By AP
Kentucky – From the Associated Press:
6:11 pm
Anti-tax crusader Rand Paul's election victory gives the tea party a flag-bearer to send to the Senate and hope that more like-minded Washington outsiders would be elected to Congress. The first-time candidate and champion of small government upended the Kentucky Senate race by trouncing the Republican establishment's hand-picked candidate in the May primary and winning decisively against Democratic state Attorney General Jack Conway on Tuesday.
Candidates with tea party support were on the ballot in more than 70 House races, seven for Senate and three for governor. Paul, an ophthalmologist and son of libertarian hero Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, was elected to a seat held by a Republican, retiring Sen. Jim Bunning.
6:08 pm
Kentucky Republican Rand Paul has been elected to the U.S. Senate, riding tea party support and strong criticism of President Barack Obama to victory. An Associated Press analysis of exit poll data showed that Paul defeated Democrat Jack Conway on Tuesday night.
Paul attacked federal budget deficits, the economic stimulus and health care overhaul. Conway tried to portray Paul as extreme and out of touch. The race turned personal with ads over religion and a scuffle where a liberal activist was stepped on by a Paul supporter. It's Paul's first run for office, but he has a political pedigree: His father is Ron Paul, the Texas congressman and former presidential candidate cheered on by libertarians and others who embrace the tea party movement.