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Call it history, momentum or karmic retribution.
For the first time since 1964, a Democratic presidential candidate captured more than 50 percent of Nevada's votes as a tidal wave of blue swept over the state on Tuesday, carrying Democrats to Congress, the statehouse and the Clark County Commission.
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama carried the Silver State by more than 120,000 ballots, taking 55 percent of the vote to Republican John McCain's 43 percent (Bill Clinton took Nevada in 1992 and 1996, but didn't win a majority).
Caught in Obama's wake was three-term Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., who his lost seat in the 3rd Congressional District to his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Dina Titus.
Democrats also seized control of the state Senate for the first time since 1991 as two Clark County Republican incumbents, Bob Beers and Joe Heck, succumbed to first-time candidates.
The Clark County Commission is now completely blue, after Democrats took two open seats formerly held by Republicans.
FINAL PUSH
LAST STOP NEVADA
The final days leading up to the historic election proved just how important the candidates considered Nevada.
On Nov. 1, Obama made Henderson his 20th campaign stop in the Silver State. And on Monday, McCain and running mate Sarah Palin held their final pre-Election Day events at opposite ends of Nevada.
In the end, Nevada's five electoral votes couldn't help McCain, and Obama didn't need them. McCain conceded before the state was called.
TURNOUT
HEAVY AND HISTORIC
Election officials predicted record turnout in 2008, and they got it. When all was said and done, 80 percent of the state's active registered voters, some 967,317 Nevadans, had voted.
The election also saw record use of the state's popular early voting program, as 58 percent of those who voted did so early. Just one-third of all votes came on Election Day statewide.
R-J COLLECTIBLE
WIN SPARKS RACK RUN
People searching for a souvenir from Barack Obama's historic election victory cleaned out newspaper racks across the country, including in Las Vegas.
After selling out almost everywhere, the Review-Journal printed a special commemorative edition of Wednesday's newspaper and promptly sold all 10,000 copies of that.
Week In ReviewMore Information
@ reviewjournal.com BLOGS JOHN L. SMITH: Some Beers, one Heck of a hangover. Vegas Voice: Clint Holmes as running mate. The ONLINE GUY — Tidbits: History on newsprint, Net. MULTIMEDIA OBAMA IN NEVADA OBAMA TIMELINE AND MONTAGE ELECTION DAY CELEBRATION BY THE NUMBERS 29 Campaign stops in Nevada by Barack Obama (20) and John McCain (9) in the run-up to the Jan. 19 caucuses and Tuesday's election. 8 p.m. Pacific Time Tuesday, the polls close on the West Coast and the major networks begin calling the election for Obama. 8:18 p.m. Pacific Time Tuesday, McCain concedes the election with a speech in Phoenix. 8:40 p.m. Pacific Time Tuesday, news organizations begin calling Nevada for Obama. People in Alaska still have 20 minutes left to cast their ballots. 10 Days candidates have left to take down their campaign signs, except in Henderson, where the deadline is today.
