Correction: Jubilant Patty Murray Ahead with Slight Lead Tonite!

Correction: We mis-stated the lead that Patty Murray held last night. 

(Sorry, it was very late when we got home!)  She is now leading by 14,000 votes.

There will be an update today at 4:30. King County Ballot Drop Box locations and voting stations reported huge lines at 7:30 last night. 

We received a report from someone in line to vote last night at Union Station of over 200 people standing in line to vote at 7:30! Other locations were also reporting lines and over stuffed ballot drop boxes.  

So we will try to get you an update after 4:30 this evening.  

Patty Murray was introduced to the crowd by a young supporter

Senator Patty Murray Celebrates with Excited Supporters
and is joined on stage by Senator Cantwell, and Governor Gregoire

At tonite's victory party, Senator Murray was greeted by cheering supporters, chanting "Patty, Patty!"

She was introduced by Governor Gregoire, Senator Cantwell, and a young 11yr old boy, Marcellus Owens, who'd lost his mother due to lack of health care, and went to Washington DC to meet the president.

Senator Murray thanked everyone, and talked about the many ordinary people, whose stories became the themes of her campaign, such as Marcellus Owens'.

Washington State became the firewall against tonite's rout in an election that saw the House taken back by Republicans, but the Senate stayed in Democrats' control.  The Republicans won a net 6 seats, but the Democrats held control of the Senate with  Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada winning against Sharon Angle.

Senator Murray is leading Dino Rossi by approximately (correction above) 62% (in King County) and a much smaller percentage statewide. King County voters had a huge turnout, with many lining up for hours at polling places, drop boxes, and post offices. Some Ballot Drop Boxes were stuffed to over-flowing and voters were told to go to the post office.

This election was hard fought by both parties, with millions spent and a barrage of TV and print ads.