Bluestem's races to watch: bellwethers, heartbreakers and business as usual

Friends have been asking: who do you think wll win tomorrow? Usually, we make a Scooby-Doo noise and shrug noises about being a poor county blogger.

But we've been pressed--so here goes.

Amendments

Both fail,  though it's a long night.

President

Obama will comfortably win the State of Minnesota.

United State Senate

Klobuchar

Congress:

Nolan squeaks in the Eighth, all other incumbents hold. Blame Golnik. Reward group or factor of your choice.

Walz takes the First with 56-57 percent of the vote; Peterson wins by 55-56 percent. Both opponents depart from politics, but hang around fringes of religious right.

The rest are holds, with Graves coming closest.

Minnesota Senate

Bellwethers: Look to these. If the Democrat wins in these seats, the DFL will be having a great night. If none, not so great.

SD4 Kent Eken--Phil Hansen
SD17 Lyle Koenen--Joe Gimse
SD22 Alan Oberloh--Bill Weber
SD24 Vicki Jensen--Vern Swedin
SD26 Judy Ohly--Dave Senjem

DFL pickups/resdistrict holds:

Tom Saxhaug takes SD5; Kevin Dahle takes SD20; John Hoffman in SD36; Melisa Franzen takes SD49; Jim Carlson in SD51; Greg Clausen in SD57

Minnesota House

Bellwethers: Look to these. If the Democrat wins in these seats, the DFL will be having a great night. If none, not so great.

HD1B Marc DeMers--Debra Kiel
HD2A Roger Erickson--David Hancock
HD5A John Persell--Larry Howes
HD12A Jay McNamar--Scott Dutcher
HD14B Zachary Dorholt--King Banaian

DFL pickups/redistricting hold:

Brita Sailer in HD2B; Tom Anzelc in HD5B; Tim Faust in 11B; David Bly in 20B; Jerry Newton in HD37A; Barb Yarusso in HD42A; Ron Erhardt in 49A; Laurie Halverson in 51B

A bad DFL night: Liebling and Norton lose in Rochester, Andrew Falk in Western Minnesota, Patti Fritz in Faribault/Owatonna. Not likely. The Kath seat in 24A will go to the GOP, most likely. If not: another sign it's a good DFL year.

This isn't really Bluestem's cup of coffee, but there you have it.

Off to the Western border...

Photo: Tea leaves. We're coffee drinkers (above) SD 22 DFLer Alan Oberloh. Because the lege so needs a full man beard (below).