Concord, NH - Greenland, NH: Guinta and Shea-Porter
1:11 AM
The A.P. has called CD 1 for Carol Shea-Porter.
12:20
With the other major races having been decided definitively for Democrats, the outcome of Congressional District 1 is still undecided. While supporters at Carol Shea-Porter's headquarters continue to celebrate, the Guinta camp has called it a night.
Concord, NH - Kuster HQ
11:50
As Annie Kuster makes her way around the room, speaking with reporters and supporters, other happy Democrats file out of The Capital Center for the Arts, satisfied with large democratic gains locally and nationally.
Greenland, NH - Shea-Porter HQ
11:45
Mood at Carol Shea-Porter's camp is celebratory despite very tight race between her and incumbent Frank Guinta. Someone just jumped on mic giving a shout-out to Obama followed by Al Green's "I'm So In Love With You" now pumping through the room. The crowd is dancing and singing along.
The mood feels, frankly, more like a wedding reception than a campaign waiting for results.
Watch supporters make up their own lyrics to "Get Down Tonight" at Shea-Porter headquarters:
Concord, NH - Guinta HQ
11:35
Congressman Frank Guinta spoke to the crowd assembled at his camp. Acknowledging the tight race, he said he is looking forward to tomorrow "to find out who wins."
Concord, NH - Bass and Kuster HQ's
11:29
Annie Kuster and Charlie Bass are speaking simultaneously, Kuster is making a victory speech, Bass a concession.
Manchester, NH - Concord, NH
11:20
Campaign headquarters are getting news that several outlets, including ABC, CBS, Fox, and CNN have called the Presidential race for President Barack Obama.
Manchester, NH - Hassan HQ
11:06
Maggie Hassan, the Governor-elect of New Hampshire, is delivering her victory speech to a thrilled crowd.
"I want to thank Ovide Lamontagne for his commitment to public service and his campaign." She adds that victory is a "chance to move beyond the partisan divide."
As governor, she says, she will always be willing to work with people "willing to roll up their sleeves."
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
10:54
“Here come taxes!” Announced June Marshall, as she left Lamontagne’s headquarters after he conceded the Governor’s race. “I’m feeling sadness,” she said, “for all Ovide has done, and the slander Maggie Hassan has sent him. We could have gotten jobs with Ovide, but we’ll have taxes with Maggie.”
Manchester, NH - Hassan HQ
10:38
Crowd cheers when Lamontagne comes on the television screen, starts chanting "Maggie," then goes quiet to listen. "Guess it's not going to be our night," Lomontagne says. Crowd cheers, then slips in to a smattering of boos as Lamontagne criticizes Hassan campaign for running a negative campaign. "We're better than that," he says.
As Ovide signs off, "God Bless New Hampshire," people in the crowd start waving, saying "Bye!"
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
10:37
Ovide Lamontagne concedes to Democrat Maggie Hassan, who has won the race for Governor of New Hampshire. This is the fourth election Lamontagne has lost in New Hampshire; he has twice run for Governor and once each for Senate and the House of Representatives.
Concord, NH - Bass HQ
10:31
Scott Tranchemontagne and a supporter look grim as more returns come in. Kuster was leading Bass by about 10,000 votes with 25% of precincts reporting at 9:50 PM. The victory room is noticeably quieter than earlier in the evening.
Manchester, NH - Guinta HQ
10:25
Former GOP Gubernatorial candidate Kevin Smith voices his hope for a Frank Guinta win from the podium at Murphy's Tap Room in Manchester.
Video by Zach Nugent for NHPR.
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
10:21
Three adamant supporters of Ovide Lamontagne are sitting on the edge of the stage looking dejected, as news of Hassan’s win scrolls across a nearby television. Sharon Carleton says “I just can’t understand people in New Hampshire at this point.” Her husband Norman Carleton agreed, saying New Hampshire’s values have changed. Seated next to them, Chris Buck says he’s experiencing “extreme disappointment, and trepidation about the future of this country.” He says the strategy used in both the Warren/Brown race in MA and Hassan/Lamontagne race in NH of characterizing Republican candidates as “about legislating womens’ rights rather than business growth,” is responsible for his candidates’ poor performance in the state this election.
Despite the disappointment and dejected appearance of some supporters here, Ovide Lamontagne has not yet acknowledged a Hassan win.
Concord, NH - Bass HQ
10:07
Bass camp has bursts of quiet chatter in between long gaps of silence. NHPR photographer Shannon Dooling is traveling between this camp and Kuster's camp and says the difference is like night and day.
Concord, NH - Kuster HQ
10:00
The crowd has swelled at Governor's Hall at the Capital Center for the Arts. Frank Vinciguerra of Concord Heights is doing what many of the reporters here are doing - trying to find out when Annie Kuster is expected to arrive. He says it's very important to him that she win the district, and very important to him that the President gets another four years in office.
Concord, NH
9:50
NPR calls New Hampshire for President Obama.
Greenland, NH - Shea Porter HQ
The mood is bright at the camp of CD 2 candidate Carol Shea porter. She arrived at the party far earlier than expected, with the race far from decided.
Manchester - Hassan HQ
9:36
From Hassan victory party, huge cheer, comes with ABC update that Obama has more than 53 percent of the votes in Ohio, to about 48 percent for Romney.
Per AP Vote Count, right now both Question 1 & 2 are lagging far behind the necessary two-thirds needed to pass. With 16 percent of precincts in, Q 1 has 53.5 percent, Q 2, 54.6 percent. And 65 percent of voters don't want a Constitutional Convention.
Manchester/Concord - Hassan and Kuster HQ's
9:25
News from ABC televison that Obama has won Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes elicits the biggest cheer of the night from Hassan and Kuster supporters.
Concord, NH - Bass HQ
9:19
"We The People," a political club from Milford High School, shows its support for Charlie Bass. They're easily the youngest supporters in the room, despite only having one member that can vote.
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
9:15
Although AP has called the Gubernatorial race for Hassan, there’s no acknowledgment of this at Lamontagne’s victory camp. There’s a huge turnout here, between 100 and 200 people, all looking optimistic despite the AP’s announcement. Lamontagne’s campaign officials have left the room.
Concord, NH - Kuster HQ
9:09
The crowd is getting louder and more excited as results start to come in from towns around the state. There was a loud cheer when the race was called for Democratic candidate Maggie Hassan in the Governor's race.
Video by Taylor Quimby for NHPR
9:04
Manchester, NH - Maggie Hassan HQ
More cheers from Hassan crowd as ABC projects Obama will win Michigan and New York.
8:59
Big cheer from the crowd here as WMUR announces that the Associated Press has called the 2012 New Hampshire governor's race for Maggie Hassan. But they don't seem overly surprised by the news - as soon as the station cut to a commercial, everyone went back to the eating and drinking they've been enjoying for the past 90 minutes.
8:57
The AP has called the New Hampshire Governor's race for Maggie Hassan.
Reports from various Democratic camps that crowds are cheering as news breaks for Hassan's win.
Manchester, NH - Hassan HQ
8:56
Maggie Hassan has vowed to veto right-to-work legislation if elected, so it's not a surprise that among her supporters here tonight are many union members. They provided the Democrat with significant financial suppport during the general election. In the final three weeks, two unions, AFSCME and SEIU funded more than $1.2 milllion in television advertising. She also received donations from the National Education Association. The New Hampshire legislature failed to pass a right to work bill in 2011 and 2012, but lawmakers are likely to try again in the next session. Hassan's challenger, Ovide Lamontagne, has said if elected he would sign such a bill, which would prohibit unions' from charging non-members dues for representation.
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
8:39
At the Lamontagne victory camp, Jack “The Clipper” and Linda “The Snipper,” (last name Acorace) -- who own and operate a barber shop in Belmont -- say they spent the day holding Lamontagne and Romney signs at their local polling place. The Acoraces are Independents who call themselves “committed” supporters of both Lamontagne and Romney, despite the fact that they both voted for President Obama four years ago. “We’ve been very disappointed in President Obama. He’s put us deep into debt, and everything that he plans costs more money,” Linda says. “We’ve been hoping and praying he doesn’t get in again.” Linda’s husband Jack agrees, saying the next president will be making important appointments, and “I don’t want two more liberals in the Supreme Court.”
Concord, NH - Bass HQ
8:33
CD 1 Congressman Charlie Bass is locked in a race that's looking especially tight as results come in from New Hampshire towns. Scott Tranchemontagne, Bass campaign spokesperson, pores over a wall of early returns at the camp.
Greenland, NH - Shea-Porter HQ
A crowd of Carol Shea-Porter supporters were ushered to the front of the room for a display of support during a segment for WMUR. It didn't take much to get folks to cheer Shea-Porter's name.
Carol Shea-Porter supporters cheer as a shot goes live for WMUR TV.
Video by Ross Boyd for NHPR
Concord, NH - Kuster HQ
8:22
Eric Allen of Concord considers himself an Independant, but leans Democratic. He's one of a couple dozen supporters here at Annie Kuster's election night headquarters who are feeling hopeful about Kuster's chances. However, they know it was a close race two years ago when Kuster lost the district to Charlie Bass - and it may be close again tonight.
Manchester, NH - Guinta HQ
8:19
As things get going at Congressman Frank Guinta's camp in Manchester, NHPR's Sam Evans-Brown interviews Frank Anderson, who says he's a Democrat who wandered into the party by mistake.
Manchester, NH - Hassan HQ
8:17
About three dozen Hassan supporters on the scene now. Many of them are milling around the small bar, where there were a couple small cheers as NBC projects Obama wins in Maine and Maryland.
8:09
About three dozen Hassan supporters on the scene now. Many of them are milling around the small bar, where there were a couple small cheers as NBC projects Obama wins in Maine and Maryland.
Manchester, NH - Lamontagne HQ
8:05
A steady stream of supporters are arriving at Ovide Lamontagne’s victory camp here in Manchester. About 100 people are standing around neon-lit cocktail tables and seated at large balloon-bedecked dinner tables.
High school students from a Government class at Fellowship Christian Academy in Methuen, MA will be observing Ovide Lamontagne’s victory camp tonight. Earlier this season, they held a mock election for favorite candy: Skittles, M&Ms or Bottlecaps. Skittles, they say, won both the popular and the electoral college.
Concord, NH:
8:00
"The party starts at 8," said a Kuster campaign staffer.
The first few supports have arrived at Kuster headquarters in Concord. They're grabbing drinks, getting comfortable, and settling in to quietly watch election coverage on the two TVs stationed to either side of the podium. More supporters are likely to be arriving soon.
Greenland, NH:
7:52
Carol Shea-Porter supporters will be well fed as results come in. Volunteers and staff are beginning to arrive as New Hampshire residents wait for the late polls to close.
Manchester, NH:
7:48
Maggie Hassan's campaign for Governor is being closely watched by a state that's become accustomed to the leadership of moderate Democrat John Lynch. As polls are getting ready to close in the state, people are starting to filter in to the Hassan campaign at the Puritan Conference Center. About a half dozen supporters are snacking on the buffet, watching the early presidential returns on the big screen behind the podium.
Concord, NH:
7:36
Congressman Charlie Bass is running against Democrat Annie Kuster to maintain hold of his District 1 seat. Tonight, the Bass camp is occupying a small room in the hotel section of the Grappone Center in Concord. At this point, most of the people in the room are press and campaign staffers.
Manchester, NH:
7:24
Republican incumbent Frank Guinta is locked in a tight racewith former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter for New Hampshire's Congressional District 1 seat. Field producer Zach Nugent reports that his election night camp is quiet, except for loud music and the sound of inflating balloons.
Concord, NH:
It's still very quiet here at Annie Kuster's election night headquarters in in Governor's Hall in the Capital Center for the Arts. While senior staff crunches numbers somewhere out of sight, some young staffers are hanging signs, decorating tables, and putting out food. One staffer, Molly, says she's "tired, but excited". Members of the media are milling about, waiting for the action to begin.
Greenland, NH: Carol Shea-Porter has been locked in a tight race with Congressman Frank Guinta to reclaim her CD1 seat. Tonight, her campaign has set up camp on New Hampshire's seacoast to await results.
Concord, NH: Congressional District 2 candidate Ann McLane Kuster has set up camp for election night at the Capital Center for the Arts in Concord.
Concord is just a few miles from Kuster's hometown of Hopkinton.
Concord, NH: Today was a cold, clear day in New Hampshire, but the temperature didn't keep voters from lining up at the polls. NHPR interns Ali Kuzmickas and Bill Barry captured the voices of young and old alike as they waited in line to vote....or waited for their parents to fill out a ballot.
Stayed tuned to nhpr.org for real-time live blogging from the NH gubernatorial and congressional camps.
Today, the NHPR news staff, producers, bloggers, and hosts made a final plan for election coverage this evening. Stay tuned to NHPR for complete coverage of all the races this evening, from town-by-town results to national races.
