George W. Bush was re-elected as 55th President of the United States on Wednesday, decisively winning Ohio with 51 percent of the state’s vote.
Bush’s numbers coming out of the exit polls Tuesday were looking down. But, just after 9 p.m. presidential challenger John Kerry’s campaign was worried after he lost some toss-up states like West Virginia and Missouri. By 1 a.m. on Wednesday Bush had been predicted winner of Ohio by Fox News analyst Michael Barone, first.
Through early Wednesday, the Kerry camp put “a lid” on his campaign which halted any more statements from him until Wednesday at an unannounced time. Around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Kerry called Bush to concede when the Massachusetts senator realized he could not make up the lead even with provisional votes.
As of Wednesday evening, Bush has 279 electoral votes to Kerry’s 252 according to Fox News.
Astoundingly, pollsters were surprised that Bush came out with large margins of victory in Ohio and the hotly contested 2000 swing-state, Florida. Not only did Bush win the electoral count but he set a presidential vote record at 58 million votes nationwide.
Bush’s win was just the beginning as Dem. Senate Minority Leader, Tom Daschle was defeated by Rep. Challenger John Thune. Thune just lost to Sen. Tim Johnson two years ago in South Dakota by a very slim margin. Daschle’s loss was the first for a minority leader since the 1950’s.
John Breaux’s vacated Senate seat in Louisiana was won by Rep. David Vitter in a five-way race. Vitter won outright giving the Bayou State their first Republican Senator since the Reconstruction.
In Florida, Rep. Mel Martinez defeated former South Florida University President Betty Castor narrowly. Castor was accused of sympathizing with South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian who was linked with Palestinian terrorism. Martinez replaces former Sen. Bob Graham who tried at a place on the Democrtatic presidential ticket in 2003.
In Tennessee, Republicans gained control of the seat squeaking out a 17-16 majority.
It is the first time Republicans have had Senate control in Tennessee in 140 years.
Incumbent Sen. Ron Ramsey (R), defeated challenger John McKamey with 65 percent of the vote. Ramsey – accused by McKamey of supporting partial-birth abortion – actually co-sponsored a bill to ban such acts with state Rep. Steve Godsey.
Godsey won the first House District easily defeating Linda King Brittenham – a first-term Sullivan County commissioner. Godsey won 64 percent of the vote to Brittenham’s 33 percent. Brittenham raised property taxes in Sullivan County which was a weakness on the campaign trail. Godsey’s strong opposition to gay-marriage was heralded in the local media.
Matthew Hill won District 7 House seat by 19 percentage points. Hill, originally from Sullivan County, moved to Johnson City to challenge former St. Rep. Bob Patton in the Republican primary. Hill was backed strongly by former King Pharmaceutical founder John Gregory. Hill, a former radio talk show host, will be the youngest member of the state legislature since Jason Mumpower.
Democrat Nathan Vaughn retained his Second District House seat winning over Rep. challenger Neal Kerney by 4,000 votes. Kerney, a former UT Vol football player, used that to draw in support. It was not enough as Vaughn walked away with his second straight win in the second district.
In the state House Republicans picked up only one seat falling short of a Republican majority by four seats.
The Democrats hold a 53-46 majority after some 11th hour victories.
In Virginia, Incumbent Rick Boucher held off a strong challenge from former NASCAR executive Kevin Triplett to go back to Congress for his 12th term.
Boucher’s strong hold remains in his “bring home the bacon” politics. The Abingdon native continues to have a stronghold on the union-strong Southwest Virginia.

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