Obama, Senate Democrats Add To Totals
It's 9 p.m. -- do you know who the next president is?
The answer: not yet. But, things continue to look quite good for Barack Obama.
Polls have now closed in 80 percent of the country although results will be somewhat slow in coming in over the next few hours.
John McCain's failure to pull off an upset in New Hampshire or Pennsylvania makes the Arizona senator's road to 270 electoral votes very rocky. The narrowness of the contests in Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia (which looks quite good for Obama), Missouri, Ohio and Florida all point to significant strength in traditional Republican areas across the country.
Add to that, the fact that McCain's home state of Arizona -- and GOP strongholds like Nebraska and Kansas -- were not called right at the top of the 9 p.m. hour suggest predictions of a re-ordering of the political map may well be happening in real time. (To be clear: we expect McCain to win Arizona, Nebraska and Kansas. But, the fact that none of the states are being immediately called for him suggest the races in the trio are not as easy as some Republicans would like.)
Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Rhode Island have gone to Obama, while McCain wrapped up North Dakota and Wyoming.
Down a level, the race for the Senate is also moving in Democrats' direction in the early going.
The victories by former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) and North Carolina state Sen. Kay Hagan in two heavily targeted Senate races put Democrats six seats away from their goal of 60.
Shaheen and Hagan were confirmed as winners by the Associated Press and join former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner as winners in seats currently held by Republicans.
None of the three wins is particularly surprising; Shaheen and Warner had led in public polling for months while Hagan had surged into a solid lead over Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R) in the final weeks of the campaign.
The key Senate races we continue to keep an eye on: Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi and Minnesota.
In Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) leads 52 percent to 48 percent over Democrat Bruce Lunsford with roughly one third of all votes cast. (Republicans should feel good about those numbers as Jefferson County, which contains the city of Louisville and is a Democratic stronhghold, has already reported half of their total precincts.)
In Georgia, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) holds a wide lead over former state Rep. Jim Martin but barely more than 10 percent of the precincts have reported their results.
By
Chris Cillizza
|
November 4, 2008; 9:00 PM ET
Categories:
Eye on 2008
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Senate
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Posted by: ripley8 | November 4, 2008 10:43 PM | Report abuse
poor sad pathetic cons. so much for losing gracefully huh ?
Posted by: ripley8 | November 4, 2008 10:41 PM | Report abuse
OBAMA OUR LORD AND HOLY SAVIOR HAS COME TO SAVE US!!!! Allah be praised!!
Posted by: Thozmaniac | November 4, 2008 10:27 PM | Report abuse
ALLLLAAHHHHHHH AKKKBARRRRRR!!!
Posted by: Thozmaniac | November 4, 2008 10:26 PM | Report abuse
NOW ENOUGH WITH THAT RAT,AND COCKY WACKO VOICE McCAIN and PALIN
Posted by: fu_buki | November 4, 2008 10:18 PM | Report abuse
LALALALALALALALAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: fu_buki | November 4, 2008 10:07 PM | Report abuse
BARACK OBAMA THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE GREAT COUNTRY ON EARTH
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Posted by: fu_buki | November 4, 2008 10:05 PM | Report abuse
BARACK OBAMA HE'S THE WINER
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Posted by: fu_buki | November 4, 2008 9:59 PM | Report abuse
Why does the voting map of this country have to look like a fat white dog in a hot tub of water? All red on the bottom, blue on the top? What differentiates a southerner from a northerner? Blacks didn't choose Obama in Vermont, whites did. Arkansas is one of the poorest states in the Union and would benefit most from Obama's plans, but it chose McCain. The poorest states, whose sons and daughters were lied to to get them to go to war in Iraq chose the guy whose impossibly rich buddies did the lying.
Posted by: UsedToBeGOP | November 4, 2008 9:51 PM | Report abuse
I will guarantee Florida. A full years ground game will have delivered it.
Posted by: popasmoke | November 4, 2008 9:46 PM | Report abuse
Poor Zouk.
On the wrong side of history yet again.
And with three toes to boot!
Poor Zouk.
Posted by: wpost4112 | November 4, 2008 9:40 PM | Report abuse
New Mexico ✔
Posted by: angriestdogintheworld | November 4, 2008 9:32 PM | Report abuse
angriestdogintheworld wrote:
Check mate...
11/4/2008 9:26:54 PM
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angriestdogintheworld wrote:
Ohio ✔
11/4/2008 9:22:28 PM
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Minnesota ✔
11/4/2008 9:06:58 PM
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Wisconsin ✔
11/4/2008 9:03:14 PM
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Virginia ✔
11/4/2008 8:56:22 PM
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Florida ✔
11/4/2008 8:41:05 PM
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angriestdogintheworld wrote:
Indiana ✔
11/4/2008 8:37:16 PM
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North Carolina ✔
11/4/2008 8:33:49 PM
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New Hampshire ✔
11/4/2008 8:12:29 PM
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Pennsylvania ✔
11/4/2008 8:09:16 PM
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Posted by: angriestdogintheworld | November 4, 2008 9:31 PM | Report abuse
Ohio to Obama. Okay, I'm starting to breathe again. I think we're about to hear the call for our new President... Obama... very soon. Look forward to all of WaPo's political coverage during this transition!
Posted by: DogBitez | November 4, 2008 9:27 PM | Report abuse
Can someone at ABC please answer that incessantly ringing phone? Thanks.
Posted by: MaineMan1 | November 4, 2008 9:25 PM | Report abuse
I think I'm going to be sick. Literally. Seriously. Until this is called for Obama, I'm on freakin' pins 'n needles. My heart was hoping it would be called early... but my brain knew it wouldn't. I've eaten enough to gain 150 lbs., shoveling in popcorn like I was chain smoking, and drank enough to have liver damage. Har har. Probably the biggest political moment of our lives, eh? Love to you all. Peace.
Posted by: DogBitez | November 4, 2008 9:20 PM | Report abuse
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hey Thoz - I thought you went to stroke your 'half staff' in your desperation ?