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Robert F. Bukaty / AP
Independent Angus King celebrates under a splash of champagne after winning the Senate seat vacated by Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Freeport, Maine.
Angus King, the motorcycle-riding former two-term governor of Maine who promised to shake up Washington, is the projected winner of the U.S. Senate seat in Maine, NBC News reported on Tuesday.
The seat, left vacant by the surprise retirement of three-term Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe, a moderate, is one of two captured by Independents. Vermont's Sen. Bernie Sanders, also has been projected as the winner in that state.
King has said he will not decide which party he will caucus with in the Senate until he after he’s elected. National Democrats, however, have said they are confident King will caucus with them.
King, a 68-year-old Harley-Davidson motorcycle rider, overcame an avalanche of negative television ads from out-of-state groups, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Total spending on the race exceeded $10 million, the newspaper reported. About $4 million of that came from outside groups attacking King, with $3 million coming from King backers, including national Democratic groups, according to the Press Herald.
National Democrats did not back their party’s nominee in Maine, state Sen. Cynthia Dill, a 47-year-old lawyer who some regarded as too partisan.
In his first television ad, King, standing in front of a house, said, "Hi, if you're looking for someone who can get things done and shake up Washington, you've come to the right place," the National Journal reported.
The Republican nominee was Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers, 52, who made two unsuccessful bids for the House of Representatives.
King served as governor from 1995 to 2003, and later started up a wind energy business.
More election coverage from NBCNews.com:
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- Majority of voters see American on wrong track
- What to watch for when the results roll in
- Republicans lose Maine seat, hampering bid for Senate control
- Early results don't dent Republicans' edge in House
- In 11 governor races, it's about jobs and taxes
- GOP leaders draw line on taxes ahead of results
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Leave a Comment:
So, GOP keeps its seat...so far, only one so far.
but..
Republican Scott Brown is losing to Dem Liz Warren
Republican Sen. nominee Richard Mourdock is losing big.
Toddler Akin will lose
GOP Sen. Nominee Linda Mchamon has lost in her second Sen. Bid, this time replacing retiring Lieberman
Angus is NOT a republican. He ran as an Independent but Governed Maine (my home state) more as a Democrat.
Angus is a man after my own heart. The 2/3 majority requirement in the senate isn't a very sexy issue but nothing could break the gridlock like reducing or getting rid of this thing. He has pledged to target that, so I don't care who he caucuses with as long as he keeps his word on that.
Threat of filibuster shouold no longer be enough. If the Republicans want to use it, make them stand up and talk, until they can't stand or talk any more, wear them out. The first thing to change should be the filibuster itself, there's no reference to it in the constitution.
I'm a democrat and want the filibuster to remain. God forbid we get a majority GOP in the Senate. Then it will be needed.
He's going to shake up nothing, unless his goal is simply to be a PITA. Even if he caucuses with the Dems he will be tolerated as someone who might not be able to counted on on the tough issues and votes.
Tommy Thompson will probably win in WI, a net gain for the Republicans.
The writing is on the wall.......DEMOCRATIC all the way.
Sounds like Mr. Enslee who is running for Washington State Governor.....he "invested" in Green Energy jobs then voted for the Stimulus which handed out taxpayer money to Green Energy companies which FAILED.
Mr. King does not sound like a "Mr. Smith".
Looks like Baldwin has won, thank god. Looks like you teabaggers have lost several seats in the Senate, since Claire McCaskill and Liz Warren won too. Overall a net gain in the senate of 3 for the good guys.
And King will make a great addition to the Dem caucus.
This has been a great night, especially given Obama's reelection!
ldo ...
on an election night to see this ...
Ages me quite a bit but what a model of a man. I loved that movie and watching him sweat and talk and speak the truth ... I so wish our Congress and Senate did the same... that they actually stood for what they were elected for.
People need to understand Maine first of all. It's the land of moderates, extremism isn't tolerated much by the population. Olympia Snow won her last election @70%, she was a moderate republican, basically pro-choice / environmental conservative with a focus on small business and economic responsibility. She was also one of the lead negotiators between the two parties, whenever a compromise had to be worked you tended to see her and Sue Collins in the middle of it. She retired because she could no longer stand the incessant bickering.
So now we've got one moderate republican and one independent for Senators and two moderate democrat representatives. The current Governor is rather loud mouthed but he's pretty decent on fiscal matters. yeah that tea party BS doesn't go very far up here.
Personally I see Angus King taking over Olympia Snow's previous position as being a negotiator and compromise person.
theotherguy1234
Just how has our T'Bagger Gubnor Paul LiarPage Governed "decently", oh I guess you mean by hiring his daughter and another family member to State jobs, failing to file his taxes properly, claiming a tax exemption in Florida while claiming to reside in Maine, and dissing every group he could except his T'Bag supporters, the Koch Brothers, AFP, and MHPC. But to be fair in true Republican fashion he high tailed it to Canada to avoid the draft in the late 60's.
I'm inclined to agree with @theotherguy1234, with King working to bridge the differences and work to craft compromises between the Ds & Rs.
I also suspect that he'll caucus with the Democrats, somewhat analogous to a Blue Dog. With Collins as a Moderate Republican, and King seeming to be more Democrat than Republican, the two Senators from Maine, with a little time to adapt, may become more effective than Snowe & Collins were.
The other guy...I am in complete agreement, right up until you included Cheryl Pingree as a "Moderate".... Seriously??? Other than that...Great post! ;)
BUT, you need to reference "true" Mainers (ie Native born) as the hoards of carpetbaggers in the Portland area (where I live) is horrible. They are as ridiculously partisan and are bound and determined to change this state into the very place they left...They are destroying this great state piece by piece...Hopefully they will either go away or get put in their place....
And H8TPARTY... "LiarPage"???? Just makes YOU just look foolish and are probably part of the group i mentioned above....
I was born and raised in Maine I am willing to bet I know more about the true Maine than you do. LiarPage is a one term Governor only because there is no mechanism to remove him, or he would be gone now. So we will let the electorate do it in 2 years,
@Naitive,
I was raised up in Fort Kent around all the frenglish speakers. The general feel I got from the area and from most Mainers is the "leave us the f*ck alone and go away already". Most closet libertarian place I've ever known.
For my comments towards the governor, it's important to realize that each political position has it's unique required talents. Having a conservative as the executive branch isn't a bad thing, provided the legislative is sufficiently liberal to put ensure limits are in place. Now I don't personally like the guy, he piss's me off, buy compared to what some of the other states have isn't not that bad. More bark then bite.
King being an Independent is quite an interesting twist in the overall picture for this election and the race to have control of the Sen. I don't know if he'll actually be able to "shake things up in Washington" but we'll just have to wait and see how he does. Lots of people make that claim, only to find out differently when they get to D.C.
Supposedly he ran on a platform of getting rid of the filibuster. If he can get that to happen, he will become the most beloved Senator in the nation.
good bye mitt here from ohio congrats to president obama
love the stache!
Shake up Washington? Seems to me I've heard that before. Several times. Ain't gonna happen.
I like King's idea of reforming filibuster rules. The last two years of the Tea Party nightmare have thrown in sharp relief how easy it is to abuse the motion. Senators need to get behind King in this right now, tonight or at the very latest tomorrow.
oooh, what kinda Harley?
Hope he wears a helmet.
Shake up Washinton? I don't see it THe only way to shake it up would be to blow it up.
I always chuckle when newly elected officials claim they're going to change Washington. They don't realize they are on the very bottom of the totem pole.