First Take: California exceptionalism. Kamala Harris-Steve Cooley race still undecided. Jerry Brown heads to Sacramento.

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Across the country, moderates were the big losers in this election, leaving both parties in Congress more ideologically polarized.

California, however, was not swept up in the national Republican tide. Unlike 1994, this year, California seemed impervious to GOP momentum.

In down-ticket races, Democrats are on the verge of a clean sweep of statewide elected offices.

One race is still to be determined. Fewer than 9,000 votes separate the two candidates in the race for state attorney general, out of more than 7 million tallied and with hundreds of thousands of ballots yet to count. The race between Republican Steve Cooley and Democrat Kamala Harris may not be settled for weeks.

John Hoeffel reports that the votes on nine ballot measures show Californians were not in the mood for major change.

But Jerry Brown’s election, and the passage of new state budget rules, does not ensure an end to partisan gridlock in Sacramento.

On Thursday, Brown will meet with legislative leaders in Sacramento. Stay tuned for all the latest state political news throughout the day. Follow PolitiCal on Twitter.

-- Anthony York in Sacramento