When the lights went out

Voters hand Democrats control of Congress in a GOP power failure that ends 12 years of dominance. “We should humbly accept defeat” and “learn the right lessons,” says one GOP House leader | Jamie Dean

One hour before polls closed in Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) received a ninth-hour plug from a Democrat. Urban Family Council founder Bill Devlin sent an e-mail plea to Santorum supporters: "Polls close here in PA in an hour . . . let us be diligent in continuing our 24-hour prayer and fasting efforts; and diligent in getting the vote out for Rick Santorum thru calls and e-mails . . ."

Less than three hours later, CNN called the Pennsylvania race: Santorum, a two-term incumbent and the No. 3 Senate Republican, lost to Democratic opponent Bob Casey by 18 percentage points. Casey, the moderate son of a former Pennsylvania governor, is the first state Democrat elected to a full term in the Senate since 1962.