Following the Returns, Hour by Hour How the Balance of Political Power Will Play out Over the Course O He Evening As Votes Are Tallied Across the U.S
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Following the Returns, Hour by Hour How the Balance of Political Power Will Play Out Over the Course o he Evening as Votes Are Tallied Across the U.S. Senate Wash. N.H. The top Senate race is in Nevada, where Democratic Majority Leader Harry N.D. Vt. Watching the Tide Roll Out Reid faces Sharron Angle,atea-party-backed Republican who wasn’t the Ore. N.Y. (2) S.D. Wis. choice of GOP leaders. The Delaware race has also attracted attention— Idaho Here are results to watch for through the night though Democrats are expected to keethp e seat—because ofcontroversial Iowa Pa. (in Eastern time), based on when the majority of polls Ohio Conn. comments by Christine O’Donnell (R). Alaskahas the most topsy- turvy race, Nev. Ind. Del. close in each state. Utah Ill. W.Va. with incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski staging a write-in campaign against Colo. Kan. Md. Calif. Mo. Ky. Joe Miller (R) and Scott McAdams (D). N.C. CURRENT DIVISION BY PARTY Ariz. Okla. Ark. S.C. The Early Show Ala. Ga. POLLS CLOSE 59 D 41 R La. HOT SPOTS >> Indiana (most of the state): IN2STATES Democrats are in for an ugly night Fla. OUTLOOK 7 toss ups (7 D, 0 R) if they lose all three of their House seats at risk here. Rep. Baron Hill Alaska (D-9th) represents the ultimate 48 D 45 R Hawaii swing district. Former Sen. Dan Includes1leaning D Includes 9 leaning R 37 seats Coats (R) is favored to takeaseat Count includes two independents who align with Democrats up for election this year vacated by Sen. Evan Bayh (D). Kentucky (eastern part of state): Watch for whether Rep. Ben Republicans are favored to take Democrats could cut their Chandler (D-6th) keeps his seat. these Democratic seats... losses by winning one or more Florida Key Indiana of these Republican seats POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Kentucky (remaining precincts): Brad Ellsworth (D) vs. Dan Coats (R) IN6STATES Rand Paul (R) is favored for North Dakota Missouri Senate.Abig margin could Tracy Potter (D) vs. John Hoeven (R) Robin Carnahan (D) vs. Roy Blunt (R) foreshadow other GOP gains. Arkansas Kentucky Virginia: If endangered Rep. Tom Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) vs. John Boozman (R) Jack Conway (D) vs. Rand Paul (R) Perriello (D-5th) hangs on, that’s a Alaska strong sign for Democrats. If the Scott McAdams (D) vs. Joe Miller (R) vs. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (I) GOP topples Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-11th) or Rick Boucher (D-9th), ...But they also need at least 7 look for the GOP wave to be high. of these 8 seats to take control Florida: Results fromaclose governor’s race could indicate how Pennsylvania the night is going. Marco Rubio (R) Joe Sestak (D) vs. Pat Toomey (R) is favored to take the Senate seat West Virginia over Gov. Charlie Crist (I). Joe Manchin (D) vs. John Raese (R) Wisconsin Ohio Players Sen. Russ Feingold (D) vs. Ron Johnson (R) Dino Rossi (R) Sen. Patty Murray (D) Illinois POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Ohio:The GOP is looking for ve of Alexi Giannoulias (D) vs. Mark Kirk (R) IN3STATES the 39 pick-ups it needs to control Colorado the House. Defeating Gov. Ted Sen. Michael Bennet (D) vs. Ken Buck (R) Strickland (D) would give the GOP Nevada a leg up in a crucial 2012 (4) Sen. Harry Reid (D) vs. Sharron Angle (R) s s presidential swing state. e r California P d West Virginia: If Democrats retain Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) vs. Carly Fiorina (R) the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s seat, Washington sociate s the GOP has slim hopes of Sen. Patty Murray (D) vs. Dino Rossi (R) A controlling the Senate. Sen. Michael Bennet (D) Ken Buck (R) North Carolina: The GOP has four potential House pick-ups (2nd, 7th, 8th and 11th districts). A sweep House of Representatives would augur strong GOP gains. A growing number of analysts say close to 100 seats are at least marginally competitive, the great majority of them held by Democrats. In Pennsylvania and Ohio, for example, ve Democrats are at risk in each Down to the Wire state; whether the GOP wins them all could signal what kind of night it’s going to be. POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Pennsylvania: The state has a IN 18 STATES hotly contested Senate race and ve competitive House races. Illinois: Alexi Giannoulias (D) and CURRENT DIVISION BY PARTY 2 vacancies Mark Kirk (R) are in a dead heat for President Obama’s old Senate seat. 255 D 178 R Massachusetts: Defeat of Gov. Deval Patrick (D) or any member of the all-Democratic House OUTLOOK 50 toss ups (49 D, 1 R) delegation would signal a big night 181 D 204 R All 435 for the GOP. Includes 25 leaning D Includes 25 leaning R up for election this year The Lincoln Log POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Arkansas: Sen. Blanche Lincoln Democratic incumbents whose fate may decide the size of the GOP wave IN1STATE (D) has been trailing in her bid to hold onto her seat. The GOP also ) is inastrong position to pick up (Murphy two House seats, despiteavaliant s campaign eort by Arkansan Bill Reuter Clinton. , (3) s s e r P d sociate s A Wisconsin Running Red Rep. Ben Chandler won re-election Rep. John Boccieri isafreshman Rep. Tim Bishop faced one of the Rep. Patrick Murphy, the first Iraq in 2008, but his conservative who took his Ohio swing district earliest raucous town-hall War veteran in Congress, faces the POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> New York: The GOP is eyeing six district went for John McCain. from the Republicans in 2008. meetings in August 2009. man he unseated in 2006. IN9STATES Democratic House seats, while Andrew Cuomo (D) is expected to become governor. Colorado:Sen. Michael Bennet (D) Governors facesatough re-election ght, and N.H. Maine Some of the states most important to the 2012 presidential election are Vt. Constitution Party candidate Tom Minn. Tancredo is inalong-shot bid for holding governor’s races, among them Florida and Ohio, both rated as Ore. N.Y. tossups. The winning party could gain advantages for 2012. Idaho S.D. Wis. governor. Wyo. Mich. Mass. Wisconsin: Sen. Russ Feingold (D) Iowa Pa. Neb. Ohio Conn. seems likely to lose, and Nev. R.I. Utah Ill. Republicans are well-positioned to Colo. Md. Kan. take two House seats and the CURRENT DIVISION BY PARTY Calif. Tenn. governorship. Okla. Ariz. N.M. Ark. S.C. 26 D 24 R Ala. Ga. Texas Harry Today, Gone Tomorrow? OUTLOOK 11 toss ups (6 D, 5 R) Fla. POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Nevada: Will Sen. Harry Reid (D) Alaska IN6STATES hang onto his job? 13 D 26 R Arizona: Three House members are vulnerable—Ann Kirkpatrick Includes3leaning D Includes 7 leaning R Hawaii 37 seats (D-1st), Raul Grijalva (D-7th) and up for election thisyear Gabrielle Giords (D-8th). Races for governor often defy the national political currents, often turning on personalities in addition to issues. Below are some to watch: Best of the West POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Washington: Control of the IN3STATES Senate could come down to Sen. Patty Murray’s (D) ability to hold oDino Rossi (R). The 3rd House District isabellwether. California: Marquee matchups include races for Senate, with Sen. Lincoln Chafee (I., R.I.) The rare Jerry Brown (D., Calif.) He was Barbara Boxer (D) vs. Carly Fiorina independent who could win in a governor three decades ago and is (R), and governor, with Jerry partisan climate. looking for another shot. Brown (D) vs. Meg Whitman (R). Opponents: Frank Caprio (D), John Opponent: Meg Whitman (R) Robitaille (R), Ken Block (Moderate) own) r (B s The Late Late Show Image y POLLS CLOSE HOT SPOTS >> Alaska (most precincts): Ofcials Gett IN2STATES won’t look at the names on write-in , (4) ballots for days. But if total s s e r write-ins outnumber votes for Joe P d Miller (R) or Scott McAdams (D), then write-in candidate Sen. Lisa sociate s Murkowski may haveachance of A Tom Tancredo (Colo.) The conservative firebrand, known for his opposition Nikki Haley (R., S.C.) A former Rick Scott (R., Fla.) Suffered from holding her seat. to illegal immigration, is running on the Constitution Party ticket and has long-shot, endorsed by Sarah Palin. his former company’s legal woes gained in some polls. Opponents: John Hickenlooper (D), Dan Maes (R) Opponent: Vincent Sheheen (D) Opponent: Alex Sink (D).