2012 US Senate Election Results As They Come In

Welcome to Truth Before Dishonor’s version of live-blogging the US Senate election results. The current makeup of the US Senate is 47 Republicans, 51 Democrats, 1 Socialist (Bernie Sanders), 1 independent who caucuses with the Democrats. In case you haven’t noticed, it is my desire at Truth Before Dishonor to associate Democrats with the color of Liberalism and Socialism, and to return the Republicans to their color of blue. It wasn’t always the case that Republicans were red, as I explained in my article Obama Wins 2008, In All Likelihood Loses 2012. Who knows, maybe I can help set a trend in motion to reclaim the rightful colorings for their rightful owners.

As properly educated high school students of Government know, not all US Senators are up for election this year. Only roughly 1/3 of them are. And the US Senate (in combination with the US House of Representatives) is equivalent in importance as is the US Presidency, so saith the US Constitution. And, as the US Presidential election is absolutely critical this year, so too is the US Senate election.

Here is the list of states holding US Senate elections and the Real Clear Politics polling of likely outcomes (note Independents caucus with Democrats:

Safe Democrat seats:
Feinstein (D) California FOX News has called it for Feinstein
Cardin (D) Maryland FOX News has called it for Cardin
Gillibrand (D) New York FOX News has called it for Gillibrand
Sanders (Socialist) Vermont FOX News has called it for Sanders
Carper (D) Delaware FOX News has called it for Carper
Klobuchar (D) Minnesota FOX News has called it for Klobuchar
Whitehouse (D) Rhode Island FOX News calls it for Whitehouse

Likely Democrat seats:
Open (R) Maine (likely going Independent) FOX News has called it for Angus King
Open (D) Hawai’i
Stabenow (D) Michigan FOX News has called it for Stabenow
Menendez (D) New Jersey FOX News has called it for Menendez
Open (D) New Mexico
Cantwell (D) Washington FOX News has called it for Cantwell
Manchin (D) West Virginia FOX News has called it for Manchin

Leans Democrat seats:
Open (D) Connecticut FOX News has called it for Chris Murphy
Nelson (D) Florida FOX News has called it for Nelson
McCaskill (D) Missouri FOX News has called it for McCaskill
Brown (D) Ohio FOX News has called it for Brown
Casey (D) Pennsylvania FOX News has called it for Casey

Toss Ups:
Open (R) Indiana FOX News has called it for Donnelly
Brown (R) Massachusetts FOX News has called it for Elizabeth Warren
Tester (D) Montana
Heller (R) Nevada
Open (D) North Dakota
Open (D) Virginia FOX News has called it for Tim Kaine
Open (D) Wisconsin FOX News has called it for Tammy Baldwin

Leans Republican seats:
Open (R) Arizona
Open (D) Nebraska FOX News has called it for Deb Fischer

Safe Republican seats:
Wicker (R) Mississippi FOX News has called it for Wicker
Open (R) Texas FOX News has called it for Ted Cruz
Barrasso (R) Wyoming FOX News has called it for Barrasso
Corker (R) Tennessee FOX News has called it for Corker
Hatch (R) Utah FOX News has called it for Hatch

UPDATE 6:20pm Texas time: FOX News projects Socialist Bernie Sanders wins re-election as Vermont Senator.

UPDATE 8:40pm Texas time: I have unfortunately been unable to live-blog the Senate race like I wished, but I am updating the list above as I can.

UPDATE 10:05pm Texas time: With FOX News’ projection of Tim Kaine winning in Virginia, Democrats are projected to retain majority in the US Senate, while Republicans are projected to gain a larger majority in the US House.