November 5, 2008
Via NPR's Martin Kaste , Alaska Democrat Mark Begich says 60,000 uncounted votes and suspicious numbers in at least one precinct are preventing him from conceding the Senate race to incumbent (and recently-convicted felon ) Ted Stevens. Stevens, who has held his Senate seat since 1968, currently holds a 4,500-vote advantage in the vote tally. He claims that it's mathematically impossible for Begich to win.
The state's deadline to settle on a result is November 21st.
-- Evie Stone
5:49 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Three states voted to officially ban gay marriage yesterday. The most well-publicized of the bans was California's Proposition 8, which according to the LA Times "was the most expensive proposition on the ballot in any state this year, with more than $74 million spent by both sides." Prop 8 passed yesterday with 52% of the vote.
Exit polls indicate that African-Americans overwhelmingly supported Proposition 8, leading to speculation that high black turnout inspired by Barack Obama's historic candidacy may have contributed to the referendum's passage.
Florida and Arizona -- the other two states whose voters approved constitutional bans -- already had laws on the books defining marriage as between a man and a woman. But California had legalized same-sex marriage earlier this year when the state Supreme Court overturned the ban California voters approved back in 2000. During the five months same-sex marriage was legal in the state, thousands of gay couples, including celebs Ellen DeGeneres and George "Mr. Sulu" Takei , availed themselves of their newfound right. State Attorney General Jerry Brown has said those marriages will remain legally valid despite yesterday's vote.
A coalition of activist groups has already filed suit challenging the validity of the ballot initiative.
-- Evie Stone
5:27 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The notion of bellwether voters took a big hit this election day.
Before Tuesday, one state (Missouri) and six counties from Indiana to Washington could boast bellwether status. They consistently matched the nation in their choices for president.
But Tuesday voting knocked almost all of them off the bellwether perch. Only Vigo County, Indiana, kept its remarkable voting record intact.
Missouri was the only bellwether state, before this week. Now it's likely off the list. Voters there have chosen the national winner in almost every presidential election since 1904. The lone exception was 1956, when Missouri voters made Adlai Stevenson their presidential favorite by less than one percent. Dwight Eisenhower won the national vote.
Something identical happened in 2008. Defeated Republican John McCain leads the Missouri count by less than one percent. Only provisional ballots are uncounted and state officials say it's highly unlikely president-elect Barack Obama will win enough of those to win the state.
The following counties also fell off the bellwether list:
Ferry County, Washington (Obama 42% - McCain 55%)
Vigo County, Indiana, not only joined the nation in selecting Barack Obama as the winner. It also closely matched the national margin, which it has done in the 12 presidential elections since 1960. Vigo County's bellwether status goes back to 1892. It has voted against the nation only twice since.
Vigo County is the only public entity left with any claim to the bellwether mantle.
-- Howard Berkes
5:14 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Today on ATC NPR's Ina Jaffe takes a look at the role of Latino voters in yesterday's election. She brings us these remarkable statistics courtesy of Andres Ramirez, the Vice President of Hispanic Programs for NDN .
In 2004, Hispanics accounted for about 8 percent of total turnout in Colorado. In 2008, they accounted for 17 percent. In Nevada we saw turnout increase to 16 percent in 2008. That is up from 10 percent in 2004. And in New Mexico it went from 31 percent to 41 percent.
All three of those states went for Bush in 2004 and turned blue last night, buoyed by overwhelming support from Latino voters. About two-thirds of Latinos nationwide voted for the Democratic presidential ticket.
Even in Florida, where about a third of the Latino population is Cuban-American -- a group that has historically favored Republicans -- a majority of Latinos chose Obama yesterday. According to the Pew Research Center , Bush won 56% of Florida's Latino vote in 2004.
-- Evie Stone
4:43 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The race between Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) and Democrat Jim Martin remains unresolved despite a three-point lead for Chambliss, thanks to a state requirement that the winner break 50 percent.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports this morning that state Republican Chairwoman Sue Everhart says she's expecting a recount.
Chambliss, seeking a second term, has 49 percent of the vote, according to NPR's election map . Martin has 46 percent, and Libertarian Allen Buckley has a bit more than 3 percent.
If the recount doesn't put Chambliss over the top, Georgia will hold a run-off in four weeks. In that case, Libertarians will have to contemplate going with the Republican they spurned on election day.
-- Peter Overby
UPDATE : The latest numbers show Chambliss with 49.8% of the vote, still just shy of the 50% required by state law for a victory. The candidates say they are preparing for a December 2nd runoff .
12:48 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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In his Rose Garden remarks this morning, President Bush acknowledged the milestone achieved by Barack Obama yesterday when he became the first African-American elected to the U.S. presidency.
No matter how they cast their ballots, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday. Across the country, citizens voted in large numbers. They showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy, and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union. They chose a President whose journey represents a triumph of the American story -- a testament to hard work, optimism, and faith in the enduring promise of our nation.
On Morning Edition today, NPR's John Burnett told the story of one of those witnesses. 109-year-old Amanda Jones, the daughter of a slave, cast her first presidential ballot for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She set aside money she earned picking cotton so she could afford the poll tax that was required of black voters in her home state of Texas until 1966.
NPR's David Gilkey followed a civil rights activist to the polls in Birmingham, Alabama. He put together this audio slideshow:
We can now tell our children and our grandchildren yes we can. We can tell fourth and fifth graders with certainty that they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. We can all believe that our country's best days are ahead.
-- Evie Stone
12:34 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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They're still counting presidential votes in Missouri , which has picked the winner in every presidential race since 1904, with one exception.
But an analysis of the votes yet to be counted indicates Missouri's bellwether status is history.
With all precincts reporting and all absentee and overseas ballots counted, Republican runner-up John McCain leads by less than 6,000 votes. Only provisional ballots remain to be counted and there are only 6,000 to 8,000 of those, according to the Missouri Secretary of State.
"I don't see the gap closing," says Laura Egerdal, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.
Egerdal says most provisional ballots prove to be invalid. Typically, she adds, only 30% are added to the vote count. "Even if there are 8,000 provisional ballots and 50% are counted and all of those votes go to (president-elect) Obama" that's still not enough to catch McCain.
Counties have two weeks to report their canvas of the provisional ballots. Egerdal expects to have some reports and a clearer sense of the result in a few days.
-- Howard Berkes
12:15 PM ET
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11- 5-2008
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The map will continue to update overnight, but Vox Politics will take a little break from real-time race calling until the sun comes up.
As of 3:14am EST, NPR has yet to project a winner in the Presidential voting in North Carolina or Missouri; we're still awaiting more information from the Senate contests in Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska, and Georgia; and the Democrats have gained a net of 13 House seats. If more results come in while we're snoozing, Peter Overby will fill you in first thing.
-- Evie Stone
3:14 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Christine Gregoire has won re-election as Governor of Washington . This year's election was a rematch of Gregoire's narrow 2004 contest against Republican Dino Rossi, which was only resolved after a protracted recount.
-- Evie Stone
3:05 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won a narrow victory in Montana and will win that state's 3 electoral votes. President Bush carried Montana by a wide margin in 2004, but the state is no stranger to supporting Democrats statewide; Montana has a Democratic Governor (Brian Schweitzer, re-elected tonight) and two Democratic Senators (Max Baucus, re-elected tonight, and Jon Tester, who won his seat in 2006).
-- Evie Stone
2:59 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won a narrow victory in Indiana -- another state (like Virginia) that until tonight had not supported a Democrat for President since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. In 2004, President Bush won Indiana by 20 percentage points.
-- Evie Stone
2:06 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann appears to have won another term representing Minnesota's 6th Congressional district. Bachmann seemed very safe in her seat until she earned recent bad publicity for telling MSNBC's Chris Matthews that she suspected Barack Obama and some other Congressional Demcrats hold "anti-American" views .
She defeats the amazingly named Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg, who will be sorely missed by the participants in NPR's political podcast .
As of 1:56 am EST, Democrats have picked up 5 Senate seats and gained a net of 14 House seats (winning 17 and losing 3).
-- Evie Stone
1:56 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that McCain has won Alaska 's 3 electoral votes. The Obama campaign appeared to be making an earnest effort in the Last Frontier State early in the general election, but pulled most of its resources out of the state after McCain chose Alaska's popular Governor Sarah Palin as his running-mate.
-- Evie Stone
1:41 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean has released this statement on tonight's victory -- which was in many ways the result of the "50 state strategy" he began to implement after he was elected party chair in 2005.
This has been a truly historic, transformational election. Tonight, our country chose hope over fear, the future over the past, unity over division. This election also reflects the passing of the torch to a new generation. Barack Obama inspired young voters across this country to answer the call and get involved. They responded to his promise to put partisanship and divisiveness aside and come together as one nation to find solutions. They turned out. They made calls. They knocked on doors. And they helped change our country.
Today I am humbled by what we have accomplished over the last four years. Together, we can build on this moment to bring our nation together and work as one to overcome the challenges we face. It is what we as Americans have always done. Under Barack Obama's leadership, we'll do it again.
-- Evie Stone
1:01 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Vermont 's Republican Governor Jim Douglas has won his bid for re-election. Douglas needed to win more than 50% of the state's votes to avoid a runoff with one of his opponents (a Democrat and an Independent), and it appears he has done that.
-- Evie Stone
12:48 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Colorado 's 9 electoral votes. President Bush carried the state by 21 points in 2004 and by 16 points in 2000. Until tonight Bill Clinton (in 1992) was the only Democrat to carry Colorado since LBJ won it in 1964.
-- Evie Stone
12:21 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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In front of 27 American flags, and before an enormous and electrified crowd in Chicago's Grant Park, President-elect Barack Obama celebrates his victory in the 2008 presidential election:
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
Obama speaks graciously of his opponent, Senator McCain, commending him on his lifetime of service and saying that "we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader". He makes an unusual move, acknowledging by name the guys-behind-the-guy: his campaign manager David Plouffe and chief strategist David Axelrod. And he offers a cautionary note on this otherwise enormously optimistic night for his supporters:
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
Obama then calls on his audience to "summon a new spirit of patriotism" and asks them to "resist the temptation to fall back on...partisanship and pettiness and immaturity". He vows to be the President for those whose support he did not win in this election. And he promises his daughters Sasha and Malia a new puppy to bring to the White House.
The speech ends with the refrain that became familiar to both Obama's supporters and his detractors during the primary: "Yes We Can".
The full prepared remarks are after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Obama's Victory Speech" »
12:15 AM ET
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11- 5-2008
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November 4, 2008
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has offered his congratulations to Barack Obama with a handwritten note. He addresses the President-elect by his first name, and writes that Obama's election will have far-reaching ramifications for the perception of America in the global community:
[Y]our election raises immense hope in France, Europe and beyond: the hope of an open America, characterized by solidarity and strength, that will once again lead the way, with its partners, through the power of its example and the adherence to its principles.
The whole letter is after the jump.
-- Evie Stone
Continue reading "Sarkozy's Note" »
11:56 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that McCain has won his home state of Arizona .
-- Evie Stone
11:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The White House reports that President Bush called John McCain at 11:38 pm, after McCain had finished his concession speech. From Dana Perino's email to reporters:
"John, you gave it your all. I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry it didn't work out. You didn't leave anything on the playing field."
Both calls were made from the president's office, the Treaty Room, in the Residence.
Also, the President will give a statement in the Rose Garden tomorrow at 10:40 am.
-- Evie Stone
11:53 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Nevada 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:52 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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As of 11:50 pm, Democrats have gained 8 seats in the House and 5 in the Senate.
Notable races:
Chris Shays (R-CT) was defeated in his bid to keep the seat he has held since a 1987, representing Connecticut's 4th district. Shays was the last Republican member of the House from New England.
Democrat Tim Mahoney (FL 16) has lost his seat after the revelation of an affair and allegations of an attempted pay-off. Mahoney won election in 2006 after his predecessor Mark Foley's indiscreet correspondence with teenage Congressional pages came to light.
Tom Feeney, a Republican from Florida's 24th District who got caught up in the Jack Abramoff scandal, lost his seat.
The seat currently held by Republican Vito Fossella, who represents Staten Island (NY-13) and decided not to run for re-election after it came to light that he had an out-of-wedlock child, has gone to a Democrat.
Democrat John Murtha has hung onto his seat in Pennsylvania's 12th district, despite his recent proclamation that western Pennsylvania is "a racist area".
-- Evie Stone
11:50 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Mike Johanns has won a Senate seat in Nebraska .
Johanns served as Nebraska's Governor from 1998-2004. He replaces two-term Republican Senator Chuck Hagel who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:39 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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From Sen. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama's onetime primary rival:
Tonight, we are celebrating an historic victory for the American people. This was a long and hard fought campaign but the result was well worth the wait.
For too long, middle class families in this country have felt invisible, struggling alone as wages stagnate, jobs disappear, and the costs of daily life climb upward. In quiet, solitary acts of citizenship, American voters gave voice to their hopes and their values, voted for change, and refused to be invisible any longer.
-- Evie Stone
11:37 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Roger Wicker has won a special election to fill the remainder of Mississippi Senator Trent Lott's term. Wicker was appointed to the Senate seat after Lott's retirement just one year into his third six-year term.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:33 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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The White House press office says that President Bush called to congratulate Barack Obama at 11:12pm this evening. A couple of quotes from the press release:
"Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."
The release adds that the President invited the Obama family to visit the White House soon.
-- Evie Stone
11:30 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Bev Perdue has won the seat for Governor of North Carolina .
-- Natalie Friedman
11:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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McCain opens by saying, "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."
The crowd at the Biltmore boos when McCain says he called to congratulate Obama, but they applaud when he says Obama's election represents a milestone in the history of race relations in this country. McCain adds that African-Americans must be feeling "special pride" tonight.
He urges his supporters to offer Obama "goodwill and earnest effort to come together" and bridge their differences. He assures his supporters that "the failure is mine, not yours."
Sarah Palin receives a warm welcome from the crowd. McCain calls her "one of the best campaigners I've ever seen" and compliments her on her "courage and grace".
He closes by wishing "Godspeed" to Obama, and calling on all Americans to believe in the "promise and greatness of America."
-- Evie Stone
11:18 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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AP is reporting that John McCain has called Barack Obama to concede the election.
-- Evie Stone
UPDATE : More details from the Obama campaign:
Senator Obama thanked Senator McCain for his graciousness and said he had waged a tough race. Senator Obama told Senator McCain he was consistently someone who has showed class and honor during this campaign as he has during his entire life in public service.
11:10 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Florida 's 27 electoral votes. There does not appear to be any uncertainty in the Florida outcome -- in stark contrast to the protracted battle over uncertain chad-punching that postponed the presidential election's resolution for weeks back in 2000.
-- Evie Stone
11:08 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Obama has won Hawaii , the state of his birth. Hawaii adds 4 electoral votes to Obama's margin of victory.
-- Evie Stone
11:07 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Colorado Democrat Mark Udall has won a Senate seat in Colorado.
Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2008. He replaces two-term Republican Senator Wayne Allard who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:06 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Oregon 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:05 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won South Dakota , with its 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
11:02 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won Washington 's 11 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won the 2008 presidential election. He becomes the first African-American president in a country where black people could not freely exercise their right to vote in many states less than a half-century ago.
-- Evie Stone
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain has won Idaho 's 4 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
11:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has won the 13 electoral votes from the commonwealth of Virginia . This is the first time Virginia has cast its lot for a Democrat since Lyndon Johnson's win there in 1964.
-- Evie Stone
10:52 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Mississippi 's 6 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:44 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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Vigo County, Indiana, has been accurately picking presidents since 1892, with just two exceptions. In fact, no other county comes closer to mirroring the national results in presidential elections. And today, Vigo County went with Democrat Barack Obama.
Obama won 57% of the county's vote. Republican John McCain captured 42%.
Vigo County has a history of strong Democratic voting in local elections but the conservative Democrats there have supported Republicans in statewide and presidential races. That's especially true when guns, God, gay marriage and abortion are big issues at election time. But the county has suffered from lost manufacturing jobs. The economy seems to have overshadowed values in 2008.
-- Howard Berkes
10:26 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Tom Udall will win a Senate seat in New Mexico .
Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2008. He replaces six-term Republican Senator Pete Domenici who is retiring.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer has won re-election in Montana. Schweitzer made a national name for himself at this year's Democratic National Convention, where he gave a rousing bolo-tied speech about renewable energy.
-- Evie Stone
10:21 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Texas 's 34 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:20 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin has won a fifth term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:18 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Gov. John Huntsman has won re-election in Utah .
-- Evie Stone
10:17 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Montana Democrat Max Baucus has won a sixth term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:17 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Iowa 's 7 electoral votes. Obama's path to the Democratic nomination began with a victory in the January 3rd Iowa caucuses, after he spent months developing an extensive grassroots network in the state. John McCain skipped the Iowa caucuses in favor of focusing on New Hampshire's January 8th primary -- which he won, putting his campaign back on the pundits' radar.
-- Evie Stone
10:16 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Utah 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
10:14 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, has won re-election in Kentucky .
-- Evie Stone
10:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Louisiana 's 9 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win West Virginia 's 5 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:12 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Kansas 's 6 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:10 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Kansas Republican Pat Robers has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
10:06 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win New Mexico 's 5 electoral votes, breaking the recent tradition of tight contests in the Land of Enchantment (home of now non-bearded Gov. Bill Richardson). George W. Bush defeated John Kerry in New Mexico 50%-49% in 2004. In 2000, Bush lost to Al Gore by 483 votes in an election whose results weren't certified until the very end of November.
-- Evie Stone
9:48 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Alabama 's 9 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:42 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will carry Georgia and win its 15 electoral votes. Georgia was solid red in 2000 and 2004, but Democrats had hoped that the state's sizeable African-American population (28.5%) might turn out in enough force to bring about a shift this year. Nonetheless, the state's pro-McCain turnout appears to have overpowered any Obama-inspired surge.
-- Evie Stone
9:41 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Wyoming Republican Mike Enzi has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:39 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson has won a second term in the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:35 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican John Barrasso has won a special election to fill the remainder of Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas's term. Barasso was appointed to the Senate seat after Thomas's death in summer of 2007. Wyoming's Governor is a Democrat, but state laws require that any Senate vacancy be filled by a member of the same party as the previous Senator.
-- Evie Stone
9:35 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Jack Reed has won a third term representing Rhode Island in the Senate.
-- Evie Stone
9:33 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win North Dakota 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:32 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Michigan 's five-term Democratic Senator Carl Levin has won re-election.
-- Evie Stone
9:31 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win New York 's 31 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:28 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Michigan 's 17 electoral votes. Michigan was at one time considered a battleground -- in fact, during the primaries, Hillary Clinton warned that Michiganians would not support Barack Obama if he did not fully enfranchise the Democratic delegates at the convention. After a contentious fight over the fates of the delegations from Michigan and Florida, whose primaries violated party rules by occurring too early, both groups were seated in full at the DNC. John McCain pulled resources out of Michigan in early October, effectively ceding the state to Obama.
-- Evie Stone
9:28 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama has carried the state of Ohio -- one of the biggest battleground prizes of this election year. Ohio's 20 electoral votes put George Bush over the top in 2004, ensuring his victory over Sen. John F. Kerry.
-- Evie Stone
9:24 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions has won a third term in the Senate.
-- Evie Stone
9:22 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Wisconsin 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:20 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe has been re-elected to a third full term in the Senate (Inhofe won a special election to fill Sen. David Boren's seat in 1994).
-- Evie Stone
9:19 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Arkansas Democrat Mark Pryor has been re-elected to the Senate. Pryor, a one-term incumbent, ran for re-election without a Republican opponent.
-- Evie Stone
9:16 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that former New Hampshire Governor, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, has defeated one-term incumbent Republican John Sununu. This year's election was a rematch of the 2002 contest between Shaheen and Sununu -- this time with a different result.
-- Evie Stone
9:15 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Kay Hagan has defeated incumbent Liddy Dole's bid for re-election to the Senate from North Carolina .
-- Evie Stone
9:14 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Rhode Island 's 4 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:14 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Joe Biden has won re-election to the Senate in Delaware . If Biden wins the vice-presidency tonight, the governor of Delaware -- Democrat Ruth Ann Minner -- will appoint a successor to his Senate seat. Biden's son Beau, the state's Attorney General, has been considered a favorite for the seat. But he will be serving in Iraq as a member of the Delaware National Guard until October 2009.
-- Evie Stone
9:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Minnesota 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:09 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Wyoming 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
9:07 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Susan Collins will hold on to her Senate seat in Maine .
-- Evie Stone
9:06 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win all four of Maine 's electoral votes. Maine does not allocate its electoral votes on a winner-take all basis. It gives two EVs to the winner of the statewide popular vote, and then one to the winner of each of its two congressional districts.
-- Evie Stone
9:01 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 21 electoral votes from Pennsylvania . They keystone state was considered a battleground for much of the 2008 campaign, but Obama appears to have a comfortable margin there.
-- Evie Stone
8:59 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Dick Durbin will win a third term as the senator from Illinois .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:59 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 4 electoral votes from New Hampshire .
-- Evie Stone
8:58 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Frank Lautenberg will win a fifth term as the senator from New Jersey .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:58 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat John Kerry will win a fifth term as the senator from Massachusetts .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:57 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 15 electoral votes from New Jersey .
-- Evie Stone
8:57 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 21 electoral votes from his home state of Illinois .
-- Natalie Friedman
8:57 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win DC 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:56 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Maryland 's 10 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:55 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Tennessee 's 11 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:54 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Oklahoma 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Natalie Friedman
8:53 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Delaware 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Connecticut 's 7 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win the 12 electoral votes from the commonwealth of Massachusetts .
-- Evie Stone
8:00 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Jay Rockefeller will win a fifth term as the senator from West Virginia . He defeats former state Senator Jay Wolfe, who also lost to Rockefeller in 2002.
-- Evie Stone
7:30 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Democrat Joe Manchin has won re-election for West Virginia Governor.
-- Natalie Friedman
7:30 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Republican Mitch Daniels has won re-election as Governor of Indiana .
-- Natalie Friedman
7:13 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Mark Warner will win a Senate seat in Virginia .
Warner served as Governor of Virginia from 2002-2006. He replaces five-term Republican Senator John Warner (no relation).
-- Evie Stone
7:09 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that South Carolina 's Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham will retain his seat in the Senate.
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002, after Strom Thurmond retired. He represented South Carolina's Third District in Congress for 10 years before he was elected to the Senate.
-- Natalie Friedman
7:08 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that Barack Obama will win Vermont 's 3 electoral votes.
-- Evie Stone
7:05 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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NPR projects that John McCain will win Kentucky 's 8 electoral votes.
You can watch real-time returns all night on our online map .
-- Evie Stone
6:57 PM ET
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11- 4-2008
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Listen to the best political stories of the last few days in one podcast, including the latest from the battleground states and analysis from NPR.
