The Republicans probably have more reason to be disappointed, since they lost two of the three most competitive, high profile elections, in Mississippi and Philadelphia.

CNN: Analysis: Lessons from Election 1999

Yet mayoral and local elections are becoming more competitive, according to Joel Rocamora of the Institute for Popular Democracy.

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Gerrymandering has made congressional elections into a farce in which only one district in seven is competitive.

FORBES: DIY Democracy

Unlike political elections, when it comes to loyalty, coming in second in highly competitive categories is nothing to complain about.

FORBES: 50,000 Consumers Vote Their Loyalty to Brands. Results Are In For Apple, Amazon, Apple, Call of Duty, Twitter, Apple, Halo, and Samsung Brands