(CNN) -- Politicians are running for office again. Despite our best efforts, there is nothing we can do stop them. Tuesday there will be an election. Here are 10 things to look for as the election returns come in: 1. Did voters choose the least recent of two evils? To adapt a quote often borrowed by my friend, Mark Shields, Mae West said that when faced with a choice between two evils, she usually picked the one she had not tried lately. If Republicans win, even by large margins Tuesday night, was it only because they were a less recent evil? Will the GOP get the message that they are not being embraced for who they are but only given a shot because who they are not?
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Alex Castellanos: Whether we like it or not, here come the election results
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Castellanos: If GOP does well, is it because voters like its message? Or just think Dems are worse?
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He asks: Will Democrats see their troubles as a reason to change course?
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Castellanos: Was it a mistake for Democrats to run on the "war on women"?
Republicans
GOP
GOP
If @placeholder don't get that message, they can write off 2016.
Dems
Democrats
Democrats
Tuesday night, we will learn whether the @placeholder campaign was too small for the times, insulting and demeaning.
Republicans
GOP
GOP
No @placeholder faction will be credited for Tuesday night's victories or blamed for defeats because Republicans actually are, if only temporarily, united.
Republicans
GOP
GOP
No GOP faction will be credited for Tuesday night's victories or blamed for defeats because @placeholder actually are, if only temporarily, united.
Dems
Democrats
Democrats
New @placeholder need to start a war and pull their party back to the center for 2016.
Dems
Democrats
Democrats
All this, of course, requires that @placeholder remain the overwhelming preference of minority and younger voters.