11:50p – The Republicans have reached 221 officially reclaiming majority status in the U.S. House

11:47p – Nevada Senate Race called for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

11:41p – Matt Schultz just gave his victory speech, Michael Mauro just called to concede the Iowa Secretary of State race.  He said next election “I’ll make sure you have to show an ID to vote.”

11:34p – Iowa House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen got up to say he received a phone call from Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy about how he would like to go about changing offices.

100_3153100_315111:23p – Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Reynolds introduced Governor-Elect Terry Branstad who said we’ll “give it heck for the next four years.”  He said more than that obviously video of his speech to come… wasn’t taking notes since my photographer/videographer was out sick tonight , it was pretty good.

11:10p – I’m projecting that Kent Sorenson will beat incumbent State Senator Staci Appel in Iowa Senate District 37.  I am also projecting that Walt Rogers will unseat incumbent State Representative Doris Kelly in Iowa House District 20.  Kim Pearson is leading incumbent State Representative Geri Huser in Iowa House District 42, but with five precincts still to report it is too close to call.

11:02p – Iowa Governor Chet Culver concedes.

10:57p – Dave Funk lost his bid to unseat Tom Hockensmith in Polk County Supervisor 3 by just over 3,0oo votes – 55% to 44%.  Dave Vaudt gives his victory speech after winning re-election as Iowa’s Auditor – “In God we trust, in everyone else we audit.”

100_314310:53p – I know it isn’t as “sexy” of a race as others, but it is an important post in Iowa.  Bill Northey wins re-election as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture… he just gave his victory speech.

10:45p -  AP is calling it for Congressman Bruce Braley in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, if all of the projections hold it looks like incumbents rules the day in Federal elections.

10:38p – Looking at the Iowa Secretary of State website with 1095 out of 1774 precincts reporting it Matt Schultz and Michael Mauro are running neck and neck in the Iowa Secretary of State race.  In the Iowa Supreme Court judicial retention vote – the no votes have extended their lead to about five percentage points for each justice.

10:31p – Fox News has projected that Congressman Steve King and Congressman Tom Latham will win re-election in Iowa’s 5th and 4th Congressional District.  They are also projecting that Congressman Dave Loebsack will win re-election over his Republican challenger Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

10:27p – With 184/324 of the precincts reporting Republican Ben Lange has pulled within just shy of three points of Congressman Bruce Braley… which is a significant gain from earlier…

10:17p – Iowa AP is projecting that Congressman Leonard Boswell will defeat Republican challenger Brad Zaun.  This makes this race the poster child of nasty smear jobs.  Boswell’s only principle is winning.

100_314110:04p – Fox News is projecting that Republican Ron Johnson has defeated incumbent Senator Russ Feingold in Wisconsin’s Senate Race.  Also projecting a win by Nikki Haley in South Carolina’s Gubernatorial contest.

9:53p – Grassley – Obama was elected on a platform of change, tonight America has rebelled against that change.

9:50p – Senator Chuck Grassley giving his victory speech – “Our republic is alive and well… it is a great night for America, and it is also a great night to sent a message to Washington… a message that we reject their agenda and that they failed to listen to the grassroots…. America is exceptional…. Government doesn’t create wealth, it consumes wealth…. we’ve been on a fast track to the edge of financial disaster.  Now we’ll be on the slow path back to fiscal sanity.” 

He talked about Roxanne Conlin’s concession call calling it gracious, pledges to work for all Iowans, not just the ones who voted for him.

Um… he botched how many years he was married to Barbara… oops.

9:27p – Former Governor Terry Branstad is projected to defeat incumbent Governor Chet Culver.  Fox News called it.  I think it might be a tad early yet, but I’m pretty confident they are right.

9:10p Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was just declared the winner over the Iowa Democrat’s secret weapon Roxanne Conlin.  I’m like totally shocked, I’m glad I can now enjoy some free desserts… thank you Iowa GOP, they look delicious.

9:00p – The polls in Iowa are now closed… we’ll start seeing state results in soon.

8:58p – Below looks like a woman who is in denial.  GOP Tsunami?

image

8:49p – I love The Des Moines Register’s Lee Rood’s title for his blog post tonight… Chet Culver’s Last Supper?

Yep, I’d bank on that.  Iowa GOP HQ is getting mighty crowded, and the night is now complete as one of my contributors, Eric Goranson, and his wife have now arrived.

8:44p – And CNN concurs.

8:38p – Fox News projects a Republican take over in the U.S. House, no surprise there… now we’ll see how big.

8:36p – From Fox News:

The GOP so far has picked up three Senate seats from Democrats and held down a number of others, giving no ground as they look for big gains Tuesday night. The latest victory came in North Dakota, where Republican John Hoeven beat Tracy Potter for the seat held by outgoing Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan

Also if you have info about some of the Iowa Statehouse races or other Congressional races around the country please email me here.

8:09p – Had Matt Schultz the Republican Iowa Secretary of State candidate come by and I’ve heard that some “insiders” expect him to have one of the highest percentages tonight… we’ll see.  I also spoke with Iowa State Representative Renee Schulte in House District 37 who said that Republicans are coming out in droves in Linn County, Democrats… meh.  Her district is considered a bellwether for the rest of the state.

7:58p – Another GOP pick-up in Arkansas – Republican John Boozman is being projected the victor over incumbent Democrat Senator Blanche Lincoln

100_31397:54p – I’m blogging live from the Iowa GOP election night headquarters at the Hy-Vee Conference Center in West Des Moines, IA.  This is where all of the state-wide campaigns are gathering tonight.  The picture to the right gives you my vantage point from the media table.

Already some races to report… Fox News has called the following races:

  • Huge tea party victory in the Florida Senate Race with Republican Marco Rubio being declared victor over independent (formerly Republican) Governor Charlie Crist and Democrat Kendrick Meeks.
  • Former Senator Dan Coats picks up outgoing Senator Evan Bayh’s seat in Indiana – this is a Republican pick-up.
  • Tea Party favorite Rand Paul has been called the winner in the Kentucky Senate race.
  • Democrats win the Delaware Senate Race with Chris Coons defeating Christine O’Donnell and also the Connecticut Senate Race – where CT Attorney General Dick “I served in Vietnam I mean during the Vietnam war” Blumenthal over former WWE CEO Linda McMahon.  I bet she could beat him in a fight though.
  • Another Republican pick up in the Senate in Ohio with Rob Portman being declared the winner in that race over Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.
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