Another pickup for the GOP. Better yet, the woman replacing Maffei is Ann Marie Buerkle — an ObamaCare opponent, fiscal conservative, and Reagan admirer. Maffei, on the other hand, votes with Nancy Pelosi 96.3% of the time. Quite a trade-off, in other words.

In fact, Maffei is going out defending his very, very big government positions:

“Not only do I not apologize for my positions on the stimulus, the health care bill, financial reform, and the credit card bill, but my only regret is that there were not more opportunities to make healthcare more affordable,” Maffei (pronounced muh-FAY) said in a statement announcing his concession.

He just wishes there had been more opportunities to pass unpopular, massively expensive legislation we can’t afford. It’s a wonder this guy lost, huh? He’s such a man of the people. Maybe that’s why his previous job was staffing for the notoriously corrupt Charlie Rangel (D-NY). They’re two peas in a pod in that regard.