Senate Victories

Kay Hagan
(NC)

In one of the most high-profile Senate races in the country, state Sen. Kay Hagan handily defeated GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole, 53 to 44 percent. The race tightened in the final weeks but the size of Hagan’s victory was unexpected. Barack Obama’s success in North Carolina likely gave Hagan a boost.

Sen. Mary Landrieu
(LA)

Landrieu beat back a strong challenge this year and defeated state Treasurer John Kennedy by a healthy 52 to 46 percent. A member of the Homeland Security, Appropriations, and Energy and National Resources Committees, Landrieu will be sworn in to a third term in the Senate in January.

Jeanne Shaheen
(NH)

In another pick-up for Senate Democrats, Shaheen defeated GOP Sen. John Sununu, 52 to 45 percent. A former governor, Shaheen helped launch her state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program and also made New Hampshire one of the first states in the nation to include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination laws.

House Victories

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
(Ariz, 8th District)

Despite John McCain’s victory in Arizona, Giffords held off a challenge from state Sen. Tim Bee by a resounding 55 to 43 percent. A member of the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, Giffords will return to Congress for a second term.

Mary Jo Kilroy
(Ohio, 15th District)

More than a month after Election Day, Franklin County Commissioner Kilroy was declared the winner over state Sen. Steve Stivers in an open-seat race that puts the district in Democratic hands for the first time in 42 years. Kilroy will be sworn in as a freshman after losing to incumbent Rep. Deborah Pryce by just over 1,000 votes in 2006.

Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand
(NY, 20th District)

Despite the Republican leanings of New York’s 20th district, Gillibrand won re-election to a second term by an overwhelming margin, defeating former state GOP chair Alexander Treadwell 62 to 38 percent. The mother of two young children, Gillibrand serves on the House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees.

Suzanne Kosmas
(Fla, 24th District)

Kosmas knocked off a sitting incumbent and added to the ranks of women in Congress by defeating GOP Rep. Tom Feeney, 57 to 41 percent. A small business owner and former state Representative, Kosmas dominated this race financially and earned a big victory on Election Day.

Betsy Markey
(Colo, 4th District)

Markey ousted GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, 55 to 45 percent, despite the heavily conservative nature of this district. A small businesswoman and former chair of the Larimer County Democratic Party, Markey also may have gotten a boost from Obama coattails.

Dina Titus
(Nev, 3rd District)

In another pick-up for Democrats and women, Titus ousted Republican Rep. Jon Porter, 48 to 42 percent. A 20-year veteran of the Nevada state Senate, Titus will be sworn in as a freshman in January.

Other House Races

Judy Baker
(Mo, 9th District)

Unable to overcome the Republican leanings of this district, Baker lost her contest against state tourism director Blaine Luetkemeyer in this open-seat race, 50 to 47 percent.

Darcy Burner
(Wash, 8th District)

In her second bid against incumbent Rep. Dave Reichert, Burner finally conceded three days after the election. Reichert prevailed 52 to 48 percent.

Jill Derby
(Nev, 2nd District)

IA former chair of the Nevada Democratic party, Derby fell short of her bid to unseat incumbent Rep. Dean Heller in this heavily Republican rural district. Heller earned 52 percent of the vote.

Christine Jennings
(Fla, 13th District)

Unlike in 2006 – when Jennings came within 400 votes of defeating GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan – this time she was defeated by a significant margin, 55 to 38 percent.

Alice Kryzan
(NY, 26th District)

After a stunning upset in the Democratic primary, first-time candidate Kryzan was not able to repeat her success against businessman Christopher Lee. She was defeated in this open-seat race, 55 to 40 percent.

Linda Stender
(NJ, 7th District)

In her second bid for the 7th district seat, Stender was defeated by state Sen. Leonard Lance, 51 to 41 percent. A state Assemblywoman, Stender came within one percent of defeating incumbent Rep. Mike Ferguson in 2006.

Victoria Wulsin
(Ohio, 2nd District)

In her third bid for this House seat, Wulsin lost to Rep. Jean Schmidt, 45 to 37 percent.