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| Senate control at stake in today’s midterm elections | Senate control at stake in today’s midterm elections |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| After months of grueling campaigns in key states, Americans headed to the polls Tuesday in the crucial midterm elections that will determine whether the public endorses a transfer of power in the Senate that could complicate President Obama’s final two years in office. | After months of grueling campaigns in key states, Americans headed to the polls Tuesday in the crucial midterm elections that will determine whether the public endorses a transfer of power in the Senate that could complicate President Obama’s final two years in office. |
| The first voting stations opened at 6 a.m. in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia — and the final polls close in the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific 19 hours later. Even then, the final determination of who will control the upper chamber might not be known, as a potential runoff in Louisiana and the counting of votes in other states could leave the outcome in doubt for weeks longer. | The first voting stations opened at 6 a.m. in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia — and the final polls close in the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific 19 hours later. Even then, the final determination of who will control the upper chamber might not be known, as a potential runoff in Louisiana and the counting of votes in other states could leave the outcome in doubt for weeks longer. |
| Republicans were poised to make gains in both chambers of Congress amid widespread dissatisfaction with Obama’s record over the past two years, but the crucial question remained whether the GOP will pick up a net six seats to take control the Senate for the first time since 2007. | Republicans were poised to make gains in both chambers of Congress amid widespread dissatisfaction with Obama’s record over the past two years, but the crucial question remained whether the GOP will pick up a net six seats to take control the Senate for the first time since 2007. |
| (Live coverage: On the campaign trail) | (Live coverage: On the campaign trail) |
| In all, there are 13 states where Senate seats might change from one party to the other. Republicans need to win nine of them to attain a 51-seat majority. As the polls opened, GOP candidates seemed to be leading, by a lot or by a little, in eight of those races. | In all, there are 13 states where Senate seats might change from one party to the other. Republicans need to win nine of them to attain a 51-seat majority. As the polls opened, GOP candidates seemed to be leading, by a lot or by a little, in eight of those races. |
| Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who potentially stands to gain more than anyone if the Senate flips control, cast his ballot at a local university. He predicted victory in his bid for a sixth term after a bruising reelection campaign against Kentucky secretary of state Alison Lundergan Grimes. Polls show him with a small-but-steady lead. | |
| “I think we’re going to have a good day here in Kentucky and hopefully around the country,” McConnell told reporters exiting Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall on the eastern side of town, one of the most liberal precincts in the state. | |
| McConnell and his wife, former labor secretary Elaine Chao, cast their votes amid a throng of local, national and international media but only a few other residents. | |
| Even before most voters had arrived at their polling sites, GOP leaders were fanning out to project confidence that the party would make good on its promise to turn Election Day into a referendum on the president’s low popularity. Republicans congregated in the green room at MSNBC’s Capitol Hill studio to tout the rebound of the party’s establishment on “Morning Joe.” Before appearances, a streaming crowd of coffee-sipping players were in good spirits as they compared notes. | Even before most voters had arrived at their polling sites, GOP leaders were fanning out to project confidence that the party would make good on its promise to turn Election Day into a referendum on the president’s low popularity. Republicans congregated in the green room at MSNBC’s Capitol Hill studio to tout the rebound of the party’s establishment on “Morning Joe.” Before appearances, a streaming crowd of coffee-sipping players were in good spirits as they compared notes. |
| Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, touted the GOP’s financial prowess, including the $17 million his group raised last month. Former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour pointed to the primary victory of longtime Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), who bested a tea-party challenger in June, as a pivotal moment where Republicans avoided nominating gaffe-prone and controversial candidates who could have damaged the party’s appeal. | Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, touted the GOP’s financial prowess, including the $17 million his group raised last month. Former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour pointed to the primary victory of longtime Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), who bested a tea-party challenger in June, as a pivotal moment where Republicans avoided nominating gaffe-prone and controversial candidates who could have damaged the party’s appeal. |
| An optimistic Barbour said he would be on the airwaves for the rest of the day, and then head to a string of election night return-watching parties in Washington — gatherings he expected to be celebrations. | An optimistic Barbour said he would be on the airwaves for the rest of the day, and then head to a string of election night return-watching parties in Washington — gatherings he expected to be celebrations. |
| “For us, this is about winning a majority, but it’s also true we’ve got to test whether we are becoming a more competent national party,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said on MSNBC. He said Republicans were intent on appealing to voters’ anger about the direction of the country. | “For us, this is about winning a majority, but it’s also true we’ve got to test whether we are becoming a more competent national party,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said on MSNBC. He said Republicans were intent on appealing to voters’ anger about the direction of the country. |
| “People see a Washington that isn’t working,” he said, “and the person at the head of it all is the president.” | “People see a Washington that isn’t working,” he said, “and the person at the head of it all is the president.” |
| Democrats fought back, blaming Republicans for standing in the way of their economic agenda. | Democrats fought back, blaming Republicans for standing in the way of their economic agenda. |
| “People want to feel the ground they’re standing on is a little bit more firm, and the reason they don’t is Republican obstruction,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on MSNBC. “That is the contrast, the choice people are making all across the country.” | “People want to feel the ground they’re standing on is a little bit more firm, and the reason they don’t is Republican obstruction,” Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on MSNBC. “That is the contrast, the choice people are making all across the country.” |
| At the White House, where Obama made his final campaign appearances for Democratic candidates over the weekend, the president was projecting an air of business as usual. His daily schedule showed private meetings with the International Monetary Fund’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his national security and public health teams to discuss the Ebola response. | At the White House, where Obama made his final campaign appearances for Democratic candidates over the weekend, the president was projecting an air of business as usual. His daily schedule showed private meetings with the International Monetary Fund’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his national security and public health teams to discuss the Ebola response. |
| On Monday, press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama had done all he could to help raise money and support fellow Democrats, and the spokesman expressed confidence that “Democrats will retain the majority” in the Senate. | On Monday, press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama had done all he could to help raise money and support fellow Democrats, and the spokesman expressed confidence that “Democrats will retain the majority” in the Senate. |
| Around the country, the parties were making last-minute bids for support. | Around the country, the parties were making last-minute bids for support. |
| In the Georgia race for the Senate, Democrat Michelle Nunn, daughter of former senator Sam Nunn (D), visited a campaign office Monday night in suburban Atlanta and was greeted by supporters chanting, “I believe that we will win!” the same chant used by the U.S. men’s national soccer team at the World Cup last summer. | In the Georgia race for the Senate, Democrat Michelle Nunn, daughter of former senator Sam Nunn (D), visited a campaign office Monday night in suburban Atlanta and was greeted by supporters chanting, “I believe that we will win!” the same chant used by the U.S. men’s national soccer team at the World Cup last summer. |
| “Everywhere we go, people are excited, they are energized and they tell me they are ready to make a change,” she told the crowd. | “Everywhere we go, people are excited, they are energized and they tell me they are ready to make a change,” she told the crowd. |
| In Centennial, Colo., Rep. Cory Gardner (R), who is trying to unseat Sen. Mark Udall (D) in a key Senate race, stood on a corner Tuesday morning at a busy intersection, holding a sign that bore his name in large letters. | In Centennial, Colo., Rep. Cory Gardner (R), who is trying to unseat Sen. Mark Udall (D) in a key Senate race, stood on a corner Tuesday morning at a busy intersection, holding a sign that bore his name in large letters. |
| A gold sport-utility vehicle pulled over. | A gold sport-utility vehicle pulled over. |
| “Hey buddy, how’s it going?” Gardner said as he high-fived a kid who leaned out the window. | “Hey buddy, how’s it going?” Gardner said as he high-fived a kid who leaned out the window. |
| “I think I’ve probably waved signs on every one of these four corners over the last 15 years,” he said. | “I think I’ve probably waved signs on every one of these four corners over the last 15 years,” he said. |
| There were honks and cheers, and a man on a bicycle rode by and whooped. | |
| robert.costa@washpost.com | |
| Karen Heller in Louisiana, Paul Kane in Kentucky, Ed O’Keefe in Georgia, Wesley Lowery in North Carolina and Katie Zezima in Colorado contributed to this report. |