Today, it feels good to be a Republican

We’ll admit it: we were nervous about last night's debate. So much was riding on a stellar performance from Mitt Romney, that it was almost impossible to imagine him pulling it off. It’s easy to feel like that as a Republican. In recent years, we in the GOP have gotten used to disappointment.

Sure, there have been high points and occasional wins: Scott Walker beating back the unions in Wisconsin, the GOP taking the House, and, here in Massachusetts, Scott Brown’s amazing U.S. Senate win.

But for the most part, Republicans have been the minority, the butt of late-night jokes. The presidential primary race brought this to a whole new level, with our candidates being caricatured (what Democratic woman has ever been called "Crazy Eyes?") and our values mocked relentlessly.

Here in Massachusetts, being a Republican brings its own special brand of frustration. We worked at the State House when there were only 21 Republicans in the House and five in the Senate (there are only four now). We were subjected to the jokes about all of us fitting into a phone booth. We would work for weeks on an agenda or a piece of legislation only to be reminded once we were in session that the House—the Democrats—always wins.

So that’s what we've come to expect when moments like last night’s debate present themselves.

For once, we were pleasantly surprised.

Mitt Romney came prepared. He knew his points and he delivered them convincingly. Gone were the annoying tics, the protestations about being interrupted, the seemingly forced laugh. He was just good. And Barack Obama, the incumbent president, could barely respond. At one point, it almost seemed the debate moderator, Jim Lehrer, was coaching Obama.

As the debate went on, and as we watched the reaction on social media, it felt like the world was turning upside down and Republicans were suddenly on top.

Chris-I've-Got-a-Thrill-Up-My-Leg Matthews practically screamed on MSNBC that Romney was "winning."

Liberal nasty Bill Maher Tweeted, "i can't believe i'm saying this, but Obama looks like he DOES need a teleprompter."

Moviemaker and liberal loudmouth Michael Moore added, "This is what happens when u pick John Kerry as your debate coach."

Flipping through the stations doing post-debate wrap-ups, political pundits were shocked that Obama couldn’t deliver the blows Democrats have been leveling all year: Where was Bain? How about the whole 47 percent debacle?

And, then, there were the instant polls showing Romney having won the debate - convincingly.

As a Republican, it felt like a dream you didn’t want to wake up from.

Hopefully, we won't have to. If Romney can continue to nail future debates and he can keep the rest of his campaign out of trouble, he has a serious shot at knocking an incumbent president out of the Oval Office.