Posted at 8:15 PM ET by Kent Allen
A flood of states just shut down their polls, including some of the hottest races of the year:
- Connecticut (with the Lamont-Lieberman race competing for attention with three close House contests featuring Republican incumbents);
- Delaware (most likely a cakewalk for the incumbents, Democratic Sen. Tom Carper and Republican Rep. Michael Castle);
- Illinois (a couple of tight House races in the Chicago suburbs);
- Kansas (late polls showed Republican Rep. Jim Ryun, the former Olympic long-distance runner, in trouble);
- Maryland (competitive gubernatorial and Senate races);
- Massachusetts (most likely a clean sweep for the Democrats, including Ted Kennedy, who will earn his eighth full term, and the 10 incumbent House members);
- Michigan (no expected shift in a delegation that has nine Republicans and six Democrats);
- Mississippi (an easy ride to a fourth term for Republican Trent Lott);
- Missouri (perhaps the most closely watched and pivotal Senate race: McCaskill vs. Talent);
- New Jersey (possibly one close House race); Pennsylvania (polls have shown Republican Sen. Rick Santorum badly trailing Robert Casey Jr., son of a former governor);
- Oklahoma (no shifts expected);
- South Dakota (where the biggest issue is a ballot initiative on abortion);
- Tennessee (the close Senate race for an open seat, pitting Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Harold Ford Jr.);
- Texas (the Democrats hope to gain the seat formerly held by Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay).
