We are now on the brink of a great Democratic victory

Democrats scoring gains in Senate, House

Story Highlights •NEW: Democrats pick up seven House seats so far, CNN projects •NEW: CNN projects Democrats pick up third seat in the Senate •Democrats hold key Maryland and New Jersey Senate seats, CNN projects •Democrats need net gain of 15 seats to take control of House, six to win Senate

(CNN) -- Democratic challengers have picked up three seats in the Senate and four in the House, as the trend in CNN's early projections favors the party that has been in the minority for most of the past 12 years.

Polls have closed in 44 states and the District of Columbia, and many of the races that will decide the balance of power in the House and Congress are still too close to call.

Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse will win the Rhode Island Senate race, defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee, CNN projects. (Full Senate news)

Two-term Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the chamber's third-ranking Republican, has conceded to Bob Casey Jr. And Democrat Sherrod Brown will defeat GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio, CNN projects.

Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats to take the House and a net gain of six seats to take the Senate. But even with the wind at their backs -- especially in the House -- one senior Democratic aide warned, "Don't underestimate our ability to blow it." (Watch the president, candidates and citizens cast votes -- 2:00Video)

On the House side, CNN projects two Democratic pickups in Indiana and one in both Kentucky and New Hampshire. But it wasn't a sweep. The GOP held on to Kentucky's 4th District, which had been targeted by Democrats. (Latest House news)

"We are now tonight on the brink of a great Democratic victory," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who would be in line to become speaker of the House if the Democrats pick up 11 more seats.

Democrats have retained two of their Senate seats that were considered competitive, with incumbent Bob Menendez winning in New Jersey and Ben Cardin taking Maryland, CNN projects.

Voting has ended in Georgia, where Republicans have targeted Democratic incumbents in two House districts redrawn by the GOP-controlled state Legislature to make them more Republican-friendly. With more voters than ever using electronic voting machines, scattered glitches reported across the country have prompted officials to extend voting hours in some areas. (Full story)

Early national exit polls also showed that voters had more than just local issues in mind, with 62 percent saying that national issues made the biggest difference with their votes and 33 percent citing local issues. (Watch how early exit polls show politics is more national than local this time -- 2:19Video)

"They used to say that all politics was local. Not this time," said CNN political analyst Bill Schneider.

The exit polls showed that 42 percent of voters called corruption an extremely important issue in their choices at the polls, followed by terrorism at 40 percent, the economy at 39 percent and the war in Iraq at 37 percent.

Nationally, 57 percent of voters said they disapproved of the war in Iraq, while only 41 percent approved. Those figures mirror President Bush's job approval among voters, with 58 percent saying they disapprove of the president's performance and only 41 percent approve.

Asked if they approved of how Congress is handling its job, 62 percent said they did not, while just 36 percent said they did.

The exit polls -- by a consortium of broadcast networks and The Associated Press -- were conducted on Tuesday morning and afternoon long before polls were to close in the West.

A quarter of voters surveyed so far said they made up their minds within the past week, and 1 in 10 said they decided just Tuesday.

Democrats were battling accusations they are soft on national security and the economy. Some say they also are hindered by an uncanny propensity to blow elections over the past 12 years. (Watch what to expect if Democrats win -- 2:02Video)

The entire House is up for election, and Republicans are trying to fend off their Democratic challengers and defy widespread expectations that the House is primed for a changing of the guard.

The GOP, which holds a 231-201 advantage in the House, is on the defense. Democrats are expected to hold the seats they have and, depending on the prognostication, take 20 to 36 seats from Republicans.

Recent polls asking Americans how they planned to vote indicate Republicans are trailing by double digits -- 53 percent to 41 percent, according to the polls' average -- but Republican officials said the gap was narrowing.

Polls also suggested the Republican grip on the Senate is safer. Thirty-three Senate seats are at stake, but only nine races are considered competitive, five held by Republicans in states Bush handily carried in 2004.

Democratic senator-turned-independent candidate Joe Lieberman will win the Connecticut Senate race, CNN projects. Both he and newly elected independent Bernie Sanders in Vermont have said they will caucus with the Democrats.

Among the other early winners in the Senate projected by CNN are Republican Trent Lott in Mississippi, Democrat Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota, former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in New York, and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow in Michigan.

:D

Oh, looks like there's more news...

Democrats poised to win majority of governorships

Story Highlights •NEW: Gov. Mike Rounds, a Democrat, projected winner in South Dakota •Democrat wins projected in New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania •CNN projects incumbent Republicans win in Georgia, Nebraska •Voters in 36 states choosing governors.

(CNN) -- Democrats were well on their way Tuesday to winning control of a majority of governorships for the first time in 12 years.

Democrats need to make a net pickup of four governorships in 36 races to get to the magic number of 26 -- and with polls closed in more than half of the states, CNN had projected Democratic gains in five of the state posts. Heading into the balloting, five GOP-held seats were considered likely to switch, and races for six others were down to the wire.

By contrast, just four Democrat-held governorships appear to be within possible Republican reach, and two of those were leaning Democratic. (A complete rundown of the governors' races)

Democrats appear on their way to picking up governorships in Massachusetts, where former Clinton Justice Department official Deval Patrick would become the state's first black governor and only the second elected nationally since Reconstruction; in New York, where Attorney General Eliot Spitzer will succeed retiring Gov. George Pataki; in Ohio, where Rep. Ted Strickland will defeat Secretary of State Ken Blackwell; and in Maryland, where Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley is poised to defeat incumbent Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

In Arkansas, GOP Gov. Mike Huckabee is term-limited and CNN projects Democrat Mike Beebe will defeat Republican Asa Hutchinson, a former GOP congressman and undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security.

Democrats are set to hold onto governorships in Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming. Republicans were retaining seats in Connecticut, Georgia, Nebraska, South Carolina and Texas, according to CNN projections.

While most of the 13 Republican incumbents running Tuesday are expected to win re-election, a wave of retirements left the GOP with the task of defending nine open seats, where most of their losses were expected.

Democrats only have to defend one open seat, in Iowa, where Democratic Secretary of State Chet Culver is running neck-and-neck with Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle.

Unlike controlling the House or Senate, having a majority of governorships has little practical effect, because governors operate independently of each other. However, a switch would give Democrats bragging rights and access to state political organizations that could be helpful in the 2008 presidential election.

The most significant silver lining for Republicans may come in the battle for the night's biggest gubernatorial prize, California. Despite the Golden State's Democratic leanings, actor-turned-politician Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is favored for re-election over his Democratic challenger, State Treasurer Phil Angelides.

Democrats also are favored to win the governorship in Colorado, another GOP-leaning states where the Republican incumbent retired. Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter was leading Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez in pre-election polls.

Other competitive races now held by Republicans include:

\* Florida, where Republican state Attorney General Charlie Crist faces Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis for the post being vacated by Gov. Jeb Bush, President Bush's brother, who is term-limited.

\* Nevada, where Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons has had to contend with sexual assault allegations that have dominated the closing weeks of his campaign against Democratic state Sen. Dina Titus. Gibbons has denied any wrongdoing.

\* Idaho, where U.S. Rep. Butch Otter is facing a surprisingly strong challenge from Democrat Jim Brady in a Republican stronghold Bush carried with 68 percent of the vote in 2004.

\* Alaska, where the incumbent, Gov. Frank Murkowski, was defeated in the GOP primary by former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin. She faces former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles.

Democrats will take control of House, CNN projects

Story Highlights •NEW: Democrats will win control of House of Representatives, CNN projects •NEW: CNN projects Democrats pick up third seat in the Senate •NEW: Democrats hold key Maryland and New Jersey Senate seats, CNN projects •Democrats need net gain of 15 seats to take control of House, six to win Senate

(CNN) -- Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the first time since the 1994 Republican Revolution, CNN projects.

Democratic challengers have also picked up three seats in the Senate, CNN projects. They would need a net gain of six seats to take the Senate.

Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse will win the Rhode Island Senate race, defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee, CNN projects. (Full Senate news)

Two-term Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the chamber's third-ranking Republican, has conceded to Bob Casey Jr. And Democrat Sherrod Brown will defeat GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio, CNN projects.

Democrats have retained two of their Senate seats that were considered competitive, with incumbent Bob Menendez winning in New Jersey and Ben Cardin taking Maryland, CNN projects.

Democrats will have a net gain of at least 15 seats to take the House when all votes are counted, CNN projects. (Latest House news)

"We are now tonight on the brink of a great Democratic victory," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who is in line to become the first female speaker of the House.

Voting has ended in Georgia, where Republicans have targeted Democratic incumbents in two House districts redrawn by the GOP-controlled state Legislature to make them more Republican-friendly.

With more voters than ever using electronic voting machines, scattered glitches reported across the country have prompted officials to extend voting hours in some areas. (Full story)

Early national exit polls also showed that voters had more than just local issues in mind, with 62 percent saying that national issues made the biggest difference with their votes and 33 percent citing local issues. (Watch how early exit polls show politics is more national than local this time -- 2:19Video)

"They used to say that all politics was local. Not this time," said CNN political analyst Bill Schneider.

The exit polls showed that 42 percent of voters called corruption an extremely important issue in their choices at the polls, followed by terrorism at 40 percent, the economy at 39 percent and the war in Iraq at 37 percent. (Watch the president, candidates and citizens cast votes -- 2:00Video)

Nationally, 57 percent of voters said they disapproved of the war in Iraq, while only 41 percent approved. Those figures mirror President Bush's job approval among voters, with 58 percent saying they disapprove of the president's performance and only 41 percent approve.

Asked if they approved of how Congress is handling its job, 62 percent said they did not, while just 36 percent said they did.

The exit polls -- by a consortium of broadcast networks and The Associated Press -- were conducted on Tuesday morning and afternoon long before polls were to close in the West.

A quarter of voters surveyed so far said they made up their minds within the past week, and 1 in 10 said they decided just Tuesday.

Democrats were battling accusations they are soft on national security and the economy. Some say they also are hindered by an uncanny propensity to blow elections over the past 12 years. (Watch what to expect if Democrats win -- 2:02Video)

All 435 seats in the House are up for election, and Republicans are trying to fend off their Democratic challengers and defy widespread expectations that the House is primed for a changing of the guard.

Polls also suggested the Republican grip on the Senate is safer. Thirty-three Senate seats are at stake, but only nine races are considered competitive, five held by Republicans in states Bush handily carried in 2004.

Democratic senator-turned-independent candidate Joe Lieberman will win the Connecticut Senate race, CNN projects. Both he and newly elected independent Bernie Sanders in Vermont have said they will caucus with the Democrats.

Among the other winners in the Senate projected by CNN are Republican Trent Lott in Mississippi, Democrat Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota, former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in New York, and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow in Michigan.

W, in this moment of loss, all I can say is...

Dems projected to pick up three Senate seats

Story Highlights •NEW: Rep. Ben Cardin projected to beat Lt. Gov. Michael Steele in Maryland •NEW: Sen. Robert Menendez projected to win in New Jersey •NEW: Lieberman projected to win in Connecticut •NEW: Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse to beat Sen. Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island

(CNN) -- Democrats are projected to pick up three GOP-held Senate seats and are holding a narrow lead in a fourth in their bid to regain control of the Senate.

Three other states -- Missouri, Montana and Tennessee -- will complete the equation.

Democrats need to win six GOP-held Senate seats to regain control. CNN projects Democratic wins in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

In Virginia, Democratic challenger Jim Webb holds a 1-point lead over incumbent Sen. George Allen with 95 percent of the precincts reporting.

"We are right now biting our nails about Virginia, which is neck-and-neck," Sen. Chuck Schumer, the chairman of the Democrats' Senate campaign effort, told supporters Tuesday night.

State treasurer Robert Casey Jr. is projected to defeat Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the third-ranking Senate Republican, and Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown is projected to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio.

Rhode Island's Sen. Lincoln Chafee, one of the few Republican moderates in the Senate, is projected to lose to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, the former state attorney general. Though he has bucked the party line on some votes, Chafee -- whose father, John Chafee, held the seat for 20 years -- found the campaign trail difficult in the Democratic-leaning state.

In the current makeup of the Senate, Republicans hold 55 seats and Democrats control 44. Of the 33 seats up for re-election, the GOP is defending 15 of them and Democrats hold 17 seats.

In order to control the Senate, Democrats need to hold all of their seats and win six of the seats currently in Republican hands.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, running as an independent after losing in the Democratic primary, is projected to win in Connecticut.

In New Jersey, Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez is projected to defeat Tom Kean Jr., and Maryland's Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin is projected to defeat Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, possibly ending Republicans' hopes of picking off two traditionally Democratic states.

Senior campaign aides said Steele was not ready to concede: "There are 195,000 votes not counted," campaign chairwoman Carmen Camacho said. "Let the voters speak."

Pennsylvania's Santorum, one of the most conservative Republican Senators, consistently polled behind Casey throughout the summer.

In Ohio, controversies involving the state's Republican Party created a difficult political environment for DeWine, even though he was not connected to any of them.

Virginia's Allen was widely expected to coast to victory and begin laying the groundwork for a 2008 presidential bid, but a series of gaffes and questions from his past have made the race close. But Allen's roots in the state and its political establishment -- he was elected governor before winning the Senate seat -- are strengths.

Republican officials were still optimistic about holding off the Democratic charge.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman told CNN that Republicans have run strongly in rural areas in recent years, skewing exit polls used to predict races. And early voting in several states, such as Tennessee, Maryland and Ohio, appears to favor the GOP, he said.

"This is not stuff that will be reflected in the exit polls," Mehlman said. "And Republicans did very well, exceeding in every one of those states, often by double digit numbers, our registration numbers. So I think it potentially could be a long evening and we'll have to see what happens."

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow told CNN's Suzanne Malveaux the early results were not surprising and were keeping any eye on the Senate races in Montana and Missouri, where polls leading up to Election Night showed close races.

In other returns, CNN projects that independent U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders will win the seat that Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont is vacating. Jeffords is the lone independent in the Senate, though he usually votes with Democrats.

Political observers expect Sanders to vote along the same lines as his predecessor.

Many Republican and Democratic incumbents were projected to cruise to easy wins.

Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts is projected to win his race and Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida is projected to defeat Republican challenger Rep. Katherine Harris, the secretary of state during the 2000 presidential election dispute.

Democrats are also projected to win Senate races in Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Michigan, North Dakota, Wisconsin and New Mexico.

Republicans are projected to hold onto Senate seats in Mississippi, Texas, Utah, Indiana, Maine and Wyoming.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York -- who headed Democrats' effort to regain the Senate -- said Monday if Democrats gain control in the House or Senate they would have more clout in Washington, and 2007 would be a year of transitioning to a new Iraq policy.

According to political observers, Democrats have been effective in nationalizing the election, capitalizing on polls that say a majority of those surveyed disapprove of the war in Iraq and the president's performance and are turned off by a series of scandals that have afflicted the Republican Party.

"There is something of a national wave in effect for Democrats. The question is how high it goes," said Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

CNN's Bill Schneider, Suzanne Malveaux, Dana Bash and John King contributed to this report.

No surprise here. I'm quite sure a Democrat for President will follow in 2008, with an upset in Congress down the road in another ten years and Republicans taking back power. It all goes in cycles. One party stays in power too long, fucks things up too much, public opinion swings the opposite way. The lesser of two evils has won out in this election, but unless the 2-party system is radically dismantled, it won't make a bit of difference in the long run.

too bad the dems won't take the senate, but i'm just happy to hear these words: 'welcome, madame speaker.' :D

but it does look like the dems will take the senate.. unless something weird happens in Virgnia and Montana.

And check it out: Madame Speaker is from San Francisco. No surprises, eh?

well done. i'm so happy. bring on the congressional investigations.

Congratulations to the Democrat party for a well run national campaign.

They now have control of the House and possibly the Senate. Sooooo....

1. What will our "exit strategy" be for Iraq?

2. What will they do to stem the tidal wave of illegal immigration?

3. What will they do to keep unemployment (we are statistically at full employment) low, the Dow high and the economy moving forward when Rep. Charles Rangel has said his first order of business will be to raise taxes?

4. Will they continue the "war" on terrorism or will they revert to the Clinton Doctorine that terrorism is a "law enforcement" issue?

5. Will they actually work on the people's business or will the next two years turn into a subpoena fest?

6. How will John Murtha, Charles Rangel, Nancy Pelosi, John Conyers et al play with the rest of the country?

Predictions:

These midterms will not be the end of the Democrat upswing. Hillary will be nominated to run in '08. Agent Wood will have a greater than 50% chance of hearing the words "madam President".

With that being said, 2010 will be 1994 again for the Republicans. And, 2012 will see Republicans back in control of the White House and Congress.

So, have fun Democrats. It will be interesting to see how you hold up.

So, have fun Democrats. It will be interesting to see how you hold up.

It will be interesting and tough to predict. However, one thing is certain: They can't do any worse than this country has for the past six years.

LE Roberts wrote:

So, have fun Democrats. It will be interesting to see how you hold up.

It will be interesting and tough to predict. However, one thing is certain: They can't do any worse than this country has for the past six years.

Time will certainly tell.

Spotnick wrote:

His Holiness, The Pope wrote: No surprise here. I'm quite sure a Democrat for President will follow in 2008, with an upset in Congress down the road in another ten years and Republicans taking back power. It all goes in cycles. One party stays in power too long, fucks things up too much, public opinion swings the opposite way. The lesser of two evils has won out in this election, but unless the 2-party system is radically dismantled, it won't make a bit of difference in the long run.

Actually, it seems (from the outside), that the next president will be a democrat only of the US Citizens are ready to have a woman in head of state.

I'm sure Bill would make a wonderful first lady

I'd like to see a woman as President also, but I think Hillary (penis or no penis) is too much of a twat to get my vote. Perhaps she could run with Bill as her running mate...wouldn't that be cute? I can't recall if there are any rules against a 2-term president returning as a VP...probably are.

Tex wrote: Congratulations to the Democrat party for a well run national campaign.

They now have control of the House and possibly the Senate. Sooooo....

1. What will our "exit strategy" be for Iraq?

Shouldn't Rummy come up with one?

Oh, wait, breaking news....Rummy's resigned.

Still, given that W is the Commander in Chief, shouldn't HE have an exit strategy? Passing the buck... a classic Republican strategy.

Tex wrote: 2. What will they do to stem the tidal wave of illegal immigration?

That "tidal wave" has been there as long as I've been alive, and long before. The only real solution is to develop the Mexican economy. But even if the Mexican economy was as strong as the U.S. economy, we'd still have immigrant labor. Around the world, every nation has an immigrant labor force doing the work nobody else wants to do. The fact that we also have an immigrant labor force is nothing novel.

Tex wrote: 3. What will they do to keep unemployment (we are statistically at full employment) low, the Dow high and the economy moving forward when Rep. Charles Rangel has said his first order of business will be to raise taxes?

I think the middle class can sleep peacefully tonight, knowing that THEIR taxes won't be raised. As for the first three parts of your question, look back to the Clinton years.

Tex wrote: 4. Will they continue the "war" on terrorism or will they revert to the Clinton Doctorine that terrorism is a "law enforcement" issue?

Interesting question, given your assertion that the combatants in this "war" are not subject to the Geneva Convention.

Tex wrote: 5. Will they actually work on the people's business or will the next two years turn into a subpoena fest?

In other words, will they do what the Republicans did when they took control of Congress, or will they work on the people's business? :D

Tell me again, how many taxpayer dollars did the Republicans spend investigating a blow job?

Thanks Comrade for systematically pointing out the Republican bullshit.

Tell me again, how many taxpayer dollars did the Republicans spend investigating a blow job?

Enough to make even Mark Foley blush.

Tex wrote: Congratulations to the Democrat party for a well run national campaign.

They now have control of the House and possibly the Senate. Sooooo....

...

2. What will they do to stem the tidal wave of illegal immigration?

...

5. Will they actually work on the people's business or will the next two years turn into a subpoena fest?

45 million Americans have no health coverage. What have the Republicans done about that? What do they propose to do?

12 years in power, and they've done fuck all besides spend millions of taxpayers dollars investigating a blow job, and setting up phoney bogeymen-- gays, terrosrists, and Mexicans-- every two years to divert our attention from their real agenda.

So what, exactly, do the Republicans propose to do about the real issues?

I won't hold my breath waiting for a genuinely thoughtful Republican response...

12 years of Republican control? That's how long I have lived in the States (well, to be more specific NC )! Go figure...

[magenta]shedmonite61[/magenta] wrote: 12 years of Republican control? That's how long I have lived in the States (well, to be more specific NC )! Go figure...

so it is your fault then.

Hey, don't look at me! My only crime is to live in a red state. At least I have sense, unlike the majority of the citizens there...

I think it was a joke, dear. ;) ;)

I know. :)

Different party senate and presidency, I think, is best. Keeps a balance in power. When the same parties hold both, too much extremeist ideas get passed. So don't mind a Democrat Senate, hoping for a Republican President.