9 p.m.
Arizona 10 S Colorado 9 S Louisiana 9 S Minnesota 10
Nebraska 5
New Mexico 5
New York 31 S
Rhode Island 4
South Dakota 3 S
Wisconsin 10 S
Wyoming 3
Three crucial Senate races are decided at this hour. South Dakota, which has been a dead heat throughout the campaign, features former Rep. John Thune, a Republican, challenging Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Over $25 million has flowed into a state with fewer than 700,000 people to decide the country's premier Senate race. Once again, the decision may hinge on the American Indian vote, which decided the state's photo-finish 2002 Senate race in favor of Democrat Tim Johnson. Questions about voting irregularities on the Indian reservations have cropped up again this year.
Colorado pits Ken Salazar, the state's attorney general, against beer baron Pete Coors. Mr. Coors has run a disappointing campaign and trails in a state that now looks as if President Bush will win it without breaking too much of a sweat.
Louisiana's Senate contest is run under the strangest rules of the 2004 election. GOP Rep. David Vitter, seeking to replace retiring Democratic Sen. John Breaux, must get more than 50% of the vote to win re-election today. If he doesn't (as appears likely), he will face the top Democratic vote getter in an early December runoff. If control of the Senate is still in doubt, this race would then see a tidal wave of spending by both parties.
In the House, Republicans appear likely to retain the marginal rural district in northern Arizona they just barely won in 2002 with Rick Renzi. If he loses, or if President Bush is pressed hard in Arizona, it will be a sign that the GOP is wearing out its welcome in normally simpatico Western territory. In New Mexico, GOP incumbent Heather Wilson has won four straight elections with less than 55% of the vote. If she loses this year, it will show continued GOP weakness with Hispanic voters. Ditto for the vacant Second District House seat, which Democrats have hopes of winning based on the fact that one out of nine potential voters in the district was newly registered this year. Look for Republicans to retain both seats.
In the South Dakota House race, incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth is struggling to win more than the 51% of the vote she won against Republican Larry Diedrich in a June special election. But odds slightly favor Ms. Herseth, who if Mr. Daschle loses will quickly become the state's leading Democrat.
In the presidential race, New Mexico, Wisconsin and to a lesser extent Minnesota are Gore states that are within reach for President Bush. If he loses Ohio, he'll need Wisconsin and one other Upper Midwest state to win re-election. Sens. John McCain (R., Ariz), Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Russ Feingold (D., Wis.) are safe for re-election
By Minority Leader Tom Daschle
Arizona 10 S Colorado 9 S Louisiana 9 S Minnesota 10
Nebraska 5
New Mexico 5
New York 31 S
Rhode Island 4
South Dakota 3 S
Wisconsin 10 S
Wyoming 3
Three crucial Senate races are decided at this hour. South Dakota, which has been a dead heat throughout the campaign, features former Rep. John Thune, a Republican, challenging Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Over $25 million has flowed into a state with fewer than 700,000 people to decide the country's premier Senate race. Once again, the decision may hinge on the American Indian vote, which decided the state's photo-finish 2002 Senate race in favor of Democrat Tim Johnson. Questions about voting irregularities on the Indian reservations have cropped up again this year.
Colorado pits Ken Salazar, the state's attorney general, against beer baron Pete Coors. Mr. Coors has run a disappointing campaign and trails in a state that now looks as if President Bush will win it without breaking too much of a sweat.
Louisiana's Senate contest is run under the strangest rules of the 2004 election. GOP Rep. David Vitter, seeking to replace retiring Democratic Sen. John Breaux, must get more than 50% of the vote to win re-election today. If he doesn't (as appears likely), he will face the top Democratic vote getter in an early December runoff. If control of the Senate is still in doubt, this race would then see a tidal wave of spending by both parties.
In the House, Republicans appear likely to retain the marginal rural district in northern Arizona they just barely won in 2002 with Rick Renzi. If he loses, or if President Bush is pressed hard in Arizona, it will be a sign that the GOP is wearing out its welcome in normally simpatico Western territory. In New Mexico, GOP incumbent Heather Wilson has won four straight elections with less than 55% of the vote. If she loses this year, it will show continued GOP weakness with Hispanic voters. Ditto for the vacant Second District House seat, which Democrats have hopes of winning based on the fact that one out of nine potential voters in the district was newly registered this year. Look for Republicans to retain both seats.
In the South Dakota House race, incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth is struggling to win more than the 51% of the vote she won against Republican Larry Diedrich in a June special election. But odds slightly favor Ms. Herseth, who if Mr. Daschle loses will quickly become the state's leading Democrat.
In the presidential race, New Mexico, Wisconsin and to a lesser extent Minnesota are Gore states that are within reach for President Bush. If he loses Ohio, he'll need Wisconsin and one other Upper Midwest state to win re-election. Sens. John McCain (R., Ariz), Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Russ Feingold (D., Wis.) are safe for re-election
By Minority Leader Tom Daschle
