North Carolina: Aiken loses race, wins TV series. Democratic congressional candidate Clay Aiken, who got his start singing on American Idol, lost 59% to 41% to US Rep. Renee Ellmers (R) on Tuesday in the 2nd District (Fayetteville, etc.). But the next day the Esquire Network announced that it will air a 4-hour documentary series on Aiken’s campaign. The network filmed Aiken throughout the campaign. A network spokesman said the show will be “a raw and honest look at American politics through an incredibly unique and compelling candidate,” reported Politico.
Kentucky: Democrats hold state House of Representatives. Despite US Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R) impressive victory (56% to 41%), Bluegrass State Democrats held on to their 54-46 majority in the legislature’s lower chamber, reports the Courier-Journal. The GOP had hoped to gain five House seats and thus control both legislative chambers, but Democratic redistricting made it difficult. Twenty years ago, in 1994, the House ratio was 71D-29R. Republicans now control 25 of the South’s 26 state legislative chambers.
Virginia: US Senate contest unsettled. US Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) declared victory late Tuesday night, but his challenger, former Republican National Chairman Ed Gillespie, has not conceded. The unofficial tally shows Warner with 49.2% to Gillespie’s 48.4% and 2.5% for Libertarian Robert Sarvis. Warner’s margin stands at 16,727 votes out of 2,125,839 cast. State officials will certify the vote by November 24, when Gillespie may or may not request a recount, reports the Washington Post. Stay tuned.