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| Mark Warner, Ed Gillespie in tight U.S. Senate race in Virginia | Mark Warner, Ed Gillespie in tight U.S. Senate race in Virginia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| In a year that was expected to be bad for Democrats, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner was locked in a surprisingly tight race with Republican strategist and challenger Ed Gillespie. | In a year that was expected to be bad for Democrats, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner was locked in a surprisingly tight race with Republican strategist and challenger Ed Gillespie. |
| Just moments before polls closed Tuesday, Gillespie sent a Tweet to supporters citing an exit poll showing the race to be a dead heat — and Warner followed suit with a Tweet of his own urging his own supporters to the polls. | Just moments before polls closed Tuesday, Gillespie sent a Tweet to supporters citing an exit poll showing the race to be a dead heat — and Warner followed suit with a Tweet of his own urging his own supporters to the polls. |
| With nearly 80 percent of the vote counted, Gillespie was leading Warner —although those results did not include many votes in Northern Virginia where Warner has traditionally been strongest. | |
| Gillespie’s unrelenting attack on Warner’s voting record in support of Obama proved at least somewhat effective against Warner, who has been Virginia’s most popular politician for more than a decade. Gillespie’s chief line of attack was that Warner had voted with the president 97 percent of the time, most notably for the Affordable Care Act. | Gillespie’s unrelenting attack on Warner’s voting record in support of Obama proved at least somewhat effective against Warner, who has been Virginia’s most popular politician for more than a decade. Gillespie’s chief line of attack was that Warner had voted with the president 97 percent of the time, most notably for the Affordable Care Act. |
| Warner has long billed himself as a business-friendly moderate. He won his first race for Senate in a landslide in 2008. But Gillespie, his underdog opponent, took him on in a year when President Obama’s low approval ratings have been a drag on Democrats nationally. | Warner has long billed himself as a business-friendly moderate. He won his first race for Senate in a landslide in 2008. But Gillespie, his underdog opponent, took him on in a year when President Obama’s low approval ratings have been a drag on Democrats nationally. |
| The former Republican National Committee chairman claimed at a rally Tuesday that momentum was on his side — taking note of narrowing polls and the energy of a volunteer squad he dubbed his “G-Force.” | The former Republican National Committee chairman claimed at a rally Tuesday that momentum was on his side — taking note of narrowing polls and the energy of a volunteer squad he dubbed his “G-Force.” |
| Gillespie supporters were buzzing with hopeful excitement at his victory party as the first returns showed the Republican up. At a ballroom at an Embassy Suites hotel in Springfield, they sipped wine and kept their fingers crossed. | |
| “Early results are certainly encouraging,” said Tom Pengidore, 52, of Alexandria. | |
| Polls have suggested that Warner, a former governor running for his second term in the Senate, would be reelected despite a tough national environment for Democrats. He has aimed for centrist consensus in the Senate. He also outspent his rival by a two-to-one margin and benefited from more outside money. | |
| Outside the ballroom where Warner supporters began to gather as the polls closed, Daphne Steinberg, 45, of Fairfax County, said: “I think he’s his own man. He’s not a guy that’s going to let someone else’s opinion necessarily dictate his. On the other hand, he’s a guy who listens to other people so he’s very middle of the road. To me the Republicans seem to be people of great extremes and the Democrats aren’t. That’s one of the big reasons I go for them – I think they are more prepared to reach across the aisle,” she said. | Outside the ballroom where Warner supporters began to gather as the polls closed, Daphne Steinberg, 45, of Fairfax County, said: “I think he’s his own man. He’s not a guy that’s going to let someone else’s opinion necessarily dictate his. On the other hand, he’s a guy who listens to other people so he’s very middle of the road. To me the Republicans seem to be people of great extremes and the Democrats aren’t. That’s one of the big reasons I go for them – I think they are more prepared to reach across the aisle,” she said. |
| Even if Warner prevails, a close race would tarnish his image as an untouchable force in Virginia politics. Six years ago, Warner beat former governor James S. Gilmore III (R) by over thirty points, sweeping all but a handful of the state’s counties. Warner prides himself on his attention to the southwest, a largely rural and conservative corner of the state. Yet even his supporters there, including several former Republican lawmakers, say Obama’s unpopularity with those voters has weighed Warner down. | Even if Warner prevails, a close race would tarnish his image as an untouchable force in Virginia politics. Six years ago, Warner beat former governor James S. Gilmore III (R) by over thirty points, sweeping all but a handful of the state’s counties. Warner prides himself on his attention to the southwest, a largely rural and conservative corner of the state. Yet even his supporters there, including several former Republican lawmakers, say Obama’s unpopularity with those voters has weighed Warner down. |
| Likewise, a near victory would be a significant boost for Gillespie’s future political career. Political observers say he is well positioned for another statewide bid, having earned GOP goodwill with his willingness to take on someone consistently ranked the state’s most popular political figure. | Likewise, a near victory would be a significant boost for Gillespie’s future political career. Political observers say he is well positioned for another statewide bid, having earned GOP goodwill with his willingness to take on someone consistently ranked the state’s most popular political figure. |
| “He charged the hill no one else dared to charge and he did a really good job,” said Ray Allen, a longtime Republican strategist who did some work for Gillespie. “When he announced, Warner had an approval rating of 60 percent. That takes real guts.” | “He charged the hill no one else dared to charge and he did a really good job,” said Ray Allen, a longtime Republican strategist who did some work for Gillespie. “When he announced, Warner had an approval rating of 60 percent. That takes real guts.” |
| A victory would return Warner to a job that the Nextel co-founder has often found frustrating due to partisan gridlock. He has spoken more fondly of his time as governor a decade ago, often joking that he misses being addressed as “his excellency.” On the campaign trail, he has promised to devote his next two years to a forceful push for bipartisan solutions, saying he’s learned from experience. | A victory would return Warner to a job that the Nextel co-founder has often found frustrating due to partisan gridlock. He has spoken more fondly of his time as governor a decade ago, often joking that he misses being addressed as “his excellency.” On the campaign trail, he has promised to devote his next two years to a forceful push for bipartisan solutions, saying he’s learned from experience. |
| “I don’t think he has an interest in being a back bencher for 25 years,” said former Virginia Commonwealth University professor Bob Holsworth. “I think you’re going to see Warner really try to stake out that middle ground ... to bring answers to the questions that go completely unaddressed out there – the entitlement reform issues, reforming health care to make it work better.” | “I don’t think he has an interest in being a back bencher for 25 years,” said former Virginia Commonwealth University professor Bob Holsworth. “I think you’re going to see Warner really try to stake out that middle ground ... to bring answers to the questions that go completely unaddressed out there – the entitlement reform issues, reforming health care to make it work better.” |
| In Virginia’s most hotly contested congressional contest, in the Washington suburbs’ 10th District, Republican Barbara J. Comstock defeated Democrat John W. Foust. The Associated Press also projected U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly the winner of another two-year term representing Virginia’s 11th District. The Democrat faced three challengers. | |
| Edward Heddinger voted for Foust over Comstock. Hedinger works at Northrop Grumman hiring veterans; he was in the Army National Guard when he was sent to Iraq, a deployment that was extended six months during the “surge.” | |
| Heddinger said he has a libertarian bent interested in candidates who can get past rhetoric and partisan politics to get things done. He’s turned off when candidates try to prove their conservative or liberal credentials with hard-line positions. | Heddinger said he has a libertarian bent interested in candidates who can get past rhetoric and partisan politics to get things done. He’s turned off when candidates try to prove their conservative or liberal credentials with hard-line positions. |
| “That was one of the commercials that annoyed us,” he said. “Comstock and ‘working mothers.’ We’re not talking about the issues.” | “That was one of the commercials that annoyed us,” he said. “Comstock and ‘working mothers.’ We’re not talking about the issues.” |
| In Virginia’s 8th congressional district, former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer defeated Republican Micah K. Edmond in one of the state’s most liberal districts. | |
| The Senate race reflected wider national trends, as GOP candidates hope to see a boost from supporters who sense that Republicans have a shot to win control of Congress. | The Senate race reflected wider national trends, as GOP candidates hope to see a boost from supporters who sense that Republicans have a shot to win control of Congress. |
| In Arlington, Ronelle Matney, 63, a consultant and self-identified independent, voted for Republican Gillespie in hopes of seeing the Senate switch to Republican control. | In Arlington, Ronelle Matney, 63, a consultant and self-identified independent, voted for Republican Gillespie in hopes of seeing the Senate switch to Republican control. |
| She and her husband, Bud Matney, 75, who retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and semi-retired from work as a cost analyst and former stockbroker, said they are very concerned about the economy and a host of other national and international issues. They feel the Democratic leadership has let the country down with its handling of Benghazi, the IRS, Ebola and the Islamic State militant group. “It’s time for a change,” they each said. | She and her husband, Bud Matney, 75, who retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and semi-retired from work as a cost analyst and former stockbroker, said they are very concerned about the economy and a host of other national and international issues. They feel the Democratic leadership has let the country down with its handling of Benghazi, the IRS, Ebola and the Islamic State militant group. “It’s time for a change,” they each said. |
| “I can’t say I’m so strongly enamored with the candidates,” Ronelle Matney said, “but [this is] more to get a vote for the opposing party to take leadership. | “I can’t say I’m so strongly enamored with the candidates,” Ronelle Matney said, “but [this is] more to get a vote for the opposing party to take leadership. |
| Brian Entzminger, who works in sales, hurried through the darkness to vote in Crystal City shortly after 6 a.m. | Brian Entzminger, who works in sales, hurried through the darkness to vote in Crystal City shortly after 6 a.m. |
| “I don’t want the Republicans to control the Senate,” Brian Entzminger said, adding that he supported Warner. | “I don’t want the Republicans to control the Senate,” Brian Entzminger said, adding that he supported Warner. |
| An onslaught of negative ads run by the Warner campaign in recent weeks hinted at concern that Gillespie was gaining ground despite a lack of substantial support from national Republicans. | An onslaught of negative ads run by the Warner campaign in recent weeks hinted at concern that Gillespie was gaining ground despite a lack of substantial support from national Republicans. |
| Some voters in Newport News and Virginia Beach were stymied by malfunctioning electronic voting machines, which officials said would not delay the process. Across the state voters also dealt with new requirements related to the a photo identification law in force for the first time. Voting rights groups were out at the polls in force to help people comply with the new rules, which are among the nation’s strictest. | Some voters in Newport News and Virginia Beach were stymied by malfunctioning electronic voting machines, which officials said would not delay the process. Across the state voters also dealt with new requirements related to the a photo identification law in force for the first time. Voting rights groups were out at the polls in force to help people comply with the new rules, which are among the nation’s strictest. |
| Turnout was expected to be fairly low across the Commonwealth. The number of voters who requested absentee ballots — a good barometer of interest — was just under 132,000 this year, down sharply from the 476,000 who did so in 2012, the last presidential year, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. | Turnout was expected to be fairly low across the Commonwealth. The number of voters who requested absentee ballots — a good barometer of interest — was just under 132,000 this year, down sharply from the 476,000 who did so in 2012, the last presidential year, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. |
| Voting glitches were reported in some places as the elections also put Virginia’s new voter identification law to the test, and voter rights groups were monitoring polling places. The new requirements tripped up some voters in the early going. | Voting glitches were reported in some places as the elections also put Virginia’s new voter identification law to the test, and voter rights groups were monitoring polling places. The new requirements tripped up some voters in the early going. |
| Rose Mansfield, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Elections, said there were problems in some parts of the state early Tuesday with the way voting machines were displaying candidates’ names. | Rose Mansfield, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Elections, said there were problems in some parts of the state early Tuesday with the way voting machines were displaying candidates’ names. |
| Statewide, the new voter ID requirement caused some minor confusion, according to organizations monitoring polling places. | Statewide, the new voter ID requirement caused some minor confusion, according to organizations monitoring polling places. |
| By early afternoon, Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of Virginia New Majority, said she had not heard any reports of voters being denied the right to vote due to improper identification. But, she said, the new law was being applied inconsistently across the commonwealth. | By early afternoon, Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of Virginia New Majority, said she had not heard any reports of voters being denied the right to vote due to improper identification. But, she said, the new law was being applied inconsistently across the commonwealth. |
| When voters go to the polls, they should participate in a two-step process, she said. First, the poll worker must confirm that the voter is the person pictured on the ID presented and, second, the poll worker must ask for verbal confirmation of the street address the voter used to register to vote. | When voters go to the polls, they should participate in a two-step process, she said. First, the poll worker must confirm that the voter is the person pictured on the ID presented and, second, the poll worker must ask for verbal confirmation of the street address the voter used to register to vote. |
| But some poll workers were mistakenly asking for documentation of the voter’s address, said Hope Amezquita, staff attorney and legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. Other times, acceptable IDs — such as a U.S. passport and University of Virginia student ID — were rejected and the voters were not offered a provisional ballot in accordance with guidelines from the Department of Elections, she said, though she cited no examples where voters were ultimately blocked. | But some poll workers were mistakenly asking for documentation of the voter’s address, said Hope Amezquita, staff attorney and legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. Other times, acceptable IDs — such as a U.S. passport and University of Virginia student ID — were rejected and the voters were not offered a provisional ballot in accordance with guidelines from the Department of Elections, she said, though she cited no examples where voters were ultimately blocked. |
| Susan Svrluga, Justin Jouvenal, Miles Parks, Antonio Olivo and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report. | Susan Svrluga, Justin Jouvenal, Miles Parks, Antonio Olivo and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report. |