Democrats retained control of the Senate Tuesday but did not pick up the 60 seat filibuster proof majority they had hoped for. Of the 100 seats in the Senate, Democrats now hold 56 seats, Republicans hold 40.
The good news: Despite the overall trend of Democrat wins across the nation, targeted conservatives - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Saxby Chambliss of Geogia, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Pat Roberts of Kansas and the seat of retiring Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi - remain safe, leaving some hope in the heart of the conservative base.
The bad news: Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire lost their seats to challenging Democrats, and retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado relinquished seats to Democrats. Absolutely zero incumbent Democrats running lost their seats to Republicans.
Three of the open 35 remain unresolved in Alaska, Oregon, and Minnesota. This includes the highly publicized race against Norm Coleman (R-Minn) and comedian Al Franken who refuses to condede (a recount is likely) and the outcome of newly convicted felon Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) who is waiting on a reported 40,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted.
Of the 35 senators up for re-election in 2008, here is how they fared (and some notes for your HUMAN EVENTS Conservative Scorecard):
Alabama
Jeff Sessions (R) *win 63%
Vivian Figures (D) 37%
Alaska
Ted Stevens (R) * 48%
Mark Begich (D) 47%
Arkansas
Mark Pryor (D) *win 79%
Rebekah Kennedy (Grn) 21%
Colorado
Mark Udall (D) *win 53%
Bob Schaffer (R) 43%
Delaware
Joe Biden (D) *win 65%
Christine O'Donnell (R) 35%
Georgia
Saxby Chambliss (R) * win 50%
Jim Martin (D) 46%
Allen Buckley (L) 3%
Idaho
Jim Risch (R) win 58%
Larry LaRocco (D) 34%
Rex Rammell (I) 6%
Illinois
Dick Durbin (D) *win 67%
Steve Sauerberg (R) 29%
Iowa
Tom Harkin (D) *win 63%
Christopher Reed (R) 37%
Kansas
Pat Roberts (R) *win 60%
Jim Slattery (D) 37%
Kentucky
Mitch McConnell (R) *win 53%
Bruce Lunsford (D) 47%
Louisiana
Mary L. Landrieu (D) *win 52%
John Kennedy (R) 46%
Maine
Susan Collins (R) *win 61%
Tom Allen (D) 39%
Massachusetts
John Kerry (D) *win 66%
Jeff Beatty (R) 31%
Michigan
Carl Levin (D) *win 62%
Jack Hoogendyk (R) 35%
Minnesota
Al Franken (D) 1,151,156 42%
Norm Coleman (R) 1,150,091 42%
Dean Barkley (I) 15%
Mississippi
Thad Cochran (R) *win 62%
Erik Fleming (D) 38%
Mississippi
Roger Wicker (R) *win 55%
Ronnie Musgrove (D) 45%
Montana
Max Baucus (D) *win 73%
Bob Kelleher (R) 27%
Nebraska
Mike Johanns (R) *win 58%
Scott Kleeb (D) 40%
New Hampshire
Jeanne Shaheen (D) *win 52%
John Sununu (R) 45%
New Jersey
Frank Lautenberg (D) *win 56%
Dick Zimmer (R) 43%
New Mexico
Tom Udall (D) *win 61%
Steve Pearce (R) 39%
North Carolina
Kay Hagan (D) *win 53%
Elizabeth Dole (R) 44%
Christopher Cole (L) 3%
Oklahoma
Jim Inhofe (R) *win 57%
Andrew Rice (D) 39%
Stephen Wallace (I) 4%
Oregon
Gordon Smith (R) * 435,367 47%
Jeff Merkley (D) 432,773 47%
Rhode Island
Jack Reed (D) *win 73%
Bob Tingle (R) 27%
South Carolina
Lindsey Graham (R) *win 58%
Bob Conley (D) 42%
South Dakota
Tim Johnson (D) *win 63%
Joel Dykstra (R) 37%
Tennessee
Lamar Alexander (R) *win 65%
Robert Tuke (D) 31%
Texas
John Cornyn (R) *win 56%
Rick Noriega (D) 41%
Virginia
Mark Warner (D) *win 64%
Jim Gilmore (R) 34%
West Virginia
Jay Rockefeller (D) *win 64%
Jay Wolfe (R) 36%
Wyoming
Mike Enzi (R) *win 76%
Chris Rothfuss (D) 24%
Wyoming
John Barrasso (R) *win 73%
Nick Carter (D) 27%
