As we move past the holidays, take the last box of bulbs and lights up to the attic, and prepare for Monday's return to reality, afford me one more chance to look back at the top political stories of 2014 and their implication for the year to come.

The top national political story was the grand day the Republicans enjoyed on Nov. 4, taking control of the Senate, widening their margin in the House of Representatives and even increasing their power at the state level.

Republicans control the U.S. House 247-188, the Senate 54-46, while Republican governors preside in 31 of the 50 states. Republicans also control 69 of the 99 state legislative chambers (Nebraska has a single legislative body).

This is party dominance for the Republicans not seen since before the Great Depression, which is not to say that is where Republicans will again take us.

At the state level, this Republican control should mean more experimentation with lower taxes, cuts in social service programs and efforts to curb public employee benefits and pensions.

In Washington, Republicans have a 2015 agenda that includes authorizing the Keystone XL oil pipeline (unnecessary and environmentally damaging, but good politics); approving "fast-track" trade authority (great way to ship more work overseas); rolling back environmental regulations (see Keystone); and repealing the medical device tax (good riddance, but where are they going to get the money to pay for health care?).

Republicans hope to get President Obama on board for all or most of this, anticipating he will want to get something done before 2016 arrives and the presidential race dominates the discussion.

For his part, the president has shown since the election that he is ready to go big on the use of executive power, vastly expanding the ability of undocumented immigrants to gain legal status and reversing the 50-year policy of isolating Cuba. Along with a growing economy, the moves are earning the president his highest approval ratings since the election.

Obama will dig in on defending Obamacare and the Republicans may well decide their best course is to present only symbolic opposition on that issue. If they really gut the health care law, the GOP will have to figure out how to provide health coverage to tens of millions of Americans.

In stark contrast to national trends, in Connecticut the big political story in 2014 was continued Democratic dominance, most specifically Gov. Dannel P. Malloy winning a second term. His success in a Republican year has increased his status nationally in Democratic circles. He took on the gun lobby and survived.

Malloy is confident the policies of his first term will result in much stronger economic performance in Connecticut during his second term, producing revenues that will mitigate the budget deficits now projected for the next fiscal year. He shows no signs of slowing down, adding improvements to the state's transportation system (badly needed) to his second-term agenda and opening the door to the use of tolls to pay for it.

Locally, several interesting developments in 2014 carry into the new year.

Speculation continues as to whether Sen. Andrew Maynard - who won re-election in the 18th District despite not making public appearances since suffering a severe head injury in a fall last July - will be healthy enough to serve. Lawmakers will be sworn-in Wednesday.

The retirement of 20th District state Sen. Andrea Stillman means the region will miss a Democratic lawmaker with strong pull in the legislature. It will be interesting to watch her successor, Republican Paul Formica, make the transition from the boss - first selectman of East Lyme - to a senator holding one vote in a chamber controlled by Democrats.

Also locally in 2014, Stonington witnessed the exit of its controversial first selectman Ed Haberek. There was a collective sigh of relief. Meanwhile, in New London, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio got back in the race. It should be a wild one.

Paul Choiniere is the editorial page editor. Twitter:@Paul_Choiniere