ABC

Across the country, Senate incumbents, especially Democrats, were fighting for their political lives today, hoping to withstand Tea Party momentum and an election that has morphed into a referendum on Washington.

Democrats are in particular peril in Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Arkansas and Illinois, all blue states where Republican contenders have gained an edge.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln First Democratic Incumbent Projected to be Defeated

Sen. Blanche Lincoln has become the first Democratic incumbent casualty of the night, with Republican Rep. John Boozman projected by ABC News to defeat a senator who has occupied that seat for more than a decade.

The Tea Party scored major victories in an election dominated by U.S. economic woes. Republican Marco Rubio is projected to win the Florida Senate race by a wide margin and GOP candidate Rand Paul will win the Kentucky Senate race, according to ABC News exit-poll projections.

One of the most high-profile races of the day, however, appears to be less favorable for the Tea Party. GOP Delaware candidate Christine O' Donnell, who received the most news coverage of the 2010 candidates, will lose to Democrat Chris Coons, ABC News projections show.

Democrats are also expected to be victorious in Connecticut, with Richard Blumenthal expected to defeat World Wrestling Entertainment's Linda McMahon.

But most early results showed the Tea Party gaining a strong upper hand. In Indiana, according to ABC News projections, Dan Coats will defeat Democrat Rep. Brad Ellsworth and incumbent Sen. Jim DeMint will win another term in South Carolina.

Preliminary polls show that economic discontent was a major factor in Americans' decision to go to the polls. Concern about the economy propelled Republican Rob Portman, the Senate candidate in Ohio. The Bush administration official will win the race, according to ABC News projections.

Republicans also nabbed a victory in New Hampshire, where Sarah Palin-backed Kelly Ayote will win the race, according to ABC News projections.

Preliminary exit polls show strong discontent against President Obama in red states and even a surprising number in his home state of Illinois, where 48 percent disapprove of the president's performance, compared with 51 percent who approve of him. Voters have been hard hit by the economy, with four in 10 saying someone in their household has lost a job or been laid off in the past two years, higher than the three in 10 nationally who say the same.

In Kentucky, Paul is projected to be victorious even though 52 percent of voters said his views were too extreme. The libertarian-leaning ophthalmologist, won on the back of strong anti-President Obama sentiment in the state. By a 23-point margin, voters there said they were casting their ballots in opposition to Obama, with 62 percent disapproving of Obama's job performance overall, according to ABC News exit polls.

The sentiment was similar in West Virginia, which has voted Republican in the last three presidential elections. Seven in 10 disapprove of Obama's job performance, with approval at 30 percent. Nearly half of West Virginia voters said their vote was to express opposition to Obama, while far fewer -- 14 percent -- said they voted to express support for the president.

Across the country, Senate incumbents, especially Democrats, were fighting for their political lives today, hoping to withstand Tea Party momentum and an election that has morphed into a referendum on Washington.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10401047
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tea-party-good-11677957

Democrats are in particular peril in Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Arkansas and Illinois, all blue states where Republican contenders have gained an edge.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vote-201 ... d=12027507
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/gma645- ... a-12030418

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vote-201 ... d=12003528