In televised debates, negative attack ads and public appearances, Romney raised the specter of a Democratic monopoly on Beacon Hill. Democrats control more than four out of five seats in the legislature.

As the race grew closer in its final days, O’Brien was distracted by the strong third-party campaign mounted by Green Party candidate Jill E. Stein ’72-’73. But in the final vote tally, Stein performed well below predicted results—winning just 3 percent of the vote.

When he takes over from Acting Gov. Jane M. Swift (R) early next year, Romney will face a weakened state economy and a severe budget crisis, as well as rising housing costs and a struggling education system.

In his victory speech last night, he acknowledged the challenges he will confront in the next four years and asked for public support.

“I have told you that we face difficult times,” he said. “I am convinced that the only way we can solve our problems is to put aside the things that separate us.”

GOP Reclaims Senate

Defending 20 of the 34 seats up for re-election, Republicans fought an uphill battle to regain control of the Senate yesterday.

The GOP victory also defied recent trends, as the President’s party has not gained Senate seats in a midterm election since 1982.

The Democrats scored only one major Senate victory yesterday, when Arkansas voters unseated Republican incumbent Sen. Tim Hutchinson in favor of Democratic challenger Mark Pryor, the son of former Institute of Politics Director David H. Pryor.

As of early this morning, U.S. Rep. John Thune (R) led incumbent Sen. Tim Johnson (D) in a South Dakota race that was the scene of a political battle between President Bush—who recruited Thune to run for the post—and Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.), who campaigned heavily for his colleague.

Republican Norm Coleman also held a narrow lead over former Vice President Walter Mondale in the Minnesota Senate race. Mondale was added to the Democratic ticket only a week ago, after incumbent Sen. Paul Wellstone (D) died in a plane crash.

Missouri’s Senate seat was won by Republican Jim Talent, who defeated incumbent Sen. Jean Carnahan (D) in a race that was too close to call going into the election.

Carnahan was appointed interim senator after her husband, then Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, won his 2000 Senate race against John Ashcroft three weeks after dying in a plane crash.

Republicans also successfully defended Senate seats in several close races.

U.S. Rep. John E. Sununu defeated Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) in the New Hampshire race.