The Results Are In

Here's a snapshot of the election races I was following last night. I'm going to do separate posts on Obama/Biden and California Proposition 8 once those tallies are finalized.

Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Congressional — 20th District of New York
Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand trounced Republican bazillionaire Sandy Treadwell by 62% — 38%. It was the most expensive Congressional race in the nation with Gillibrand spending $3.5M and Treadwell $5.5M. The challenger put it all up on the screen. TV screen, that is, starting to run advertising in mid-summer and having a commercial during practically every break in programming on practically every channel. Too bad all that money was spent and really didn't do any good.

New York State Senate
The NY Senate has flipped to Democratic control for the first time in years. With the Democrats firmly in control of the Assembly and David Paterson holding the Governorship, things bode well for GLBT rights...possibly even same-sex marriage. My local State Senate seat was open after Senator Joe Bruno retired earlier in the year. Bruno was the obstacle to bringing same-sex marriage to the floor for a vote. The seat remained in Republican hands.

Liddy Dole, U.S. Senator from North Carolina
This hag was defeated. Trying to name an AIDS funding bill after her homophobic, HIV-is-a-gay-plague-from-God predecessor Jessie Helms was the final straw where I came to loathe her. Ironically, the tipping point in her election was when she accused her Bible school teaching opponent of being an atheist. I hope she goes quietly into the night. The last thing I need to see is a barrage of advertising with her promoting a female condom or something.

Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senator from Georgia
This Republican, in danger of losing his seat, won handily 55% — 41%. The Independent candidate on the ballot garnered 4%.

Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator from Kentucky
Closeted Republican Senate Minority Leader McConnell won a fifth term 53% — 47%.

David Dreier, U.S. Congressional — 26th District of California
Closeted Republican incumbent Dreier won his bid to return to Congress with 53% of the vote. There had been some Democratic gay baiting in this race.

Jared Polis, U.S. Congressional — 2nd District of Colorado
Polis became the first non-incumbent candidate to be elected to Congress while being openly gay with 59% of the vote.

Marilyn Musgrave, U.S. Congressional — 4th District of Colorado
Conservative krazy Musgrave, author of the anti-same-sex Federal Marriage Amendment, went down to defeat 44% — 55%. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Chris Shays, U.S. Congressional — 4th District of Connecticut
For the first time since the founding of the GOP in 1854, New England will be without a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Linda Ketner, U.S. Congressional — 1st District of South Carolina
Openly lesbian Democratic challenger Ketner lost her bid to represent South Carolina in Congress 47% — 53%.

John Perez California State Assembly 46th District
Openly gay candidate Perez won his bid for the State Assembly 85% — 15%.

Jason Bartlett, Connecticut State Assembly 2nd District
Openly gay Democratic incumbent Bartlett is locked in a virtual tie of 5,015 — 4,994 votes.

Nicole LeFavour, Idaho State Senate 19th District
Openly lesbian Democratic challenger LeFavour won her election 71% — 29%. Previously, she was the first openly-gay member of the Idaho legislature.

Dr. Sara Orozco, Massachusetts State Senate Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District
Openly lesbian Democratic challenger Orozco lost her election 41% — 59%.

Andrew Martin, Nevada State Assembly 13th District
Openly gay Democratic challenger lost his bid for the Nevada Assembly 48% — 49%. A third-party candidate may have made the difference.

John Arrowood, North Carolina Judge Court of Appeals
Openly gay incumbent Arrowood was defeated in his bid to retain his seat 46% — 54%.

Kate Brown, Oregon Secretary of State
Openly lesbian Democrat Brown won her contest with 51% of the vote. A third-party candidate may have made the difference.

Lupe Valdez, Sheriff of Dallas County TX
Openly lesbian Democratic incumbent Valdez retained her position 55% — 45%.

Abortion Parental Notification — California Proposition 4
California voters rejected limits on abortion by 53% — 47%.

Defining Life Begins At Conception — Colorado Amendment 48
Colorado voters defeated an amendment to define fetuses as persons by 73% — 27%.

Abortion Ban — South Dakota Measure 11
Designed to be a setup to challenge Roe v. Wade, South Dakota voters defeated an amendment to define life as beginning at conception by 55% — 45%. It banned abortion except for the life of the mother, the health of the mother, the rape of the mother, and incest.