Leading GOP strategists offer candid assessments of the steep road (still) ahead for Republicans. In my column today-- GOP Gets Up Off Gurney, But is Far From Recovery. Two key bits of analysis:

John McCain's '08 chief strategist Bill McInturff:

Look, if I were a Democrat, I would be very sober now looking toward 2010 ... [But] Tuesday night did not fix the Republican Party's problems. And Tuesday night does not mean much in the context of 2012. But it's still the best night Republicans have had in five years. It's still a lot better day Wednesday for Republicans than it was Monday.

Bob Dole's '96 chief strategist Tony Fabrizio:

This certainly was a much needed shot in the arm for Republicans. And should be a dire warning sign for Democrats … [Yet moving forward] The smart Republicans are looking at it and saying ok, we're not dead yet. But we can't assume that the election of these two Republicans means that the voters think we are right and are embracing Republican principles.