
Surprising political upsets —
Dave Brat's upset primary victory over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia joins a long list of political table turning at the polls. The most famous was in 1948 when Democratic President Harry Truman won the election over Republican Thomas Dewey. The Chicago Daily Tribune initially called the race for the New York governor. Click for more political upsets.

Surprising political upsets —
1972: Democrat Joe Biden was a fresh faced, political newcomer when he defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Caleb Boggs.

Surprising political upsets —
1976: First term Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter bested a field of better known Democrats to become his party's presidential nominee.

Surprising political upsets —
1994: Republican George Pataki, a former small town mayor and state lawmaker, beat Democratic incumbent Mario Cuomo for governor in New York.

Surprising political upsets —
2004: Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, lost to Republican Rep. John Thune—the first time since the 1950s a party leader had lost re-election.

Surprising political upsets —
2006: After losing the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont, Sen. Joe Lieberman became an Independent and won the general election.

Surprising political upsets —
2010: After losing the primary to tea party backed Joe Miller, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski won in the general election after mounting a write-in campaign -- the first time a senator had successfully done that in more than 50 years.

Surprising political upsets —
2010: Republican Scott Brown, a Massachusetts state senator, beat Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley in a special election for U.S. Senate.

Surprising political upsets —
2014: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost the Republican primary to college professor Dave Brat, a political novice. Brat seen Tuesday night in Richmond, Virginia.


