Fellow students, our message to Washington was clear on Tuesday: We’re tired of the status quo.

We’re tired of the spending, the out-of-control leaders who couldn’t even pass a budget, the partisanship, the unemployment rates and the arrogance of the Obama administration along with the Pelosi-Reid Congress.

Election Day was our day to fight back, and we did not disappoint. The Republicans have regained control of the House and even though the Senate is still under the control of the Democrats, the GOP now has 46 seats.

Here are the highlights of the campaign:

Most interesting race — The highly publicized Senate race in Nevada saw political newcomer Sharron Angle fail in her attempt to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

All eyes were on Nevada voters as America waited to see a true referendum on Reid’s congressional track record.

Angle was a high profile Tea Party pick and was loved by conservatives, even though some of her ideas are seen by many to be a little too right wing. If she could have replaced Reid, Democrats would have taken a critical blow to their agenda going into the second half of the Obama administration.

Despite many polls showing Angle ahead of Reid going into Election Day, Reid held on to his seat.

Least interesting race — Sadly, one of the most boring races in the country was for governor of Alabama.

Since the beginning of the campaign period, almost anyone who knows the political landscape in Alabama knew that Republicans were going to run away with this gubernatorial election.

Although the Republican candidate, Tuscaloosa dermatologist Robert Bentley, was a surprise choice for the nomination, Ron Sparks and the Democrats never had a shot.

There was no mudslinging in the race, which bored me to death. When Dr. Bentley was determined the winner last night, no one in the state was surprised.

Biggest surprise — Perhaps one of the biggest winners of the 2010 midterm election wasn’t even a candidate — it was a movement called the Tea Party.

Anyone two years ago would have laughed at the idea that a conservative grassroots organization could have such a profound impact on the political make up of Washington D.C.

The Tea Party backed hardcore fiscal and social conservatives and gave any candidate who was lucky enough to secure a nod a new wave of energized political supporters.

The Tea Party will continue to be a driving force as we get into the 2012 presidential campaign season. Their unofficial leader, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, is a front-runner for the Republican nomination. Pay close attention to the Tea Party throughout the next two years.

Who to watch — A flood of new faces will soon be coming to Washington, many of whom are already well known due to their neck-in-neck election campaigns. Senator-elect Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida are sure to become quick household names in the Senate.

Two women have made my watch list in the House. Kristi Noem of North Dakota is the best eye candy to hit politics since Sarah Palin. Her true conservative values made her a quick Tea Party favorite. She will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the House and her future with the Republican Party looks bright.

Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has recently come on the radar as a front-runner for leadership within the Republican Party. As the House now has a Republican majority, Bachmann’s door of opportunity has just opened. Keep an eye out for her; she’s going to do big things.

President Obama and the Democrats now have a choice to make. They can either continue with their unpopular left-wing agenda, or they can use this election as a lesson learned from the American people.

Bipartisanship will be the key to Congressional success during these next two years. The president and Democrats must now consult with both sides of the aisle if they want to be productive during the second-half of this presidential term.

As Republicans now control the House of Representatives, I would like to echo the words of Speaker-to-be John Boehner. He stated in his acceptance speech on Tuesday, “Let’s start right now by recognizing that this is not a time for celebration, … this is a time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

There is much to be done throughout these next two years. With a sense of balance now being restored to Washington, we will finally be able to see input from both Republicans and Democrats. The elections were tough, and surprising in some areas. It is time to put differences aside and work together to put America back on the right track.

Austin Gaddis is a sophomore majoring in public relations and communication studies. His column runs biweekly on Fridays.