I spent most of the day in Montpelier at the polls, and there were Sorrell supporters there all day, right to when we closed the polls. There was definitely a lot of enthusiasm there (even conceding that they are lawyers who work for Sorrell).

What is interesting, though, is that Ed Stanak finished pretty weakly. I know a number of people who supported TJ who were not willing to vote for Sorrell. If this had been a significant fraction we would have seen a stronger result for Stanak.

The result, with the strong showing for Sorrell and the weak showing for Stanak, shows that the party unity effort that TJ Donovan and the State Democratic Party mounted was effective to come out of a hotly, some would say bitterly, contested primary.

This is a very good prognostic indicator for TJ’s future.

Doug Hoffer is indeed our next Auditor. What a change from Tom Salmon!

On the statewide ticket, this puts a bow on a near-sweep for the Dems: Governor Shumlin, AG Bill Sorrell, Treasurer Beth Pearce, Auditor Doug Hoffer (!!!!!), and of course, Secretary of State Jim Condos.

Phil Scott is the only Republican to win statewide office.

A lot of stuff remains outstanding in the Legislature, but it appears certain that the Republicans will not gain much ground and may lose a bit.

Overall, a huge night for the Dems, and a really really bad night for the VTGOP and especially for Lenore Broughton, who spent somewhere close to a million bucks and got basically NOTHING to show for it.

Example: This isn’t entirely apples to apples, but Wendy Wilton is getting 40% of the vote with all those Broughton Bucks behind her. Randy Brock got 37%. So Broughton’s big investment, you could say, netted her 3% of the vote in the Treasurer’s race.  

UPDATE: Marriage equality wins in four states.

Confirmed win in Maine and Maryland, confirmed loss of proposition to ban it in Minnesota, and Washington looks like a clear win once all the votes are counted.

Post your ballot proposition observations here.

Right now it appears that marriage equality is winning in Maine and Maryland and the effort to ban same-sex marriage is losing in Minnesota. This will make it a very big year.

Also a good year for legalization of pot.

Liveblog part 3. I’m still at the Dem HQ in Burlington. Will report results in the comments below as I get them. Feel free to chime in, one and all!

New liveblog for all your election night thoughts and news. Starting in the comments below with the latest returns.

Well, the very instant the polls closed, with no votes officially counted, the News Gods have called Vermont for Barack Obama, and declared Peter Shumlin, Peter Welch and Bernie Sanders re-elected.

Vermont’s the first state in Obama’s column… the first of many to come.

We’ll be live-blogging this joint. Feel Free to post thoughts, news, etc., in the comments below.  

A couple days ago we brought word of some clever deception out of Linda McMahon’s Republican bid for U.S. Senate in Connecticut: doorhangers promoting McMahon and Barack Obama. Without, of course, mentioning McMahon’s party affiliation.

Well, Election Day brought Phase 2.

The U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Linda McMahon outfitted its urban poll standers today in purple T-shirts styled after those worn by SEIU, the liberal union that is backing Democrat Chris Murphy.

“It clearly is a rip off of our shirts,” said Paul Filson, the political director of SEIU.

Judge for yourself… after the jump.

McMahon’s campaign manager, of course, is one Corry Bliss, last seen in these parts piloting Brian Dubie’s gubernatorial ship into an iceberg. And last heard in these parts issuing a court-ordered apology for libeling businessman David Blittersdorf during the 2010 campaign. His rationalization for the shirts:

There are thousands of Democrats across the state of Connecticut who are supporting President Obama that are also supporting Linda McMahon today. We want to make sure their voices are heard.

Uhhhh, yeah. Sure thing, Corry. I guess you can’t very well say “Obama’s gonna win this state by double digits, and if Linda has to depend on Mitt Romney’s coattails she’ll lose this thing by nightfall.”  

You are looking live at an empty ballroom.

Not really live; I’ve just always wanted to say that. This picture was taken around 6:00 p.m. at the Hilton in downtown Burlington, where the Democrats are gathering for their victory party tonight. The only action so far: Vermont’s Giants of Televisual Journalism doing live stand-ups for the 6:00 news. Stewart Ledbetter! Be still, my heart!

I’ll be live-blogging from here, and other GMDers will be passing on their news, reactions, and analysis throughout the evening. Keep it right here!

There is a gas leak at the auditorium, requiring the site to be closed. Voting materials have been moved to the Old Labor Hall.