Lehman declares victory -- Democrats take the Senate

It looks like the night wasn't a total loss for the Democrats. In the recall rematch, John Lehman defeated former Senator Van Waaggard. This election was only the third recall rematch of the 36 state senate legislative elections in US history. The other two succeeds as well.

This is the fifth time in recall history that a recall upended control of a state legislative chamber. The other times were Michigan in 1983, California in 1995, California again in 1995 and Wisconsin in 1996. Two other times, a recall failed to reverse control (Washington in 1981 and last year in Wisconsin.

Lehman will now have the task of running in a heavily gerrymandered seat.