Congressional Election Map: Roundup of Key Races, Including Tim Kaine, Mia Love, and Connie Mack

Election Day has now arrived, and many pundits in print, on television, on radio, and on-line are predicting we will be in for a long night. Or maybe not.  No one seems to be able to say with any certainty how long it will be before we know the outcome of Tuesday’s U.S. Presidential election. As I’ve been asked to be a guest for Canada’s CTV National News while we wait for, and break down, the in-coming results, I’ll have to have my eye on that many exciting races across the country other than the presidential one. And I have a few favourites. 

Like many people, I will be closely watching a few Senate races, but not necessarily for obvious reasons. My favourite race is the “Battle of the ex-Governors” in Virginia for an open Senate seat. George Allen is neck in neck with Tim Kaine and while everyone I heard from on the last round of Sunday talk shows before Tuesday’s election called the race for Kaine, I still think it is too close to call.  

I have also been watching Dan Bongino as he campaigns in Maryland for the Republicans against Democrat Senator Benjamin Cardin. There is an Independent in this race too, and Bongino has no chance of winning, but it is his former job that interests me: Bongino is a former Obama White House Secret Service Agent. He resigned last year to run for the Senate (yes, before the Secret Service scandal involving drinking and prostitutes). I’m also following Connie Mack’s race in Florida. Like Bongino, it is highly unlikely that he will win. But I am watching him because of his wife, Congresswoman Mary Bono-Mack.  Bono-Mack, who is also in a tight (and very expensive) race for re-election in California, is the former wife of the late Sonny Bono of Sonny & Cher fame. Yes, his wife lives in California and they are in a “bi-coastal marriage.” I had never heard of such a thing before (is it even legal?).  

That segues nicely into the Congressional races and with all 538 of them up for grabs, there are sure to be some fun ones.   

Due to redistricting, District 16 in Ohio is a race between incumbents from both parties.  Republican Congressman Jim Renacci is seeking a second term against Democrat Congresswoman Betty Sutton, who is seeking her fourth term. So much for the power of incumbency in this race!

Like most Republicans who watched the GOP Convention, I fell in love with Utah Congressional candidate, Mia Love. Love is vying for the State’s new Fourth District.  While early polling showed her to be very far behind, she has raised considerable funds due to her stellar performance at the Convention and is now poised to become the first African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican. 

Washington State’s Dave Reichert, Congressman for District 8, is another favourite. I campaigned for him back in 2006, so I’ve been loyal ever since. He is famous (in part) for his leadership work in capturing the famed “Green River Killer” when he was a Sheriff.  The case was even made into a made-for-tv movie and involved the hunt for an elusive serial killer who prayed on prostitutes along Washington’s Green River.    

There are more, of course, but those are some that are of interest to me and that I’ll be discussing on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning if it comes to that.