New Hampshire Governor Steve Merril, a Republican, won a second term yesterday while Republican Charlie Bass defeated incumbent Dick Swett for the region's Congressional seat.
The local races echoed national results of a Republican turnover.
In the hotly contested battle for Congressional District Two's House Seat, Charlie Bass was the predicted winner as of press time early this morning. The latest polls showed Bass squeeking past two-term incumbent Dick Swett.
With 83 percent of the precincts reporting, Bass had 66,933 votes -- 52 percent -- compared to Swett's 58,885 votes -- 46 percent, the Associated Press reported. Bass' win gives New Hampshire an all-Republican congressional delegation.
The campaign centered mostly around gun control, with the National Rifle Association contributing heavily to Bass' campaign. These contributions represented the NRA's third highest donation to a political candidate in this election.
Swett had aligned himself with President Bill Clinton by supporting his crime bill, specifically the gun control provisions.
National Republican figures, including Phil Grahm (R-Texas) and Robert Dole (R-Kan.), campaigned on Bass' behalf.
On campus, the Young Democrats campaigned heavily for Swett by distributing literature and conducting phone drives.
Bass' victory coincided with several other Republican victories in yesterday's races.
In the gubernatorial race, Republican incumbent, Steve Merril was favored to win handily over Democratic challenger Wayne King. With 68 percent of the precincts reporting, Merril garnered 69 percent of the vote and was enjoying an extensive lead over King's 26 percent, the AP reported.
In local news, Justin Heather '96 appears to have lost his bid for a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. As of press time, he said he had lost Hanover and was awaiting returns from Lyme.
Heather, a Republican, ran against five others for four seats in the 435 member House. His opponents included four incumbent Democrats and one Libertarian.
Democratic Vermont Governor Howard Dean was re-elected by a wide margin yesterday.
Voter backlash is attributed to yesterday's GOP win over the Democratic majority in both key House and Senate races
Candidate platforms this year have centered on time-worn issues like educational reform, taxes and crime. In a year of anti-incumbent sentiment, the Democratic majority is finding itself cornered by backlash from irate voters fed up with the current political system. Some political watchers have termed this election as "The Year of the Angry Voter."
Nationally, the Republicans have foiled Democratic attempts to gain control in Congress.
Key races included those in California, New York and Texas.
Republican gubernatorial candidates in California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Massachusetts triumphed against their Democratic counterparts.
According to the latest polls, Republican challenger George Pataki has unseated three-term New York Governor Mario Cuomo. Democrat Ann Richards of Texas was defeated by Republican newcomer, George W. Bush. In California, Pete Wilson defeated Democratic hopeful Kathleen Brown.
In a closely watch race, Democrat Chuck Robb defeated Ollie North in Virginia. "This was a nasty race for both candidates. It was a closely fought, closely watched race. It was the democrats' nightmare all over the country that Ollie North would be elected to the Senate," Government Professor Jim Shoch said over the Dartmouth Election Network organized by the school's radio station.
"If democrats can take any solice at all no matter how the rest of the evening turns out that it will be that North's challenge was turned back," he said last night.
In other Senate races, Edward Kennedy has outpaced Republican challenger Mitch Romney.