Following the Election Returns [Hour by Hour Guide]

Opinion Journal ^ | November 7, 2006 | John Fund

[RobFromGa]

This year the networks say they are guarding their exit poll results as if they were crown jewels. The results will be delivered to a "quarantine room," access to which will be granted to only two staffers from each network...

Given that the longer election night might not suit everyone's bedtime, I've prepared an hour-by-hour guide to tonight's results...

All times are Eastern. In a bow to tradition, we've listed states that went for George W. Bush two years ago in red and those that went for John Kerry in blue. The letters after state names indicate governor and senate races, with the incumbent party in the appropriate color (independents in black).

6 p.m.

• Indiana S
• Kentucky

Polls close in these two states at 6 p.m. local time, which means the eastern portions will end voting at 6 EST. The key races in both states will be a bevy of close House races featuring GOP incumbents.

In Indiana, three GOP House incumbents have been trailing their Democratic challengers in October polls, albeit with survey samples so small the margin of error is large. Watch Rep. Mike Sodrel in the Ninth District. If he wins, it will mean it's unlikely Republicans will face a huge Democratic wave and lose 30 seats or more. If Rep. Chris Chocola in the Second District should survive, the GOP may wind up losing 20 seats or fewer. If Rep. John Hostettler also comes home to victory in the Eighth District, there is a good chance the GOP will retain its House majority. Indiana's Senate race isn't competitive; Republican Dick Lugar will easily win a sixth term.

Kentucky has two barn burners. Republican Rep. Anne Northup has held Louisville's Third District for five terms...

[Coop]

Don't ask me, Goober. Ask Einstein, who started out calling people RINOs.

Here's a new word for you: HYPOCRITE.

[maryz]

but other than that, he's very, very liberal.

I know Lieberman's a liberal, but didn't he used to hold a few conservative positions before he joined Gore on the ticket? He was pro-school vouchers, I'm pretty sure, and I think there were two or three other things -- maybe parental notification even if he is overall pro-abort.

[riri]

Bookmarking. Is this THE big thread?

[janetjanet998]

just posted on the dark side

GOP Turnout Very High in my Precinct
Okay, I'm paranoid. Turnout in my profoundly republican precinct was 31% at noon -- I'm told that's high. I live in the Baltimore suburbs...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=157x4447

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

If hold the House and Senate by narrow margins, are there any potential "Jeffords" out there?

If we hold the House and Senate by narrow margins, we have totally discredited these phony polling companies. I can't wait.

[msnimje]

Don't ask me, Goober. Ask Einstein, who started out calling people RINOs. Here's a new word for you: HYPOCRITE.

I guess I was wrong, you are not mature enough to be in the third grade.

[riri]

haha. Good work...

[twigs]

You know, I just don't remember. You could be right. I've come to respect Lieberman, but I don't think he would be comfortable in the Republican party and vice versa.

[sonsofliberty2000]

[maryz]

Larger than normal turnout in Dem districts in MD

Couldn't this be good for Steele (I'm assuming black precincts are Dem, but he's sure to get a higher percentage of the black vote than usual for Republicans)?

[maryz]

I don't think he'd be comfortable in the Republican party either, but I don't see how he could be truly comfortable in a party that would sell him down the river either. Maybe, as he said, he will vote more independently than he used to. He'll have proved he doesn't need the party to win.

[popdonnelly]

Voting light in my area. Republicans expected to win here, so I'm pulling for Weldon in Pennsylvania.

[twigs]

I think you're right that he'll feel more free to vote more independently. And probably to work more closely with Republicans. Those are good things, for him, his state, our party and our country.

[Mamzelle]

Lamont was the Soros candidate--it would be very bad for him to be in the Senate. However, it was also very bad for the pro-Israel Jew to get kicked out of the Democrat party--I can remember when to be anti-Israel (or just not pro-Israel) was political poison, and there was all kinds of shocking antisemitism in Lamont's primary campaign.

What I'm curious to see is if Lieberman goes anti-Israel (starts talking about those terrible Zionists) when he's back in the Senate. He's a pretty cynical guy, and he must know the tide has turned against Israel.

[LoneGOPinCT]

Current multimedia vibe in CT:

Senator: LIEberman (I/D) over Lament (Neo-Comm) & Schlessinger (R)
Congress: Incumbent Johnson (RINO)/Murphy (Neo-Comm)-too close to call
Farrell (RAT) over Incumbent Shays (RINO)-virtually no difference between the two in a RAT district
Incumbent Simmons (RINO)/Courtney (Neo-Comm)-too close to call

Being a pessimist who is always amazed at the stupidity of the CT voter I suspect the "too close to calls" will fall to the RAT column whether they actually do or not. The results won't make a bit of difference in the state of CT (heck in most cases the candidates are more alike than different), but on a national scale may go a long way as far as control of the House and Senate go.

[comebacknewt]

I am in Indiana 09. I live in a conservative district, but voting turnout was very light when I went to vote this afternoon.

I hope other Sodrel districts are having better turnout than we have had so far.

[RasterMaster]

He's a DUmocrat...where principles can be bought and sold.

[tsmith130]

I'd vote for a tree sloth before Diane Farrell.

[HitmanLV]

We keep the House with a loss of 7 to 9 seats net. I think we pickup 3-4 Dem seats and lose about 10-14 GOP seats

We're of like mind. I've been saying a net loss of 10 seats in the House. 222 GOPers in the House.

[Defender2]

My Entire family relatons on all sides, including myself, STOMPED Glass getting to the Voting Booths this morning!!!!
ALL Voted STRAIGHT REPUBLICAN TICKET, Yes to ALL Tax Exemptions, NO to ALL TAX Increases!!!!

Ya'll Get out there and VOTE!!!!

:-)

D2