A busy night across the South as dozens of close races were decided. Here is a roundup of the highlights from a hectic night in Dixie.
Mitch McConnell defeats Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cruised to reelection on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes with a wide enough margin for the race to be called the moment the polls closed statewide.
With 11 percent of precincts reporting, McConnell led Grimes 57 percent to 40 percent, according to The Associated Press.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/kentucky-election-results-2014-mitch-mcconnell-defeats-alison-lundergan-grimes-112508.html#ixzz3I9ipVpZj
Republican Tom Cotton wins Senate seat in Arkansas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Tom Cotton has won the U.S. Senate race in Arkansas, ousting incumbent Democrat Mark Pryor, an important prize for Republicans hoping to win control of that chamber, CNN projected on Tuesday.
Cotton, 37, a first-term U.S. representative and Iraq war veteran, linked Pryor to President Barack Obama, who is deeply unpopular in Arkansas. Cotton won despite a late campaign push for Pryor from other Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, who was once an Arkansas governor.
Read more from yahoo news here.
Perdue, Deal win in Georgia
Many predicted Republicans David Perdue and Nathan Deal at least face runoffs in their bids for U.S. Senate and Governor, respectively, but both candidates won their races Tuesday outright.
More from InsiderAdvantage here.
Tillis Scores Upset Over Hagan in N.C.
From Huffington Post –
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) was narrowly defeated by North Carolina state House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) on Tuesday in one of the nation’s highest-profile Senate races.
The Associated Press called the race for Tillis after the polls closed, with the Republican leading Hagan by 2 percentage points. Libertarian pizza deliveryman Sean Haugh trailed far behind.
Hagan, who was first elected to the Senate in 2008, was considered one of this electoral cycle’s most vulnerable Democratic incumbents. The Tar Heel State race was closely scrutinized as one that might contribute to a new GOP majority in the Senate. Republicans went into Tuesday’s election needing to pick up six seats to gain control of Congress’ upper chamber.
Read more here.
Landrieu and Cassidy Head to Runoff
The tightest Senate race of the night took place in Louisiana, where incumbent Mary Landrieu (D) and challenger Bill Cassidy (R) will face off once more in a runoff in December. The result wasn’t a surprise, it was polled as having razor thin margins for the past month. Lucky Louisana residents will get a whole extra month of commercials, mailers, and robo calls. Lucky them.
Read more on the race from the Huffington Post here.
Scott Holds off Crist in Florida Governor’s Race
From Politico – Republican Gov. Rick Scott has won a tight reelection race against Democrat Charlie Crist in one of the closest, costliest and most bitter contests in the country.
Scott had received 48 percent of the votes when The Associated Press called the race with 99 percent of precincts reporting. Crist received 47 percent.
Warner, Gillespie deadlocked in Va.
From Politico –
Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Ed Gillespie are locked in a dead heat in the Virginia Senate race.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, about 2,500 votes separated the two — with Warner edging Gillespie by a tenth of a percentage point, 48.7 percent to 48.6 percent.