All 34 members of California's Democratic House delegation voted in favor of health care reform, though one member -- Rep. Loretta Sanchez -- was slow to sign on. Bauman said an e-mail was distributed to party activists Sunday morning to highlight her wavering position, and within two hours 1,600 phone calls had been placed to Sanchez's congressional office urging her to vote for the bill.

"That tells us that Democratic activists are paying attention," said Bauman.

Since the vote took place, Bauman, who doubles as the Los Angeles Democratic Party chairman, noted that fundraising for a local party event next month spiked on Monday, taking in a third of the total dollars it had received to date.

In New Hampshire, meanwhile, the state Democratic Party touted the House vote in an e-mail to supporters not long after the president hailed its passage. That appeal generated thousands of dollars just within the first 12 hours, according to party chair Ray Buckley. And the vote has translated not just in dollars, but in confidence of local candidates. In a meeting at the State House Monday morning, Buckley said that a number of state lawmakers who had been considering retiring instead were "recharged."

Likewise, Iowa Democratic Party chairman Michael Kiernan said "the phones here have been ringing off the hook" at party headquarters since the health care vote. "Certainly the level of enthusiasm is up. People voted for change in the last election," he said.

Also exciting some Iowa Democrats is Obama's visit to the state today, where he'll hold another in a series of events around the country to discuss the impact of health reform. It also marks a return to where Obama's presidential candidacy was first validated, having won the Iowa Caucuses -- the first Democratic nominating event of the 2008 election.

"There's a pride of ownership here because our caucuses worked hard to send President Obama to the White House," said Kiernan.

The energy is not just on Democrats' side, however. Iowa Republicans are also using Obama's visit to rally their activists, including a "Stand Up For Freedom" rally and fundraising effort that succeeded in raising $10,000. Rep. Mike Pence (R), chair of the GOP conference, addressed the gathering from Washington, saying: "Everyone tonight is doing America's work. This fight is not over. Some say we made history Sunday night, but I say we broke history."

Before passing health care, Obama's sales job included multiple visits to the Buckeye State. Ohio Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern credited the enthusiasm with which the president was greeted on those visits, coupled now with the signing of the bill he campaigned for there, for a surge in the state party's fortunes - including a record fundraising year.

"I really don't care what John Boehner or any other Republican says," Redfern said, referring to the Ohio-based Republican leader. "If you're looking at crowd size, if you're looking at dollars raised, we're exactly where we want to be, embracing this issue and now going forward with it."

Rather than running from the issue now that it's passed, Ohio Democrats will make it a centerpiece of their campaign efforts, including the competitive Senate and gubernatorial contests. And that could lay the groundwork for the president when he looks to carry the state again in 2012.

"Ohio's a firewall," Redfern said. "And know this, when Governor Strickland wins this election, when we pick up the U.S. Senate seat, it will show the country that the president was right on health care all along."

In Virginia, which Obama put in the Democrats' column in a presidential election for the first time since 1964, members of Congress rallied party activists on the issue of health care at the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in Richmond last weekend, pushing them to not let Republicans define the issue. Despite the enthusiasm Obama's win brought Democrats in the state, the party took a big hit in November when Republicans swept the elections for the top three statewide positions and was in deep need of a source of rejuvenation.

"As we head into the fall elections, I expect that Virginians will continue to be motivated by the fact that the Democratic Congress delivered on major health insurance reform that will help thousands of people across the Commonwealth," said David Mills, executive director of the Virginia Democratic Party.

State chairmen are expected to put the best spin on recent developments, and Republicans have seen their base further galvanized in recent days with GOP leaders across the country calling for a repeal of the newly passed law. Which party is most helped (or hurt) politically by the passage of this landmark piece of legislation remains to be seen. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that it will be the defining issue of the elections in November - and quite possibly beyond.

--Kyle Trygstad and Mike Memoli