Note the very GOP-friendly lede in this morning's paper, courtesy of Nagourney [emphasis added]:

The Republican victories in the races for New Jersey and Virginia governors put the party in a stronger position to turn back the political wave President Obama unleashed last year, setting the stage for Republicans to raise money, recruit candidates and ride the excitement of an energized base as the party heads into next year's midterm elections.

And then later in the piece:

For Republicans, the results on Tuesday were welcome news after one of the party's toughest years.

That's a bit odd, because in Tuesday's paper, the Times' Adam Nagourney was quite clear about what the implications of the Congressional race N.Y.-23 race would be:

Worst outcome for Republicans: Losing the New York congressional race, which has showcased deep divisions between moderates and conservatives over how the party should rebuild to return to power.

According to Nagourney on Tuesday, losing the N.Y. race would be the “worst” outcome possible for the GOP. Well, guess what? Republicans did lose the N.Y. race. But in today's Times, that loss is dramatically downgraded on the significance scale. Suddenly that loss in no way curtails the GOP's ability to “raise money” and “ride the excitement.”

UPDATED: According to the Times headline today, GOP hopes have been “Rekindled.” Hmm, on Tuesday, a loss in upstate N.Y. represented the GOP's “worst” possible outcome. But on Wednesday, that same loss helped “rekindle” GOP hopes.

Would it be asking too much for Nagourney to explain this glaring contradiction?

UPDATED: In a separate election Times piece today by David Halbfinger and Ian Urbina, the newspaper stresses:

Republicans swept contests for governor in New Jersey and Virginia on Tuesday as voters went to the polls filled with economic uncertainty, dealing President Obama a setback and building momentum for a Republican comeback attempt in next year's midterm Congressional elections.

What happened to the “worst” case scenario of losing N.Y.-23?

UPDATED: For the record, Nagourney today did acknowledge the N.Y. loss up high in his piece:

But a Democratic victory in an upstate New York Congressional district — after an ideologically pitched battle between moderates and conservatives over how best to lead Republicans back to power — signaled that the Republican Party faces continued upheaval. The Democratic victory came over a conservative candidate who, with the enthusiastic backing of national conservative leaders and well-financed grass-roots organizations, had forced out a Republican candidate who supported abortion rights and gay rights.