Welcome to another Baja Kossacks Results Liveblog
I hope everybody enjoyed the weather today, winter is supposed to arrive this weekend. There are indications that it's going to be a long night. SNAFUs in battleground states may mean that results will be delayed. Here in Arizona, the Secretary of State's website says that results will be posted starting at 8. Pima County results, always among the last to come in, may be even later this time. David Safier over at Blog For Arizona reports that the large number of mail-in ballots may be a problem. Nevertheless, we'll try stick with it until someone knows something. I don't think anyone believes that Arizona's 11 electoral votes will go to the President, but there are other races to watch and I think it's going to be a pretty good night for Arizona Democrats. Join us below the fold.
Surrender Dorothy
On Saturday, a small plane appeared over Tucson and began writing candidates' names in the sky. It wrote R-O-M-N-E-Y twice, N-A-P-I-E-R once and A-N-T-E-N-O-R-I once. Who would pay for such a stunt ? The inclusion of Napier, a Republican running against Dupnik for Pima County Sheriff points to this outfit, Restoring Pride in Pima County. Whoever paid for it, I thought it was a pretty lame stunt. In each case, the first letters were blurred by the wind before the last ones were written. And besides, what kind of an idiot would vote for that blowhard Frank Antenori just because they saw his name in the sky ? Speaking of Antenori ...
LD-10
This is my district and Phoenix New Times says it's one of 5 LDs to watch tonight.
LD-10, a Tucson district, also features two Democrats running against two Republicans in the House, and a Republican against a Dem in the Senate. In what the Cap Times has called a "liberal-leaning" district, Republican state Senator Frank Antenori's seat might be at risk here, especially after a poor showing in his run for Congress -- in which he placed third out of four candidates in the Republican primary for the CD-8 special election. We've also seen pictures of a skywriter spelling "Antenori" over Tucson this weekend, and if using a skywriter as a campaign tool doesn't smell desperate, we're not sure what does. The House race will also be interesting, since two of the candidates are both sitting House members: Democratic state Representative Bruce Wheeler, and Republican Representative Ted Vogt (who saved face with Internet trolls earlier this year over a bill about online harassment). The Democratic newcomer is Stephanie Mach, and the Republican is Todd Clodfelter.
I saw Antenori speak at Drinking Liberally and he belongs on wingnut talk radio, not in the State Senate. He's obviously a ditto-head and Rush is his role model. He just sat there at his so-called debate and spewed ridiculous nonsense, the whole time aping Limbaugh's speech and gestures. He did something else that's really starting to bother me. He lectured us on small business and entrepreneurship. Sally McMartha does this too. Look, I respect your choice and thank you for your service, but career military is not the same as operating a business. You did your job, kept your nose clean and put in your 20. That does not make you an entrepreneur. You're a government employee just like a teacher or a letter-carrier, so enough with the bullshit about business and what it takes to start one.
Education
I hope everybody voted Yes on 204. I know Jan promised to fund education better if we defeat 204 but I don't believe her. She used the temporary 1-cent sales tax increase, which Prop. 204 would make permanent, to give tax cuts to business.
The other big education issue, here in Tucson anyway, is the TUSD board. All incumbents must be defeated. This thing with Mexican American Studies still pisses me off. When overt racism breaks out in Arizona, we're used to saying, "That's Maricopa County, we don't do that sort of thing in Baja." Well this time we can't say that. A TUSD board majority dragged Tucson's reputation through the mud. Here's the L.A.Times, The Nation, The Progressive, Democracy Now!, In These Times and The Guardian all talking about rednecks banning books in Tucson, Arizona. All incumbents must go.
OK, Here We Go ...
Will Carmona pull off an upset ? What about Kirkpartick ? How bad will Raul trounce "Gabby" Mercer ? Will Ron Barber destroy Martha McSally ? And what about those races in Phoenix ? As usual, let us know which races you're watching and feel free update the diary as you see fit.
Oh yeah
Almost forgot. Anybody interested in a Meet-Up later this month ? I was thinking of Casa Vicente. Lemme' know in the comments.
6:22 PM PT (Dave in AZ): Dave checking in here. Polls closed at 7PM (9 Eastern/6Pacific. Normally we get our first vote dump around 7.30-7.40, but the SoS site says "starting at 8PM". Reminder: The early vote tallies will be mail-in early voting tends to favor Democrats.
6:47 PM PT (Dave in AZ): MSNBC Projects Donnelly wins in IN Senate. While we wait for AZ results, first Red 2 Blue Senate pick-up!
6:51 PM PT (Dave in AZ): Warren wins in MA! 2nd Red2Blue Senate pickup. NH for team Obama!
6:52 PM PT: (Az) Elizabeth Warren wins, proving the value of emailing every Dem in the country every day.
6:58 PM PT (sneakers563): If you're looking for local results on the TV, KUAT (PBS) is switching back and forth, with local results and updates at the tops of the hours.
7:07 PM PT (Dave in AZ): 1st AZ SoS vote tally:
O 48% R 50 40k votes
Carmona 49 Flake 46
CD1: D 49 D 44
7:12 PM PT: (Az) Jeez, SoS has McMartha kicking Barber's ass and CD-3 tied.
7:16 PM PT (Dave in AZ): AZ SoS vote tally:
O 42% R 56 685k votes
Carmona 44 Flake 52
CD1: Kirkpatrick 47 D 46
CD 2: Barber: 42% R 58%
CD3: Grijalva: 49% R 47
DD9: Sinema: 48% R 46%
7:25 PM PT (Dave in AZ): AZ SoS vote tally:
O 42% R 56 1.1m votes
Carmona 45 Flake 51
CD1: Kirkpatrick 44 D 50
CD 2: Barber: 52% R 48%
CD3: Grijalva: 58% R 38
DD9: Sinema: 48% R 46%
7:38 PM PT (Dave in AZ): No real update to AZ SoS site lately. I'm going to in enjoy a glass of wine & MSNBC and be back
8:01 PM PT (Dave in AZ): 1.2 mil reported, no real change, anyone please fee free to jump in here.
8:07 PM PT (ItsaMathJoke): The Weekly has some proposition numbers http://www.tucsonweekly.com/...
And Dupnik 51% Napier45%
8:27 PM PT: OK, everybody says 4 more years, Obama has won. But we all expected that. I'm interested in the State Ledge.
8:49 PM PT (Dave in AZ): MSNBC calls it for Flake
8:59 PM PT (Dave in AZ): AZ SoS vote tally:
O 46% R 56 1.4m votes
Carmona 45 Flake 51
CD1: Kirkpatrick 46 D 49
CD 2: Barber: 51% R 49%
CD3: Grijalva: 57% R 37
DD9: Sinema: 48% R 46%
9:04 PM PT: From the Star:
Farley, Bradley and Melvin all winning.
TUSD board looks like Foster, Stegeman and Juarez.
9:12 PM PT: (Az) Looks like a Repub sweep for Corporation Commission. I guess folks figured that the best candidates were the ones who like corporations the most.
11:00 PM PT: (Az) Uh, we have a problem here. The Star reports Sally McMartha leading Ron Barber 50.33% to 49.67%, that's 1392 votes.
11:20 PM PT: (Az) 96% of precincts reporting.
Barber 108,772 votes 49.76%
McSally 109,825 votes 50.24%
Final Update
It's almost 2 now. The Star is reporting that, with 100% of precincts reporting, Martha McSally has been elected in AZ-02. Barber has 109,556 votes for 48.7%, McSally 110,868 votes for 50.3%. W.T.F.
Polling indicates that least 5 of us can make it to a Meet-Up at Casa Vicente on Nov.16. I hope many more than will show up. I will call the restaurant to ask about a reservation and begin promoting the event tomorrow. In the afternoon. Good night all, thanks for showing up.