Governors races go down to the wire

Voters dumped a Democratic governor in Indiana and forced a Republican incumbent in New Hampshire into a race for his political career as 11 states elected their top leaders Tuesday.

In Missouri, Montana and Washington state, close contests left each party fighting for the last few votes as ballot counting went on into the night. In the rest of the contests, incumbents won or the party in power kept control of the executive mansion.

In Indiana, former White House budget chief Mitch Daniels unseated Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan, who was facing his first test at the polls since he took office after former Gov. Frank O'Bannon died last year. In New Hampshire, with 81 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat John Lynch was ahead of one-term GOP Gov. Craig Benson by 14,000 votes, or less than 3 percentage points.

A close race emerged in Missouri, where Republican Matt Blunt was ahead of Democrat Claire McCaskill 50.4 percent to 48.3 percent, with two-thirds of the precincts reporting. In Delaware, Democratic Gov. Ruth Ann Minner withstood a surprisingly strong race from Republican Bill Lee to win a second term.

In Washington state, very early returns showed Republican Dino Rossi, a former legislative leader, narrowly ahead of Democrat Christine Gregoire, the state attorney general, in the race for an open seat.

With just more than 10 percent of precincts reporting in Montana, Democrat Brian Schweitzer, a farmer who unsuccessfully sought a Senate seat in 2000, was leading Republican Bob Brown, secretary of state. Republicans have held the governor's post for 16 years.

Elsewhere, Republican Jon Huntsman Jr. took Utah's open governor's seat. North Dakota GOP Gov. John Hoeven, Vermont Republican Gov. Jim Douglas and North Carolina Democratic Gov. Mike Easley each won second terms. In West Virginia, Democratic Secretary of State Joe Manchin took an open seat.

In Delaware, Minner won despite making what some saw as an insensitive response to a prison inmate's abduction and rape of a counselor. "In prisons, you almost expect this to happen," she said.

In statehouses around the country, Republicans seemed likely to continue their advance, taking control of the Tennessee Senate and on the verge of grabbing the Indiana House in two of the most closely watched legislative contests in 44 states.

Aided by redrawn legislative districts, the GOP also battled for the Georgia House, which would give it control of state government there for the first time since Reconstruction. Democrats lost the governorship in 2002 and lost the Senate shortly after that election when four senators switched parties.

In Tennessee, Republicans also have not enjoyed a majority in the state's upper chamber since Reconstruction. They picked up two seats by beating Democratic incumbents, assuring the GOP at least a 17-16 majority.

Heading into Election Day, Republicans held both chambers in 21 states, the Democrats had both in 17 and control was divided in 11. Nebraska has just one legislative chamber and is officially nonpartisan.

In the Indiana House, Republicans looked poised to gain control for the first time since 1996 after at least four Democrat incumbents lost. With Mitch Daniels' victory in the governor's race, it would be the first time since 1987 that one party has held the governor's office and both chambers of the Legislature.

The contests for open governors' seats in Missouri, Montana, Utah and Washington state brought record spending and unprecedented bursts of out-of-state money, and the heat of the presidential race had an effect on at least a couple of races.

New Hampshire's Benson fought to hold on for a second term against Lynch in a state leaning against President Bush. In Indiana, a state that went solidly and quickly for Bush, Daniels had the prominent support of the president.

Others contests remained resolutely local, turning on taxes, economic development or transportation issues.

Even before Election Day, dismay over economic problems and other woes over the past few years led to the ouster of governors in Missouri (where one-term Democratic Gov. Bob Holden lost in the primary) and Utah (where GOP Gov. Olene Walker lost the nomination at the party convention).

In Utah, Huntsman, a businessman and Bush administration diplomat, easily beat Scott Matheson Jr., dean of the University of Utah law school and the son of a former governor.

Republicans went into Tuesday holding 28 governorships to the Democrats' 22.

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Election 2004

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