Tuesday, November 04, 2014

2014 Election Liveblog!

Some traditions can't be let go so easily. Even if this isn't looking to be the cheeriest electoral cycle in recent memory. I will say, though, that I'm optimistic about the governor races.

All times Pacific. Let's go!

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4:55 PM: We begin by noting that the Kentucky Senate race has already been called for McConnell -- no surprise there. The Virginia Senate race has not been called for Warner, which is a little more surprising and disheartening. But if you're looking for good news, Charlie Crist appears to be doing great in Florida. Down with Skelator Rick Scott!

5:40 PM: Just got home with a large cheese pizza -- that and Masterchef Junior will be my only joys tonight. What did I miss? Oh hey, Republicans picked up both West Virginia and Arkansas Senate seats. Neither is a shock, though -- bonus fact -- soon-to-be-ex Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor went to my high school.

5:43 PM: Man, if Ed Gillispie takes out Mark Warner in Virginia, this will really be a bad night. The challenger is up 51/46 with 60% reporting

5:45 PM: Twitter chatter is that Jeannie Shaheen will comfortably beat former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown to hold her New Hampshire Senate seat. But I can't tell if this is "projecting based on early returns" chatter or "we're comfortable making a call chatter." CNN has only 19% in.

5:48 PM: I was a bit annoyed to not be voting in Maryland this year, since for the first time in my electoral life there was actually a semi-contested race there. That feeling was in equipoise with my annoyance that the gubernatorial race was, in fact, competitive, since by all rights Anthony Brown should have had to strangle a toddler to lose here. Anyway, with 10% in Brown is up 10.

5:53 PM: Apparently folks are calling New Hampshire for Shaheen. And they've also called the Pennsylvania Governor race for the Dems, which was possibly our most obvious slam-dunk flip this cycle.

5:56 PM: Crist is fading late in Florida. He's down three, but it's mostly South Florida left.

6:03 PM: Some states the road to a Democratic victory is generic: "Do better than expected." In others, there are more specific benchmarks. In Colorado, for example, it's about the fabled Democratic ground game. In Iowa, it's about voters finally recognizing that Joni Ernst is a goddamn lunatic.

6:06 PM: 66% in and Warner is still down by 5. Remaining votes might lean a little Dem, but don't seem to be overwhelmingly blue.

6:09 PM: Abby Huntsman: "Scott Brown is now the first person in American history to have lost Senate races to two diff women. Scott Brown=feminist hero."

6:13 PM: I was optimistic about Kansas, but so far Pat Roberts appears to be squeaking through. Dems carry a slight advantage on the governor's side. Dethroning Sam Brownback would be a solid consolation prize.

6:17 PM: 77% in and Warner is back within three. I do not like that I consider this to be good news.

6:24 PM: Making fun of Scott Brown is, like, the only thing keeping Democrats going right now. Every third tweet. Meanwhile, with 81% in Warner has closed the gap to one point.

6:25 PM: It's still a three point Scott lead in Florida with 97% in. The only solace is that it still looks to be mostly South Florida out (Broward County is the real laggard -- it's only 22% in and Crist is up 69/28 there).

6:29 PM: ... aaand as I saw that, Broward jumps to 71% reporting, and Scott's lead drops to a single point. Miami-Dade also still is only 74% in.

6:34 PM: Another possible notch on my "cheer-up" list would be the defeat of Maine Governor Paul LePage. Right now he's down six points to Mike Michaud. On the other hand, if LePage does pull out the win, I can equally look forward to the ritual murder and devouring of Eliot Cutler.

6:38 PM: Seth Moutan wins in the MA-06, meaning that the Bay State's congressional delegation will remain true-blue. On the Governor's side, Martha Coakley trails by one with 40% in.

6:42 PM: Democrats pick up a Florida House seat (FL-02, in the panhandle). It must be really embarrassing to lose as a Republican incumbent in a conservative region. What did you do Steve Southerland? (Lest Democrats get too excited, they're losing in the FL-26 by four points, which would negate the pick-up).

6:54 PM: John Barrow is getting obliterated in the GA-12. It had to happen one of these years, I guess.

6:57 PM: I think Mark Warner is going to squeeze through, but this is a very disappointing performance on his part.

7:11 PM: So Michelle Nunn can start closing her 16 point gap in the Georgia Senate race anytime now ....

7:16 PM: The story of the NC-Sen all night has been "Kay Hagan is trailing, but wait until Charlotte comes in."

7:18 PM: Did I speak too soon about John Barrow? He's pulled to within 6 in the GA-12 (but 91% are in and CNN's called it).

7:21 PM: Colorado Senate called for Cory Gardner. I look forward to the Denver Post being vindicated in its prediction that a GOP-controlled Senate will suddenly decide that what it wants most in the whole wide world is to cooperate with Barack Obama.

7:28 PM: Florida called for Rick Scott. Wisconsin called for Scott Walker. Gross.

7:33 PM: Let's take a look at Maryland! John Delaney is ... losing with half the vote counted in the MD-06. And Republican Larry Hogan is up six on Anthony Brown in the governor's race. In both races, Montgomery County may well save the day. You're welcome, rest of Maryland.

7:42 PM: Who knew the "unskew" movement was just two years too early? Republicans are, if anything, overperforming expectations. For example, David Perdue is throttling Michelle Nunn in Georgia -- up by 16 points in a race that all the polls said was going to a run-off.

7:59 PM: Hagan is not closing in North Carolina. And all of the sudden I'm seeing "un-calling" of New Hampshire. If that race flips, Democrats will really start rending their garments -- mostly because they've spent most of this evening consoling themselves by making fun of Scott Brown (see my 6:24 PM post).

8:03 PM: Oh thank goodness. MasterChef is starting. I need the break.

8:22 PM: You're a vengeful Democratic God. You can choose to smite either (a) Eliot Cutler, (b) the Denver Post editorial board, or (c) the entire Iowa electorate. Who do you choose? I pick "b" -- that endorsement represents everything I loathe about the media, wrapped up in a hellish bow.

8:31 PM: Thank God Baltimore County has mostly finished reporting -- it's going 61/37 for Hogan. Now, even though Hogan has a 53/45 lead over Brown, most of the outstanding votes are in Montgomery County (where Brown is up 63/36).

8:45 PM: Listen, I know it's been a rough night, but chill out about Chris Van Hollen. The only county that hasn't reported is MoCo (32% in), and Van Hollen is pulling in three-quarters of the vote there.

8:48 PM: I wanted Pat Roberts to lose so we might hang onto the Senate, but since that's out of reach anyway I can't even be mad bro. And as for Sam Brownback (who's managing to cling to a two point lead), well, if Kansas wants to self-destruct that's their problem.

9:42 PM: Anthony Brown concedes to Larry Hogan. Somewhere there's a dead toddler who's been avenged.

10:09 PM: David Roberts on Twitter: "1351 is losing in WA? Tonight can blow me." I don't even know what 1351 is, and that still encapsulates my attitude perfectly. I'm out for the night.

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