Carl Hulse of the NY Times recommends paying attention to the North Carolina and New Hampshire results. The North Carolina polls close at 6:30 p.m. our time, and New Hampshire’s close a half-hour later.
“If Senator Kay Hagan loses in North Carolina, the Democrats’ firewall against a Republican majority will be crumbling,” writes Hulse, “and if New Hampshire goes in Scott P. Brown’s favor, then it is probably all over and Republicans are likely to be in for a very good night.”
Republicans need a net gain of six seats to rule the Senate, taking these two Democratic seats would be a good omen for them.
What if those states return Democrats to Washington, Hulse says follow the races in Colorado and Kansas (polls closing at 8 p.m. Central time) and Iowa (9 p.m.). He says, “A Republican victory in all three probably means minority status for Democrats and a celebration for Republicans.”