Late Results: Democrats Build Senate Lead

They now hold 55-45 advantage, counting two independents
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 7, 2012 10:31 AM CST
Updated Nov 7, 2012 1:40 PM CST
Tester Hangs On in Tight Montana Senate Race
In this Nov. 10, 2011, file photo Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., speaks about the "VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011," during a news conference on Capitol Hill.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

The fat lady may have sung on the presidential race last night, but results are still trickling in from some of the country's closest races. So far, everything's coming up blue; Democrats have extended their Senate majority to 53, not counting the two independents expected to poll with them, after winning a pair of nail biters.

  • In North Dakota, former Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp has scored what Politico terms an "upset" win over Rep. Rick Berg to claim the last unsettled Senate seat of the election. Heitkamp won with fewer than 3,000 votes, the AP reports, a margin so small that Berg could have demanded a recount, but he instead conceded late this afternoon.

  • Earlier, Democrat Sen. Jon Tester won an excruciatingly close re-election battle over Rep. Denny Rehberg, after a bitter campaign that dominated Montana politics for two years, the Missoulian reports. Tester likely benefited from a strong performance by Libertarian Dan Cox, who managed 6% of the vote—most of it likely at Rehberg's expense.
(More Jon Tester stories.)

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