Pundits and politicians are sorting through Tuesday’s election results to assess the winners, the losers and the challenges ahead.

The day after an election always is a time to sort through the political pieces. Winning candidates pick up the pieces and begin to move toward their new offices. Losing candidates pick up the pieces and go home. In a few cases, undecided races have left candidates in limbo simply holding on to the pieces and awaiting final results.

Nationally, the election was a major victory for the Republican Party and a strong vote of support for President Bush. It is unusual for a new president’s party to pick up strength in Congress in a midterm election, but Republicans did just that this year.

The GOP gained at least two seats in the U.S. House, but Kansas maintained its status quo, electing a full complement of incumbents three Republicans and Democrat Dennis Moore.

Moore won big in Wyandotte County as well as in the portion of Douglas County he represents, but he was defeated in his home county, Johnson County, by Republican Adam Taff. Taff was hampered by a lack of support from the Republican National Party, which didn’t back him in the primary and failed to provide financial assistance until the very last stages of the campaign. The Douglas County Republican Committee also failed to take a strong stand in support of Taff. Republicans were outhustled by Moore Democrats in Douglas County.

More support earlier in the campaign might have tipped the balance for Taff. Moore received 50 percent of the vote in the district, compared to 47 percent for Taff, not a particularly strong showing for a two-term incumbent. Taff is an attractive young candidate who is likely to remain in politics and perhaps run for the same seat again in two years.

Statewide races in Kansas also produced some tight finishes. Republicans claimed the offices of insurance commissioner, secretary of state and state treasurer with relatively ease. But Republican Phill Kline holds a lead of less than half a percentage point in the attorney general’s race against Democrat Chris Biggs, who is awaiting a vote canvass of about 8,000 disputed ballots on Friday.

Democrat Kathleen Sebelius held off a difficult challenge from Republican Tim Shallenburger to win election to the Governor’s Office. She received 53 percent of the vote statewide, compared with 45 percent for Shallenburger.

As noted in an editorial in Wednesday’s Journal-World, the challenge of winning Tuesday’s election will pale in comparison to the fiscal challenges that now await Sebelius. On Tuesday, the state’s Consensus Estimating Group projected that the state would have to cut spending by $255 million just to break even at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.

Throughout the campaign, Sebelius promised she would start a top-to-bottom review of state spending the day after she was elected. Whether or not the review reveals wasteful spending, funding cuts will have to be made. Some of those cuts may be implemented by Gov. Bill Graves, but those that remain will have to be made by Sebelius in concert with a Republican Legislature. Working on difficult budget issues with Republicans and Democrats, moderates and conservatives certainly will test her consensus-building abilities. Those who supported Sebelius on the basis of her promise not to cut education will be watching to see if the next governor will, indeed, be able to make good on that pledge.

Sebelius also will be making important decisions about key appointive offices and setting the strategy for her administration. The election is over, and the real business now begins.