T his editorial was being written on the fly late Tuesday night, with a midnight press deadline looming, minutes remaining and important questions unresolved.

Then, at 11:15 or so, in the nick of time, the uncertainty collapsed as both CNN and Fox News dramatically projected President Barack Obama as the winner of four more years in the White House.

Ironically, then, the picture now falling into place is one in which we as a nation spend something like $2 billion and 18 months of gridlock on a campaign that has ended up with the political future looking a lot like the present: same president, same Congress. And many of the same problems staring them in the face.

At this point, indeed, there appear to be few surprises at the national or state level - and only one significant one on the local stage: the defeat of incumbent Moore County Board of Education member Lorna Clack. The reasons for that upset are unclear. But newcomer Ben Cameron will provide a fresh viewpoint. Clack deserves thanks for her years of selfless service.

In Raleigh, former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory easily captured the governor's race from Democrat Walter Dalton, making him the first Republican to hold that job in 20 years. He is an able man with a lot of administrative experience that should prove helpful.

Now that McCrory is safely in and no longer has to guard his right, here's hoping he will moderate his views enough to provide at least a partial counterbalance to the extreme conservatism and fiscal stinginess now holding sway in both houses of the General Assembly. Much is at stake - including the future of quality education in North Carolina, from K-12 through our great university system.

As for GOP Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: She can take pride in the fact that she won so decisively against her hard-campaigning Democratic opponent, Steve Wilkins of Whispering Pines.

Still, the fact that Ellmers didn't do even better in a district that is so heavily Republican should give her pause. Perhaps it will make her resolve to pay more attention to - and learn more about - Moore County and the other areas she seemed to neglect or take for granted during the campaign. Given an opportunity, we will be glad to show her around our area.

There will be plenty of time for more analysis of all this in the future. For now, the people have spoken. And on balance, we think, rather wisely.