Today is a good day in America.

[Hobson]

A new, better direction for America. (CNN) -- Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives for the first time since the 1994 Republican revolution, while control of the Senate hangs in the balance, CNN projects. Democratic challengers have picked up four seats in the Senate, CNN projects. Republicans would need to take just one of the two remaining competitive races to keep control of the chamber. Results are still too close to call in Montana and Virginia. Republican Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri conceded defeat to Democrat Claire McCaskill early Wednesday after a hard-fought race, telling supporters that "the headwind was just very, very strong this year." With all polls now closed after Tuesday's midterm elections, CNN projects that Democrats will pick up 22 seats, more than the 15 they needed to capture a majority in the House. (Latest House news) "Tonight is a great victory for the American people," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is poised to become the first female speaker of the House. "The American people voted for a new direction." She vowed "civility and bipartisanship" but confronted the president over his Iraq policy: "Mr. President, we need a new direction in Iraq." (Watch Pelosi challenge the president -- 4:43 Video) The projected result means that President Bush for the first time faces the prospect of working with a Democratic-controlled House. Bush, whose anemic approval ratings proved a drag on Republican prospects, was described as "disappointed" with the House results. However, spokesman Tony Fratto said the president was "still optimistic about the Senate." White House spokesman Tony Snow said the president would telephone Pelosi on Wednesday to offer congratulations. "We're going to get a lot done," Snow said. "On energy, education, those are clearly things we can work on." The Democratic pickups in the House included three seats vacated by Republicans amid controversy: Mark Foley's in Florida, Bob Ney's in Ohio and Tom DeLay's in Texas. With more voters than ever using electronic voting machines, scattered glitches reported across the country prompted officials to extend voting hours in some areas. (Full story) 'Biting our nails' Thirty-three Senate seats were at stake, but only nine races were considered competitive. In Virginia, embattled Republican Sen. George Allen and his Democratic challenger, Jim Webb, were locked in a virtual tie, separated by fewer than 3,000 votes with 99 percent of precincts reporting. "We are right now biting our nails about Virginia, which is neck and neck," Sen. Chuck Schumer, the chairman of the Democrats' Senate campaign effort, told supporters. Webb declared victory early Wednesday, saying, "The votes are in, and we won." But a recount appeared likely. "The election continues," Allen vowed. "I know the counting will continue through the night." Republican candidate Bob Corker will win the Tennessee Senate race, defeating Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr., CNN projects. He'll fill the open seat now held by retiring Republican Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader. If the parties split the Virginia and Montana races, that would create a 50-50 breakdown in the Senate. In that event, Vice President Dick Cheney would break tie votes. Democratic senator-turned-independent candidate Joe Lieberman will win the Connecticut Senate race, CNN projects. Both he and newly elected independent Bernie Sanders in Vermont have said they will caucus with the Democrats. (Watch Joe Lieberman become a "comeback kid" -- 1:58 Video) Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse will win the Rhode Island Senate race, defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee, CNN projects. (Full Senate news) Two-term Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the chamber's third-ranking Republican, has conceded to Bob Casey Jr. And Democrat Sherrod Brown will defeat GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio, CNN projects. "This just was a little too steep of a mountain to climb," said Santorum, an outspoken opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage. And DeWine, also a two-term senator, told supporters: "It just was not to be. This was not the year." Democrats have retained two of their Senate seats that were considered competitive, with incumbent Bob Menendez winning in New Jersey and Ben Cardin taking Maryland, CNN projects. Defying the traditional political maxim that "all politics is local," 62 percent of voters said in exit polls that national issues mattered more than local issues. The exit polls showed that 42 percent of voters called corruption an extremely important issue in their choices at the polls, followed by terrorism at 40 percent, the economy at 39 percent and the war in Iraq at 37 percent. Other developments: # Six governorships changed from Republican to Democratic hands in Tuesday's election, giving Democrats control of a majority of the top state posts for the first time in 12 years. Among those lost by Republicans were New York, Ohio and Massachusetts, all of which they had held for more than a decade. Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won re-election in California. (Governors races) # Also appearing on state ballots are a string of referendums, some controversial. In two of them, CNN projects that state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage will pass in Virginia and Tennessee. CNN also projects that Arizona voters will approve a measure making English the official language of the state, and that South Dakota voters will reject a proposed law that would ban nearly all abortions. (Ballot initiatives)

[rktect3j]

We're freakin DOOMED now. Say bye bye to our military.

[rb1651]

These are certainly going to be uncertain times. I think it might be time to head to Gander Mountain and stock up on the ammo and supplies while I still have the right.

[Devildogg4ever]

Yep, I agree with the both of you!! Gonna be some dark days ahead!!

[Osotogary]

All this plus pictures of the former President Jimmy Carter with Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua. I hurt my neck just shaking it from side to side.

On a side note- I have always thought that if politicians, regardless of political party affiliation, weren't upfront with the American public then change would take place but, sometimes, not necessarily for the better.

[Osotogary]

How many voters do you think voted for a candidate not because they were either Democrat, Republican or Other but because they just seemed to be the better candidate?
On the other hand it seems that just being affiliated with the Republican Party was a political death sentence for some quality Republican candidates and incumbants. (Almost like guilt by association)

[jinelson]

God Save The Republic! We have just sent the enemy a wonderful message Allah Akbar!

[ridingcrops]

I think some of you should really try to find out what's going on here.
They always get on the Dems for not voting for military spending,but did you know that in the 70s when Cheney was Sec he cut the budget for weapons systems that the Dems voted for? And now they use this tact that the Dems didn't vote for them.
This and the fact that dubya deserted his obligation during VietNam and Cheny dodged the draft 5 times with the excuse that he was too busy to serve. Then they started the Swifty Boat lies which were proven to be just that, all lies. And when they thought McCain would run for the Presidency they started rumors that he was unfit mentally because he had been a POW.
With this bunch in office we are in a war we shouldn't have started as we should have used our forces to hunt down the real terrorist BenLaden who dubya says "I don't think about him much".
Don't get me wrong, I support each and ever one of these fine brave service men and women which is a lot more than I can say that we had during VietNam. But the lose of life for oil and to help your buddies in Haliburton get their no bid contracts is more of an insult to those in service. This is the party that shafted all Vets too by taking away their benefits under the table and not letting them know about it till it was too late.
More looking into the facts and less listening to those who would have you believe sound bites would give you a different outlook on the real picture.
dubya the deserter who broke off talks with the N. Koreans when he took office and told the Clinton people he knew what he was doing is now trying to make up for 6 years of doing the wrong thing. Not thinking of the worlds leading terrorist and trying to make everyone think that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. Lying about WMDs and when that didn't work saying Nation building "as it says in the Constitution". Hot flash guys, it says nothing like that in the Constitution.
And not all Dems are against gun control. That is just more of the Rep BS to make you not think about the truth behind their agenda.
If you get the time on Sundays you might check out meet the prress especially last weeek on 11/5 when Libby Dole kept spouting off lies and when called about it By Russert she just kept talking and said the same thing over and over. The lies are what is getting our troops killed and although it is a nobel cause it's time to take them out of harms way and tell the Iraqis to stand up on their own. But then we couldn't pump the oil into Haliburton tankers for free.

[Osotogary]

Sometimes voting for the best candidate is not good enough because the best candidate may be part of the wrong political vehicle.

[Dave Coup]

Sounds like the 'Ghost Writer' for 10th Zodiac. "Bush lied" "No WMD"s Blah, blah, blah. Speaking of facts, go back and read or listen to some of the speeches Dems made re. Sadaam and Iraq prior to and at the start of the war.

[10thzodiac]

But really it's Washington and thier masters called the Military Industrial Complex. Still the number one money hole of all US tax dollars. HALF of all US taxes go into this hole... and without a war, what excuse would Washington have for spending all of Americas money on a military machine larger than all the other armies on Earth... combined?

The current "War on Terror" is just another Cold War. It will never end, it's what America is REALLY about.

[ggyoung]

I hope that my 2 sons get out of the military when there time is up. It looks like it's time to buy more ammo and burry my guns.

[jinelson]

In a year or so, those who put the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, John Conyers, John Murtha, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, and the rest of the pot smoking, baby killing, tax raising, amnesty granting, terrorist protecting, cut and run cowards into power positions will think they are back in college.

Why?

Because they are going to feel exactly the same way they did back then: they are going to go to bed drunk with a beautiful woman, but wake up with some nasty, fat skank and ask themselves, "How in the HELL did I get myself into THIS mess?"

[FistFu68]

GET~CAUGHT WITH A GUN IN MARYLAND,AND THEY WILL BE PUMPING DAY LIGHT TO YOU'R AZZ;IN JESSUP CUTT! FOR THE REST OF YOU'R NATURAL LIFE!!! FRIGGING DEM'S~MADE THAT STATE LITTLE USSR!!!

[eddief]

It looks like the Dems get the Senate too barring a miracle for Allen in Va. Sweet!

Finally some checks and balances on Bush.

Read em and weep Repubs. The American people didn't fall for Rove's scare tactics. This was a referendum on Bush and Rummy's FAILURE in Iraq.