Plains: Kansas

50-state roundup

In a major upset in the heart of red America, Democrat Nancy Boyda unseated five-term Rep. Jim Ryun. Boyda was trounced by Ryun in 2004, but this year her party poured late money into a tight race for the 2nd District.

Popular Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) eased to a second term against state Sen. Jim Barnett.

A decade of ideological infighting among Kansas Republicans paved the way for defections by moderates, including Mark Parkinson, the former chairman of the state GOP who switched parties and ran with Sebelius to become her lieutenant governor.

Another defector, Paul Morrison, a career prosecutor and former Republican who became a Democrat last year, defeated Republican Phill Kline in a bitter race for attorney general.

Nebraska

Gov. David Heineman (R), whose real win came in the May primary when he beat former University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, easily won against businessman David Hahn. Sen. Ben Nelson (D) prevailed over entrepreneur Pete Ricketts, who spent about $12 million of his fortune on the campaign, making it the most expensive in Nebraska history.

State Sen. Adrian Smith (R) fended off Yale-educated ranch hand Scott Kleeb, who gave Democrats a rare shot at taking the House seat Osborne vacated to make his gubernatorial run.

North Dakota

With no real challengers, the Democrats kept their hold on key offices.

Sen. Kent Conrad, a ranking member of the Budget Committee who campaigned on a change of course in Iraq, cruised to reelection over farmer Dwight Grotberg.

House District 1 went to longtime Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D) over Matt Mechtel.

South Dakota

Handing a setback to social conservatives in one of the most heated ballot measures in the country, voters rejected a law that would ban most abortions.

The measure was passed overwhelmingly by the legislature earlier this year, making it the nation's toughest by allowing the procedure only to save a woman's life.

After a bruising $4 million campaign battle, South Dakotans voted down the law 55 to 45.

Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who backed the new law banning abortion, prevailed with minimal opposition from former state representative Jack Billion.

South Dakota

Handing a setback to social conservatives in one of the most heated ballot measures in the country, voters rejected a law that would ban most abortions.

The measure was passed overwhelmingly by the legislature earlier this year, making it the nation's toughest by allowing the procedure only to save a woman's life.

After a bruising $4 million campaign battle, South Dakotans voted down the law 55 to 45.

Gov. Mike Rounds (R), who backed the new law banning abortion, prevailed with minimal opposition from former state representative Jack Billion.