Over to you, Mr. Lapid

In the 2003 election for the 16th Knesset, the late Tommy Lapid's Shinui party made history by winning 15 seats, making it Israel's third-largest party. On Tuesday, it was Tommy's son's turn to make a splash. Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party won 19 Knesset seats, making his party, which was founded only last year, the second largest in the next Knesset, Israel’s 19th.

On Tuesday night, Lapid could barely conceal his delight as he addressed supporters in Tel Aviv.

"Everyone who voted for Yesh Atid today voted for normality," Lapid said. "Education. Housing for military veterans. We face an economic crisis that will severely harm the middle class, a world set to ostracize us over the diplomatic stalemate and a social collapse over the question of equal sharing of the burden. There is only one way to face these challenges, together. Israeli citizens today said 'no' to politics of fear and hate, 'no' to extremism and 'no' to anti-democracy. They said 'yes' to hope and mutual responsibility. We are here together, not at the expense of one another, but rather alongside one another."

After the exit polls were released, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Lapid to congratulate him.

"We have the opportunity to do very big things for the good of the State of Israel," Netanyahu said. "The election is behind us and now we can focus on working for all of Israel's citizens."

Labor leder Shelly Yachimovich and Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni also made congratulatory calls to Lapid.

Lapid began his day Tuesday with his normal morning workout. At 9:30 a.m., he voted at a school near his home in Ramat Aviv. He was greeted at the voting station by numerous supporters and photographers.

"It is peculiar to vote for yourself, but it is exciting and exhilarating," Lapid said. "I'm predicting I'll get more seats than everyone thinks. In the past 10 days, there has been tremendous momentum in my direction. This is exactly what we hoped for."

But when the exit polls were released, even Lapid may have had trouble believing his eyes. Members of the Yesh Atid list were exuberant as they realized it had become Israel's second-largest party.

Yael German, the former mayor of Herzliya and No. 3 on the Yesh Atid list, said in a hoarse but joyful voice, "The middle class was waiting for someone to represent it and today it spoke. We are the voice of the middle class. My sense is that this is the result of the social protests of summer 2011. [The social protests] now have real political representation. I feel deeply responsible to fulfill the enormous expectations that have been placed on us."

Ronen Hoffman, No. 19 on the Yesh Atid list, said he would not sleep Tuesday night out of sheer excitement.

At the start of his speech on Tuesday, Lapid said, "Exactly 10 years ago, on a night just like tonight, I was sitting at my parents' home and at 10 p.m. the exit polls showed Shinui getting 15 seats. We all jumped for joy, shouted and embraced. Only my father remained in his armchair, looking somber, almost sad. I asked him, 'What happened-' He answered, 'I now understand the weight of the responsibility that has been placed on me.' I didn't understand him then but I understand him today. A heavy responsibility has been placed on me."

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