Story highlights Jonathan Tasini: GOP control in Washington should not be a shock to Democrats

The Democratic Party helped to make it happen, Tasini says

Jonathan Tasini has been a frequent commentator on CNN and supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries. He is the author of "The Essential Bernie Sanders and His Vision for America," president of the Economic Future Group and the host of the Working Life podcast. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own.

(CNN) After Tuesday's election, Republicans will continue to hold power in 67 of the 98 state chambers, and, for the first time in history, will control every statehouse in the South. Republicans also upped their control of governors' mansions to 33 by winning races in Missouri, Vermont and New Hampshire (the North Carolina race is still undecided).

Finally, notwithstanding tiny gains Tuesday by Democrats in congressional races, Republicans still hold a near-record margin in the House of Representatives (because of the 2010 shellacking in which Republicans gained 63 seats) and will likely increase their slim Senate majority in 2018 when the electoral map appears quite hostile to Democrats.

Broadly speaking, the Democratic Party has shrinking power and influence over the shaping of public policy.

Jonathan Tasini

This new era of Republican control in Washington has startled -- some might say shocked -- many Democrats. However, looking a bit deeper, it shouldn't be a surprise; the party's national leadership has been a colossal failure for a long time. That makes the choice of who will lead the Democratic National Committee -- and steer the direction of a renewed party -- a matter of survival.

And it has only itself to blame. This isn't simply a reflection of the incompetence of DNC leaders such as Debbie Wasserman Schultz , or the foisting on us of a truly weak presidential candidate. It goes to the core of what the party stands for and the guiding principles of its leaders.