ALABAMA:
SENATE — Republican Jeff Sessions beat Democratic state auditor Susan Parker, who got little help from national party.
GOVERNOR — Democratic incumbent Don Siegelman locked in tight race with Republican Rep. Bob Riley, with both claiming victory.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 2D. New: Unchanged. Rep. Mike Rogers won close contest that became national battleground as Joe Turnham sought to gain seat for Democrats.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 67D, 38R. Old Senate: 24D, 11R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected rainy day fund for state budget.
BREAKING THROUGH — Democrat Lucy Baxley became first woman elected lieutenant governor, Alabama's second-highest office.
QUOTABLE — "Do you remember what happened in Florida and how close the vote was and the hanging chads?" — Riley, commenting on the close election.
ALASKA:
SENATE — Republican Ted Stevens defeated four underfunded challengers, including Democrat Frank Vondersaar — who has no telephone and a grudge against the six-term incumbent.
GOVERNOR — Republican Sen. Frank Murkowski won close race with Democratic Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer to replace Democrat Tony Knowles.
HOUSE — Old: 1R. New: 1R. Little opposition for incumbent Don Young.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 13D, 27R. Old Senate: 6D, 14R.
PROPOSITIONS — Move Legislature from Juneau to lower central Alaska.
TRAINING — State Sen. Dave Donley, co-chairman of the powerful Finance Committee, was upset by Democrat Hollis French after trying to make French's claim of military service an issue. French listed his service as "USMC (ROTC) 1977-1978," which he later explained was six weeks training at the Quantico, Va., Marine Corps base.
QUOTABLE — "Vote to protect your wallet." — Signs held by Murkowski supporters.
ARIZONA:
GOVERNOR — Democrat Janet Napolitano clung to a narrow lead over Republican Matt Salmon in partial returns, but tens of thousands of early ballots remained uncounted.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 1D. New: 6R, 2D. Gains 2.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 24D, 36R. Old Senate: 15D, 15R. New Senate: 17R, 13D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters approved 60 cent increase in tobacco tax; rejected initiative that would decriminalize marijuana possession.
NO CASH — A proposal to increase pay for Arizona legislators was defeated by 3-2. Measure would have raised the annual salary of a representative or senator from $24,000 to $36,000.
QUOTABLE — "If we have to wait a couple of days, we have to wait a couple of days." — Napolitano on the unsettled governor's race.
ARKANSAS:
SENATE — Democrat Mark Pryor defeated one-term Sen. Tim Hutchinson, the first GOP senator from Arkansas since Reconstruction.
GOVERNOR — Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee turned back challenge by state Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher.
HOUSE — Old: 3D, 1R. No change.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 70D, 30R. Old Senate: 28D, 7R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters kept sales tax on food and medicine; declined to upgrade charges for animal cruelty from a misdemeanor to a felony.
HUSBAND & WIFE — Huckabee's wife, Janet, ran for secretary of state, marking the first time nationally that a husband and wife from a major party sought statewide constitutional office in same election. She lost.
QUOTABLE — "My wife's never been a drag on me. She's been the greatest asset to my life." — Huckabee, on concerns wife's race hurt his chances.
CALIFORNIA:
GOVERNOR — Democratic Gov. Gray Davis raised more than $60 million and held off Republican businessman Bill Simon.
HOUSE — Old: 32D, 20R. Gains 1. Most contested race: Democratic Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza beat Republican state Sen. Richard Monteith for seat vacated by Rep. Gary Condit.
LEGISLATURE — Old Assembly: 50D, 30R. Old Senate: 26D, 14R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters decided the state can sell $13 billion in bonds for new schools.
SISTER ACT — Rep. Loretta Sanchez and sister Linda became first sisters elected to Congress, winning races in Southern California districts.
QUOTABLE — "I really didn't like either one." — Margaret Cazric of Los Angeles, who said she voted for Simon because she felt Davis mishandled California's power crisis.
COLORADO:
SENATE — Republican incumbent Wayne Allard defeated Democrat Tom Strickland in rematch of 1996 race that Allard also won.
GOVERNOR — Republican Bill Owens re-elected, defeating Democrat Rollie Heath.
HOUSE — Old: 4R, 2D. New: 4R, 2D, with one race undecided. Gains: 1.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 38R, 27D. Old Senate: 18D, 17R.
PROPOSITIONS — Proposal to dismantle bilingual education defeated.
HIGH HOPES — Republican Scott McInnis easily defeated Denis Berckefeldt, part-time actor who acknowledged he was just holding ballot line for Democrats in House race.
QUOTABLE — "I wish him the wisdom to see us through these challenging times." — Heath, about Owens.
CONNECTICUT:
GOVERNOR — Republican Gov. John G. Rowland won third term, beating Democrat Bill Curry, who lost to him in 1994 and then worked in Clinton White House.
HOUSE — Old: 3D, 3R. New: 2D, 3R. Loses 1. Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson defeated Rep. Jim Maloney, a Democrat; freshman GOP Rep. Rob Simmons withstood a strong challenge in historically Democratic district.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 100D, 51R. New House: 93D, 54R; three races too close to call, count in one race delayed. Old Senate: 21D, 15R. New Senate: 21D, 15R.
ONE BIG, HAPPY FAMILY — Relatives of Republican state Rep. Dennis Cleary, angered over a probate matter, took out newspaper advertisement: "We are tired of Dennis ... Are you?" His Democratic opponent won.
QUOTABLE — "This political defeat of mine should not confuse you. The ideas and ideals we believe in are ours. The final victory will be ours." — Curry.
DELAWARE:
SENATE — Democrat Joseph Biden won state-record sixth term in rematch with Republican Ray Clatworthy.
HOUSE — Old: 1R. New: 1R. Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Castle coasted to a sixth term, beating Democrat Mike Miller.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 15D, 26R. New House: 12D, 29R. Old Senate: 13D, 8R. New Senate: 13D, 8R.
FOCUSING ON JAIL — Attorney General M. Jane Brady, who won re-election, said she would turn her attention to reforming the state's probation system. Half of all prisoners in Delaware are behind bars for violating probation.
QUOTABLE — "This and my first campaign are probably the two most pleasing and, it sounds strange to say, humbling, experiences that I've had. To win when I was 29, and then to win when I'm 59 is a pretty big deal for me." — Biden.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
MAYOR — Anthony A. Williams overcame ethics and petition problems to grab a second term in rematch against Republican Carol Schwartz.
HOUSE — Twelve-year veteran Eleanor Holmes Norton sailed to re-election as city's congressional delegate.
DEMOCRAT BY CHOICE — Williams won his party's nomination with a write-in campaign — and also won Republican primary in same manner. But he declined the GOP line.
QUOTABLE — "I have no regrets. I'm glad we did this." — Schwartz, who began campaign only about six weeks ago.
FLORIDA:
GOVERNOR — Jeb Bush, the president's brother, beat Democrat Bill McBride to become state's only Republican governor to win re-election.
HOUSE — Old: 15R, 8D. Gains 2. Among the winners: Former Secretary of State Katherine Harris, famous and infamous from 2000 presidential imbroglio.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 77R, 43D. New House: 82R, 38D. Old Senate: 25R, 15D. New Senate: 26R, 14D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters approved amending constitution to reduce public school class sizes, ban most smoking in public buildings, ban the crating of pregnant pigs.
MORE 2000 — Democrat Carol Roberts, a member of the Palm Beach County canvassing board, was defeated in her Congressional race against incumbent Republican Clay Shaw. Roberts had helped count infamous "butterfly" ballots in the 2000 election.
QUOTABLE — "It was a boring day. A boring day is a good Election Day, believe me." — Secretary of State Jim Smith, on this year's lack of election problems.
GEORGIA:
SENATE — Republican Rep. Saxby Chambliss unseated Democrat Max Cleland, popular war veteran criticized as too liberal for Georgia.
GOVERNOR — Republican Sonny Perdue shocked incumbent Roy Barnes and broke Democrats' 130-year hold on governor's mansion.
HOUSE — Old: 8R, 3D. Gains 2. New: 8R, 5D. Republican Max Burns won new district drawn to favor Democrats, over Charles "Champ" Walker Jr., son of one of Georgia's most powerful black politicians.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 105D, 74R, 1I. Old Senate: 33D, 23R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters approved constitutional amendment creating program for voluntary sterilization of cats and dogs, funded by fees from special automobile license plates.
MURPHY OUSTED — Republican Bill Heath defeated nation's longest-serving legislative speaker, Tom Murphy, who had been House speaker since 1974 and was elected in 1961.
QUOTABLE — "This is something we've had a lot of people waiting a long time for." — Heath, on Murphy's defeat.
HAWAII:
GOVERNOR — Republican Linda Lingle made history by defeating Democrat Mazie Hirono to become Hawaii's first female governor and the state's first GOP chief executive in four decades.
HOUSE — Old: 2D. New 2D. A special election will be held in January to name successor to late Rep. Patsy Mink, who easily won re-election weeks after her death.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 31D, 20R. Old Senate: 22D, 3R.
PROPOSITIONS — Amended constitution to allow prosecutors to submit documents directly to a judge to determine if sufficient evidence exists for trial, instead of going through preliminary proceeding or grand jury.
A SAD BALANCE — Mink had $185,000 in her campaign chest when she died; plans are to give between $5,000 and $10,000 of it to the Straub Clinic & Hospital, where she died of viral pneumonia.
QUOTABLE — "All they talked about was people, people, people. But it seems the only people on their mind are the people they have in office and those who benefit from state contracts." — State Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom on Democrats' four-decade domination of Hawaii politics.
IDAHO:
GOVERNOR — Gov. Dirk Kempthorne overcomes criticism of his education cuts to defeat Democratic newspaper publisher Jerry Brady for second term.
SENATE — Republican Larry Craig easily claimed third six-year term, beating Democrat Alan Blinken, former Wall Street investment banker.
HOUSE — Old: 2R, 0D. New: 2R, 0D. Freshman Republican Butch Otter deflected strong challenge from former Democratic U.S. Attorney Betty Richardson.
STATE LEGISLATURE — Old House: 61R, 9D. Old Senate: 32R, 3D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters nearly evenly split on ratifying first-in-the-nation legislative repeal of statewide term limits.
MAN FOR ALL PARTIES — Republican Ben Ysursa cruised to victory in his campaign for Secretary of State after state Democratic Carolyn Boyce endorsed him because, as chief deputy, he has run the office in a nonpartisan way.
QUOTABLE — "I'm not exactly a fugitive, but I know they're hunting for me so I'm not going to show my face anywhere." — Libertarian Daniel Adams, who has an arrest warrant out for him for violating probation for making harassing calls during a 2000 state Senate campaign.
ILLINOIS:
SENATE — First-term Democrat Dick Durbin swamped underfunded, little-known Republican Jim Durkin.
GOVERNOR — Rod Blagojevich elected first Democratic governor in 25 years, helped by attacks tying Republican Jim Ryan to scandal-plagued Gov. George Ryan.
HOUSE — Old: 10D, 10R. Loses 1. Redistricting set up one hotly contested race between incumbents: Republican John Shimkus beat Democrat David Phelps. All 18 other incumbents re-elected.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 62D, 56R. Old Senate: 32R, 27D. Democrats won enough Senate seats to regain control for first time in a decade and will enlarge majority in House.
FAMILY CLOUT — Blagojevich and attorney general winner Lisa Madigan got extra boost from powerful relatives: Blagojevich's father-in-law is powerful Chicago Alderman Dick Mell; Madigan's father is House Speaker and Democratic Party chairman Michael Madigan.
QUOTABLE — "In my heart I have nothing but a hunka hunka burnin' love for each one of you. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, Illinois has voted for change." — Blagojevich, an Elvis fan.
INDIANA:
HOUSE — Old: 6R, 4D. New: 6R, 3D. Loses 1. Democrat Julia Carson survived a tight bid for re-election to a fourth term.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 53D, 47R. New House: 50D, 50R. Old Senate: 32R, 18D. New Senate: 32R, 18D.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL — Republican Bruce Borders, an Elvis impersonator and former Jasonville mayor, lost to Democrat Alan Chowning for state House seat.
QUOTABLE — "The president's involvement in this race was significant." — Republican congressional victor Chris Chocola on President Bush's two visits to South Bend in the past two months.
IOWA:
SENATE — Democrat Tom Harkin handily beat Republican Rep. Greg Ganske to secure fourth term.
GOVERNOR — Democrat Tom Vilsack won re-election over moneyed Republican lawyer Doug Gross.
HOUSE — Old: 4R, 1D. New: unchanged.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 56R, 44D. New House: 55R, 45D.
Old Senate: 29R, 21 D. New Senate: 28R, 22D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters in 11 counties reauthorized casino gambling for eight more years.
SON & DAD — Jim Van Fossen, retired police officer, will join his son, four-term state Rep. Jamie Van Fossen, in Iowa House — first father-son team in recent memory.
QUOTABLE — "Today you stood with me. For the next six years, we'll stand together for the state of Iowa." — Harkin.
KANSAS:
SENATE — Republican Pat Roberts won second term in cakewalk with no Democratic challenger and only token, third-party opposition.
GOVERNOR — Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, whose father John Gilligan was Ohio governor 1971-75, beat Republican Tim Shallenburger to succeed GOP Gov. Bill Graves.
HOUSE — Old: 1D, 3R. New: unchanged. Democrat Dennis Moore won third term in traditionally Republican 3rd District, edging newcomer Adam Taff, former Navy fighter pilot. Incumbents sweep.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 46D,79R. New: 45D,80R. Old Senate: 30R,10D; unchanged.
SUNDAY LIQUOR — Kansas City, Kan., voters approved liquor stores being open on Sunday, as they are in Kansas City, Mo. Sunday liquor sales are banned under state law in Kansas, so vote might lead to legal fight.
QUOTABLE: "I think Reno County just picked themselves a pretty great judge." — Sarah Sweet-McKinnon after losing race for a judgeship to her husband, Steve Becker, who has held the job for 20 years.
KENTUCKY:
SENATE — Mitch McConnell became first Kentucky Republican elected to four consecutive terms, trouncing Democrat newcomer Lois Combs Weinberg.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 1D. New: 5R, 1D. Republican Anne Northup won fourth term in her mostly Democratic district with campaign help from GOP bigwigs, including President Bush (twice) and House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 66D, 34R. Old Senate: 20R, 18D.
PROPOSITIONS — Constitutional amendment approved to ratify creation of Family Courts to exclusively handle domestic legal matters.
RE-ELECTED — Kentucky Senate Republican whip Elizabeth Tori easily defeated Janey Fair, who became a leader in the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving after her daughter was killed in the nation's worst alcohol-related highway crash.
QUOTABLE — "I'm a registered Democrat, but their party seems to be in shambles right now, from Washington to here." — Voter Harry Hennessy, who supported McConnell and another Republican, Rep. Anne Northup.
LOUISIANA:
SENATE — Democrat Mary Landrieu faces Dec. 7 runoff after failing to get 50 percent in race that included three Republicans. State Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell, a Republican, will be Landrieu's challenger.
HOUSE — Old: 2D, 5R. New: 2D, 4R, with a Dec. 7 runoff planned between Republican Lee Fletcher and Democratic state Rep. Rodney Alexander.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters pass an amendment to the state constitution — eliminating 3.9 percent state sales taxes on food, utilities and prescription medicine in exchange for higher income taxes on those who earn more than $50,000.
DIAPER HEAD — National Republicans shied away from supporting John Cooksey's Senate bid after he remarked that police should stop anyone with "a diaper on his head" after Sept. 11 attacks. He finished a distant third.
QUOTABLE — "The people made a strong statement tonight for common sense. I'm delighted and frankly pleasantly surprised." — Gov. Mike Foster, on approved constitutional amendment.
MAINE:
SENATE — Moderate Republican freshman incumbent Susan Collins brushed aside challenge by former state Sen. Chellie Pingree, liberal Democrat.
GOVERNOR — Democrat John Baldacci won four-way contest to succeed independent Angus King, barred from seeking third term.
HOUSE — Old: 2D. Unchanged. Democrat Mike Michaud, state lawmaker and mill worker, defeated Republican Kevin Raye, longtime aide to Sen. Olympia Snowe.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 89D, 61R, 1I. Old Senate: 19D, 15R, 1I. In Portland, John Eder became first Green Party candidate elected to the Legislature, outpolling a Democrat 2-1 in state House race that had no Republican.
PROPOSITIONS — Eight out of nine York County towns voted against allowing two Indian tribes to build a casino in southern Maine.
VOTING WITH THE FISHES — Italian-American organizations complained about Green Independent candidate Jonathan Carter's ad questioning Baldacci's opposition to casino gambling. They saw ethnic stereotyping in announcer's script: "If he flipped he can flop, bada-bing, bada-boom, know what I mean?"
QUOTABLE — "I think ultimately the negative ads backfired. I got calls from people who said they would vote for me for taking the high road." — Collins, who complained she was subject of nine TV attack ads distorting her record.
MARYLAND:
GOVERNOR — Republican Rep. Robert Ehrlich defeated Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who hoped to be first member of Kennedy family ever elected governor.
HOUSE — Old: 4D, 4R. New: 6D, 2R. Liberal Republican incumbent Constance Morella loses to liberal Democratic challenger, state Sen. Christopher Van Hollen.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 106D, 35R. New House: Republicans gain at least seven seats. Old Senate: 35D, 13R. New Senate: 34D, 14R.
ZERO FOR TWO — Townsend's loss was the second by a member of the Kennedy family in Maryland this year. Cousin Mark Shriver lost a congressional bid in the primary.
QUOTABLE — "Welcome to history. To Republicans: Our time in the desert is over." — Ehrlich.
MASSACHUSETTS:
SENATE — No surprise: Victory for Democrat John Kerry, first Massachusetts senator in 80 years with no major-party opposition.
GOVERNOR — Winter Olympics chief Mitt Romney, a Republican, beat Democratic state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien. GOP acting Gov. Jane Swift dropped out when Romney decided to get in.
HOUSE — Old: 10D. Unchanged. Democrats kept all seats, with incumbents winning all four contested races.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 134D, 22R, 4 vacancies. Old Senate: 34D, 6R, 1 vacancy.
PROPOSITIONS — Kept state income tax. By 3-1 margin, voters opposed Clean Elections law they created four years ago. The vote was non-binding. Voted to replace bilingual education with one-year English immersion.
MORE ALTERNATIVES — Thirty-four third-party and independent candidates competed for the Legislature this year, a 20-year high.
QUOTABLE — "We took on an entrenched machine and we won." — Romney.
MICHIGAN:
SENATE — Democrat Carl Levin breezed to fifth term against Republican state Rep. Andrew Rocky Raczkowski, who couldn't raise enough money to run a single TV ad.
GOVERNOR — Democratic Attorney General Jennifer Granholm defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus to become state's first female governor.
HOUSE — Old: 9D, 7R. Loses 1. New: 9R, 6D. Secretary of State Candice Miller and state Sen. Thaddeus McCotter won open seats, giving Republicans the majority of delegation.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 58R, 52D. Old Senate: 23R, 15D.
PROPOSITIONS — Rejected requirement that 90 percent of state tobacco settlement go to hospitals, nursing homes and anti-smoking programs, rather than college scholarships and general fund budget.
DYNAMIC DUO — Former Michigan Militia leader Joseph Pilchak and his wife, Clara, a home-school advocate, ran for governor and lieutenant governor on U.S. Taxpayers Party ticket. And lost.
QUOTABLE — "It is a good message for our daughters and our sons that the face of leadership doesn't always look the same" — Granholm.
MINNESOTA:
SENATE — Former Vice President Walter Mondale, last-minute Democratic sub for the late Paul Wellstone, lost to former St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman.
GOVERNOR — Republican Tim Pawlenty won three-way race to replace Jesse Ventura.
HOUSE — Old: 5D, 3R. New: 4D, 4R.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 63D, 71R. Old Senate: 39D, 27R, 1I.
QUOTABLE — "The wave is moving from east to west and we're waiting for it to hit Minnesota." — Coleman, describing a "Republican wave" sweeping the party to victories around the country.
MISSISSIPPI:
SENATE — Republican Thad Cochran cruised to fifth term, beating lone opponent, independent Shawn O'Hara.
HOUSE — Old: 3D, 2R. New: 2D, 2R. Loses 1. GOP Rep. Chip Pickering knocked out Democrat Rep. Ronnie Shows in race forced by redistricting. Incumbents won across the board.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected amending constitution to increase term of trial judges to six years.
SUPREME MUDSLINGING — Race for state Supreme Court included one candidate who hit an unruly patron at a disco with a whiskey bottle in the 1970s, another who pleaded no contest to driving under the influence after wrecking his Camaro.
QUOTABLE — "Tonight we sent a message to national Democrats: Don't mess with Mississippi." — Pickering.
MISSOURI:
SENATE — Republican Jim Talent, former congressman, edged incumbent Democrat Jean Carnahan, appointed to the seat won posthumously in 2000 by her husband, Mel Carnahan.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 4D. New: Unchanged. After friendly redistricting, all nine incumbents re-elected, including House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 87D, 76R. New: 90R, 73D. Old Senate: 18R, 16D. New: 20R, 14D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected proposal to increase cigarette tax to 72 cents a pack from 17 cents and raise other tobacco taxes 20 percent.
AUDITOR: Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill won second term with 60 percent against little-known Republican who spent time in prison after a 1978 consumer fraud conviction.
NO BOOZE IN THE ZOO — In Springfield, voters turned down plan that would have allowed the sale of alcohol in parks and the town's zoo.
QUOTABLE: "It's been 48 years. We made history. We heard you throughout Missouri, that you're tired of promises and hungry for results. We have a majority that can govern." — Republican Catherine Hanaway, expected to become House speaker, after GOP won both houses of Legislature for first time since 1948.
MONTANA:
SENATE — Four-term Democratic incumbent Max Baucus easily defeated Republican challenger Mike Taylor.
HOUSE — Old: 1R. New: 1R. Republican Denny Rehberg won second term as state's lone congressman.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 57R, 42D, 1I. Old Senate: 31R,19D.
BUYING THE DAMS: Voters don't want government in the electricity business: A measure that would have let the state buy and operate a dozen privately owned power dams took a beating.
QUOTABLE — "Money counts. If you don't have enough money to go against an incumbent, you shouldn't be in the race." — Taylor, on his loss to the better-financed Baucus.
NEBRASKA:
SENATE — Republican Chuck Hagel won re-election landslide over unemployed Democrat Charlie Matulka.
GOVERNOR — Mike Johanns became first Republican governor to win re-election in Nebraska in 46 years, defeating Democrat Stormy Dean more than 2-to-1.
HOUSE — Old: 3R. No change. Democrats fielded candidate in only one race — Internet millionaire Jim Simon, who lost overwhelmingly.
STATE LEGISLATURE — Nonpartisan; one house.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected amendment to strike language ordering private schools to teach only in English.
BIGGEST RED — If only beating Oklahoma was this easy: Former University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne elected to second term in Congress with more than 90 percent of the vote.
QUOTABLE — "I think experience helps the state. It lets Washington know that Nebraska's here, and we're not just a little ol' state in the middle of the country. Our voices are being heard." — Republican Brian Wigger of Omaha, on voting for incumbents.
NEVADA:
GOVERNOR — Republican incumbent Kenny Guinn had no trouble beating state Sen. Joe Neal, who suggested raising taxes on casinos and was snubbed by Democratic leaders.
HOUSE — Old: 1D, 1R. Gains 1. New: 2R, 1D. Republican Jon Porter defeated Democrat Dario Herrera for Nevada's new 3rd House seat.
STATE LEGISLATURE — Old Assembly: 27D, 15R. Old Senate: 12R, 9D.
PROPOSITIONS — Measure to bar gay marriages passed; initiative to allow possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana failed.
BEST LITTLE RACE IN NEVADA — Both state Sen. Maurice Washington and his Democratic opponent, Joe Carter, took $1,000 donations from brothel industry. Washington won.
QUOTABLE — "Never underestimate the power of good people with a lot of passion and a little bit of parsley." — Sandy Heverly, whose Nevadans Against Legalizing Marijuana volunteers waved baggies of fake pot to spur voters to the polls.
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
SENATE — Republican Rep. John E. Sununu led GOP rout by narrowly defeating Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen.
GOVERNOR — GOP half-billionaire Craig Benson's anti-tax platform easily trumped Democrat Mark Fernald's proposed income tax.
HOUSE — Old: 2R. Unchanged. Moderate Republican Jeb Bradley defeated Democrat Martha Fuller to win seat Sununu gave up to run for Senate.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 143D, 256R, 1 Libertarian. New House: GOP could gain 24 seats. Old Senate: 11D, 13 R. New Senate: 6D, 18R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters refused to give Legislature more control to set administrative rules for state courts.
GOP TIDE — Not since 1994 have Republicans dominated an election as they did Tuesday, sweeping top offices and appearing to make big gains in both houses of Legislature.
QUOTABLE — "Let there be no doubt: The people of New Hampshire want families to choose how to spend their own money, not the government." — Benson.
NEW JERSEY:
SENATE — Former Sen. Frank Lautenberg is headed back to Washington after defeating Republican businessman Douglas Forrester. Lautenberg retired in 2001 after 18 years in Senate, but agreed to run last month after scandal-tainted Sen. Robert Torricelli dropped out.
HOUSE — Old: 7D, 6R. New: Unchanged. Twelve incumbents won, while conservative Republican Scott Garrett won seat formerly held by Rep. Marge Roukema, GOP moderate.
RADIO DAZE — Forrester lives near Grovers Mill, site of fictitious Martian landing in Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds," and organized 50th-anniversary commemoration of the broadcast.
QUOTABLE — "The question is whether I'm going to serve 12." — The 78-year-old Lautenberg, after vowing to serve all six years of his term.
NEW MEXICO:
SENATE — Republican Pete Domenici coasted to sixth term over Democrat Gloria Tristani, former Clinton appointee to the Federal Communications Commission.
GOVERNOR — Democrat Bill Richardson, Clinton's energy secretary, bested Republican John Sanchez.
HOUSE — Old: 2R, 1D. Democrat John Arthur Smith and Republican Steve Pearce in super-close race for open seat in southern New Mexico's 69,000-square-mile district.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 42D, 26R, two vacancies. No Senate election this year.
PROPOSITIONS — Rejected state holiday honoring migrant leader Cesar Chavez.
MEAN GREEN ECO MACHINE — David Bacon, Green Party candidate for governor, has sun-powered house and car that runs on vegetable oil.
QUOTABLE — "It's a mandate for change. It's a landslide for change." — Richardson.
NEW YORK:
GOVERNOR — In record $118 million race, Republican Gov. George Pataki won third term, beating Democrat H. Carl McCall and billionaire independent B. Thomas Golisano.
HOUSE — Old: 19D, 12R. New: 18D, 10R (state lost two seats after census). Closest race still undecided between freshman Republican Rep. Felix Grucci and Democrat Timothy Bishop. Grucci, a fireworks magnate, set off a political stink bomb when he accused Bishop of being lax on rape accusations as college provost. All other incumbents won.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 97D, 52R, 1 vacancy. Old Senate: 36R, 25D. Several races undecided; power balance not in jeopardy.
PREDATOR TURNED PREY — When Pataki knocked off Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1994, he insisted on one-on-one debates with Cuomo. This year, Pataki surrounded himself with minor-party candidates, to McCall's dismay.
QUOTABLE — "He didn't have the money and he didn't have the message either." — Pollster Lee Miringoff, on McCall.
NORTH CAROLINA:
SENATE — Republican Elizabeth Dole easily defeated Democrat Erskine Bowles, former White House chief of staff. Dole succeeds retiring Jesse Helms.
HOUSE — Old: 7R, 5D. New: 7R, 6D (state gained seat). Republican Robin Hayes staved off tenacious challenge that included questions about his voting record on textile industry.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 58D, 58R. Old Senate: 35D, 15R. New House: 59D, 57R, 4 undecided. New Senate: 26D, 22R, 2 undecided. Democrats retained control of state Senate as they have for more than 100 years; House control unclear.
BIG POCKETS — Dole-Bowles race was most expensive Senate contest in the country; the two spent a total of more than $22 million.
QUOTABLE — "It didn't feel exactly right. But Mrs. Helms said it feels exactly right. We're going home." — Helms, on not being on the ballot for first time in 30 years.
NORTH DAKOTA:
HOUSE — Democrat Earl Pomeroy won sixth term, defeating Republican Rick Clayburgh, state tax commissioner.
LEGISLATURE — Old House 69 R, 29D; new House 66 R, 28 D. Old Senate 32 R, 17 D; new Senate 31 R, 16 D. Number of legislative districts declined from 49 to 47.
PROPOSITIONS — Multistate lottery approved; income tax and student loan incentives for North Dakota residents under age 30 lost.
THE BICKERSONS — Paul Murphy defeated his wife, Marina Spahr, for the job of Foster County prosecutor. Murphy got 870 votes, Spahr 630. The couple didn't stay up to hear the results. "We'll wait until the morning," Murphy said.
QUOTABLE: "They ought to take and spank them, change their diapers, and put them to bed without supper. I had to pick one to vote for but they didn't discuss anything important that I could see." — Voter Lloyd Berg, 74, of Bismarck, on the race between Pomeroy and Clayburgh, which was marked by attack ads from both campaigns.
OHIO:
GOVERNOR — Gov. Bob Taft, great-grandson of President Taft, won re-election by beating Democrat Tim Hagan. The Republican's win gave the nation its first black female lieutenant governor, Jennette Bradley.
HOUSE — Old: 11R, 6D, 2 vacancies. New: 12R, 6D (the state lost a seat). Democrat Tim Ryan cruised past Republican Ann Womer Benjamin and his former boss, former Rep. James Traficant, who ran from prison as an independent. Traficant was expelled from the House earlier this year after his conviction for taking kickbacks.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 59R, 40D. New House: 62R, 37D. Old Senate: 21R, 12D. New Senate: 22R, 11D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected constitutional requirement that nonviolent first- and second-time drug offenders be offered treatment instead of prison.
QUOTABLE — "We have to take each victory as it comes as a victory for women and African-Americans, and I hope it opens the door of opportunity for other people to become involved in public service."— Bradley, on her historic win.
OKLAHOMA:
SENATE — Republican Jim Inhofe handily won second term, beating both former Gov. David Walters, a Democrat, and James Germalic, an Independent, by double-digit margins.
GOVERNOR — Democrat Brad Henry narrowly won three-way race to succeed Republican Gov. Frank Keating, beating Republican former Rep. (and former football star) Steve Largent and independent Gary Richardson.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 1D. New: 4R, 1D. Loses 1. Republican Tom Cole beat Democrat Darryl Roberts in battle to replace Republican J.C. Watts, fourth-ranking member of the House.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 52D, 49R. New House: 53D, 48R. Old Senate: 30D, 18R. New Senate: 28D, 20R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters banned cockfighting, leaving only two states where the blood sport is allowed.
RURAL VS. URBAN — Ranchers who raise gamecocks argued the cockfighting ban was about big-city dwellers telling rural ones how to live. But Keating called the practice "embarrassing to Oklahoma."
QUOTABLE — "He had an uphill race. Oklahoma is a conservative state. I think that's significant." — Inhofe, on Walters' campaign.
OREGON:
SENATE — Republican Gordon Smith, frozen-food tycoon seeking second term, won easily after raising four times as much as Democrat Bill Bradbury.
GOVERNOR — Veteran state officeholder Ted Kulongoski, a Democrat, and former Republican lawmaker Kevin Mannix locked in surprisingly close contest to replace Democrat John Kitzhaber.
HOUSE — Old: 4D, 1R. New 4D, 1R. All incumbents won.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 32R, 28D. Old Senate: 16R, 14D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected measures to require the labeling of genetically modified foods and to provide complete health insurance for every man, woman and child in the state.
DRY TOWN — The folks of Monmouth will be able to buy beer and wine in town for first time in 144 years.
QUOTABLE — "Monmouth will have to find something else to be unique." — Kyle Jansson, a state historian.
PENNSYLVANIA:
GOVERNOR — Democrat Ed Rendell became first Philadelphian elected governor since 1914 — a time lapse that underscores historical tension between Pennsylvania's biggest city and rest of mostly rural state.
HOUSE — Old: 11R, 10D. New: 12R, 7D. Loses 2. Democrat Tim Holden defeated Republican George Gekas. They were one of four pairs of incumbents in the nation to face each other.
STATE LEGISLATURE — Old House: 105R, 98D. New House: 109R, 94D. Old Senate: 29R, 21D. New Senate: 29R, 21D.
REFERENDUM — Voters approved borrowing up to $100 million to buy equipment for volunteer fire and ambulance companies.
THE INCUMBENT: Republican Gov. Mark Schweiker, a former lieutenant governor elevated after Tom Ridge became homeland security director, did not to seek full term. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family.
QUOTABLE — "We can't win as a divided state." — Rendell.
RHODE ISLAND:
SENATE — Incumbent Jack Reed elected to second term, an easy winner over Republican casino pit boss Bob Tingle.
GOVERNOR — Republican political newcomer Don Carcieri defeated three-time Democratic candidate Myrth York in close race to succeed Republican Gov. Lincoln Almond.
HOUSE — Old: 2D. New: 2D. Democrat Patrick Kennedy earned a fifth term after challenge from former Navy SEAL Dave Rogers.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 85D, 15R. Old Senate: 44D, 6R. Unofficial results show new House with 63D, 11R, 1I; and new Senate with 32D, 6R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters favored nonbinding measure to balance power between state's executive and legislative branches.
CASTING BLAME — York pumped $3.8 million of her own money into a campaign that has portrayed her opponent as a cold-hearted executive. The Democrat blamed the former head of Cookson America for miners' deaths in Brazil and lead poisoning in Philadelphia — charges he denies.
QUOTABLE — "I know having the Kennedy last name makes it easy for the media to make a lot of any mistakes that I make. I'm only human. I make and have made mistakes." — Patrick Kennedy.
SOUTH CAROLINA:
SENATE — Rep. Lindsey Graham will succeed fellow Republican Strom Thurmond, who is stepping down after 48 years. Graham defeated Democrat Alex Sanders, former president of College of Charleston.
GOVERNOR — Another Republican victory: Former Rep. Mark Sanford ousted one-term Democrat Jim Hodges.
HOUSE — Old: 2D, 4R. New: unchanged. Republican Gresham Barrett won Graham's seat.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 52D, 72R. New: 51D, 73R. No Senate election this year.
PROPOSITIONS — Rejected constitutional amendment to allow treasurer to invest state retirement fund in non-U.S. companies.
QUOTABLE — "Today, we were Republicans and Democrats, but tomorrow we are all Americans. The democracy judges us today; history judges us tomorrow." — Sanders.
SOUTH DAKOTA:
SENATE — Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson narrowly defeated Republican Rep. John Thune. Candidates seen as proxies for President Bush and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
GOVERNOR — Mike Rounds, surprise winner of nasty GOP primary, defeated university president Jim Abbott, a Democrat, for open seat.
HOUSE — Old: 1R. New: 1R. At-large seat vacated by Thune. Four-term Republican Gov. Bill Janklow beat Democratic newcomer Stephanie Herseth.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 20D, 50R. New House: 21D, 49R. Old Senate: 11D, 24R; New Senate: 10D, 25R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters defeated measure that would have let criminal defendants argue juries can ignore laws they don't like.
FOX GUARDING HENHOUSE DEPT. — Bob Newland, Libertarian candidate for attorney general, had been convicted of 24 criminal counts the last 14 years. He lost badly.
QUOTABLE — "You don't have to beat up on your competitor in order to win a statewide election, and hopefully other political campaigns will take that tone in the future." — Rounds, on how neither he nor his opponent ran attack ads.
TENNESSEE:
SENATE — Lamar Alexander, former governor and two-time presidential candidate, defeated Rep. Bob Clement to help GOP keep retiring Fred Thompson's seat.
GOVERNOR — Democrat and former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen narrowly won against Republican Rep. Van Hilleary in most expensive race in state history at $18 million.
HOUSE — Old: 5R, 4D. New: 5D, 4R. Democrat state Sen. Lincoln Davis beat Republican Janice Bowling in Hilleary's district, tipping balance of power.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 57D, 42R. Old Senate: 18D, 15R. New House 54D, 45R. Senate unchanged.
PROPOSITIONS — Constitutional amendment approved to create state lottery to fund college scholarships.
HOW DO YOU PLEAD, SENATOR? — State Rep. Ronnie Davis, a Republican who lost, is under indictment on fraud charges indictment and appeared in court on Election Day to plead innocent.
QUOTABLE — "I feel like Leonardo DiCaprio — I'm on top of the world." — State Sen. Steve Cohen, a Memphis Democrat who has pushed 18 years for a lottery referendum.
TEXAS:
SENATE — Republican Attorney General John Cornyn won race to replace Phil Gramm, beating Democrat Ron Kirk.
GOVERNOR — Gov. Rick Perry fought off big-spending banker Tony Sanchez, a Democrat, to keep office in Republican hands.
HOUSE — Old: 17D, 13R. Gains 2. Rep. Chet Edwards, a Democrat, defeated Republican Ramsey Farley, keeping President Bush's home Texas district in Democratic hands.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 78D, 72R. Old Senate: R15, D15, one vacancy.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters approved amending constitution to allow counties to shut down constable positions that have been vacant for seven years.
CANDID CAMERA — Longtime state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos won re-election despite ad aired by GOP opponent featuring police video of Barrientos staggering through roadside sobriety test before his 2001 drunken-driving arrest.
QUOTABLE — "I could be sad, but I'm not. Listen, my mom, who struggled to pay the poll tax when I was born, had a chance to vote for her baby boy to be the United States senator of the state of Texas. It was worth the ride." — Kirk, who would have the state's first black senator.
UTAH:
HOUSE — Old: 2R, 1D. The legislature redrew district in a way that brought in more rural GOP voters, but Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson was strong enough in Salt Lake County to defeat Republican John Swallow.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 51R, 24D. New: 56 R, 19 D. Old Senate: 20R, 9D. New: 22 R, 7 D.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters soundly rejected move to raise taxes on the nuclear waste industry to pay for school textbooks and computers and help the poor and homeless.
SWITCH — State Rep. Eric Hutchings, appointed as a Democrat last summer to fill vacant seat, switched to the GOP after the district was redrawn to favor Republicans. Democrats accused him of political scheming, but he won.
QUOTABLE — "It's the highest sort of gerrymandering, a let's-get-rid-of-every Democrat-in-Utah-we-can' effort." — Voter Pam Littig, on the congressional redistricting.
VERMONT:
GOVERNOR — Legislature will pick governor in January because no candidate took majority in 10-way race to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Howard Dean.
HOUSE — Old: 1 Independent. New: Unchanged. Rep. Bernie Sanders won seventh term; chief challenger, Republican William Meub, had practically conceded during weekend debate.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 63D, 82R, 5 Other. Old Senate: 16D, 14R.
PROPOSITIONS — Overwhelming approval to amend constitution to remove mandatory retirement for judges at age 70.
ANNIES GET YOUR GUNS — After 225 years, Vermont elected its first women sheriffs, Connie Allen and Sheila Prue.
QUOTABLE — "He's a bit of a waffler, but he's my kind of waffler." — Teacher Herb Perez, on why he supported Democrat Doug Racine for governor.
VIRGINIA:
SENATE — Republican John Warner sailed to fifth, six-year term against two independents. (Democratic Party decided against expensive and probably futile run.)
HOUSE — Old: 8R, 3D. New: 8R, 3D. Incumbents had an easy time; Virgil Goode, Democrat who became a Republican over the summer, retained his seat.
PROPOSITIONS — By wide margins, voters rejected sales tax increases of one cent in southeastern Virginia and a half-cent in northern Virginia to pay for highway and transit projects.
DOWN AND OUT 'DUKE' — Republican Eric Cantor starred in congressional race, easily eclipsing Democrat Ben Jones, former Georgia congressman who played Cooter on TV's "Dukes of Hazzard."
QUOTABLE — "A fellow asked me one time, 'When are you going to retire?' I said I know exactly when that will be and he asked, 'When?' I said I'll know because it'll be the day I die." — Warner, who will be 81 when his next term expires.
WASHINGTON:
HOUSE — Old: 6D, 3R. New: 6D, 3R. All nine House members won re-election.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 50D, 48R. Old Senate: 25D, 24R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters rejected proposal to raise state gasoline tax 9 cents to pay for major highway improvements, mostly in Seattle area.
IRAQ AND BACK — Rep. Jim McDermott was returned to office in a landslide weeks after going to Baghdad to blister President Bush's Iraq policies and to praise Saddam Hussein's pledges of unfettered inspections.
QUOTABLE — "This whole election was about preserving the status quo." — McDermott.
WEST VIRGINIA:
SENATE — Democrat Sen. Jay Rockefeller easily brushed aside a challenge by Republican Jay Wolfe, a former state legislator who once campaigned with a human fetus in a jar.
GOVERNOR — No election
HOUSE — Old: 2D, 1R. New: Unchanged.
STATE LEGISLATURE — Old House: 75D, 25R. Old Senate: 28D, 6R. New House: 68D, 32R. New Senate: 24D, 10R.
PROPOSITIONS — Voters approved both tax increment financing for local economic development and a proposition to lengthen local excess levies to five years from three.
GOP GLEE — Republicans increased ranks in the House from 25 to 32, and upped their Senate margin from six seats to 10. It was the party's best showing since 1972.
QUOTABLE — "I see this as a historic shift. We'd be hard-pressed to look back and see the last time we made these kinds of gains in both the House and Senate." — State Republican Party Chairman Kris Warner on the GOP's fortunes.
WISCONSIN:
GOVERNOR — Democrat Jim Doyle beat Republican Gov. Scott McCallum, ending 16 years of GOP governorship.
HOUSE — Old: 5D, 4R. Loses 1. New: 4D, 4R. In state's most heated race, Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who is openly homosexual, won re-election over Republican Ron Greer, a minister who blasted what he called her "radical pro-gay agenda."
LEGISLATURE — Old Assembly: 54R, 43D, with two vacant seats; Old Senate: 18D, 15R.
NO PARTY: Tom Dalbec didn't have a party after his landslide victory to become Douglas County Sheriff. He was busy working the 4 p.m. to midnight shift patrolling the county.
QUOTABLE — "We need to do a better job of looking out for taxpayers, and we will." — Doyle.
WYOMING:
SENATE — Republican Mike Enzi triumphed over Democrat Joyce Jansa Corcoran, ensuring GOP hold on both Wyoming's Senate seats.
GOVERNOR — In race to succeed Republican Gov. Jim Geringer, Democrat Dave Freudenthal beat Republican Eli Bebout.
HOUSE — Old: 1R. New: 1R. GOP incumbent Barbara Cubin defeated Democrat Ron Akin in closer-than-expected race.
LEGISLATURE — Old House: 46R, 14D. New House: 44R, 15D, one undecided. Old Senate: 20R, 10D. New Senate: 20R, 10D.
PROPOSITIONS — Constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to decide disputed presidential elections was approved.
QUOTABLE — "It feels good but mostly I'm just tired. It's still sinking in. You work and you work and now it's done and now it's still sinking in." — Freudenthal, who became Wyoming's first Democratic governor in eight years.