebutted, and Aaron Marks of NextGenGOP agreed with her.

Jessy Tolkan, Executive Director of the Energy Action Coalition, wrote an excellent piece entitled Deconstructing the Myth of Disengaged Young Voters for the Huffington Post.

In summation the lesson learned from the 2009 election is that Democrats need to take young voter outreach very seriously, make a real commitment to building and funding youth organizing infrastructure, or risk losing all of the gains made from 2004-2008 that laid the groundwork for a dominant progressive Millennial generation that would pay dividends for a lifetime.

In New York, Young Democrats of America Democratic National Committeewoman Stephanie Hausner was the highest vote getter in her election to the Clarkstown Town Council. Former NYSYD National Committeeman David Carlucci won re-election as Clarkstown Town Clerk. Two former New York Young Democrats local chapter leaders, Dan French and David Fried, won local elections as well.

In New Hampshire, state Young Democrats President Garth Corriveau was elected Alderman in Manchester as was fellow NHYD Patrick Arnold.

In Washington, Kim Cole was elected to the Lynnwood City Council, Andy Ryder to the Lacey City Council, Amy Ockerlander to the Duvall City Council.

Over Twitter I’ve been told of a recent high school graduate that was elected to a school board in Michigan, as well as a number of other Millennial candidates that were giving victory speeches last night.

In towns and cities across the country young voters showed up to the polls to elect their own. These young local candidates realized the power of their generation, chose to run for office, and by reaching out to fellow young voters won their elections.

Yesterday’s lesson was not that young voters only showed up to the polls in 2008 to elect Barack Obama, but that Democrats must continue the youth outreach and funding that occurred during the 2008 cycle. The Millennial generation does not exist to serve at the beck and call of the DNC without being respected. When a candidate speaks to the issues of young voters and actively campaigns for their votes, they will deliver. The new generation of candidates understands this, and most of those candidates have a title with -elect after it today. Creigh Deeds and Jon Corzine didn’t, and in return were relegated to giving concession speeches.

The lesson for Democrats in 2010 is this: take the youth vote for granted at your own peril. If you want young voters to deliver for you, you have to be serious about earning their votes.

Also check out Sarah’s take on what yesterday meant.

UPDATE: It is important to note that the 2008 youth turnout was the result of funding and youth turnout effort from 2004 through 2008, and not an isolated 2008 effort.