make sure you go to greta wire.c there is an open thread to talk about tonight's show and the elections. let us know what you thought about everything. now, stay tuned for fox news special, election coverage with bret baier. >> bill: bill o'reilly here, i'm normally on, but bret baier has duty tonight so he can bring you the election results from across the country. take it away, bret. >> bret: thanks, bill, our special 2011 election coverage starts right now. political heavy issues and the heart of what divides republicans and democrats. >> and ballots in seven states. igniting change across the country. governor seats up for grabs and republicans in several states make an aggressive push for total state wide control.

and these elections are about more than right here, right now. >> one... term president. >> bret: what happens tonight could change the playing field one year from now. good evening, i'm bret baier. welcome to our extensive election coverage from washington. we have team coverage tonight. and we're live with the administration's take on tonight's results. carl cameron is in des moines, iowa, and john roberts is in jackson, mississippi with big decisions voters made there tonight. and we begin live in columbus, ohio. voters in that swing state made plenty of news, good evening. >> good evening, to you, bret. there is no sugar coating this one. ohio voters rejected issue two, would have restricted collective bargaining rights of public sector workers would have required them to pay into

their own health benefits as private sector workers do. enthusiastic public sector union members watched the numbers coming in tonight. and a somber, humbled republican governor admitted defeat. >> it's clear that the people have spoken. and you know, my view is when people speak, in a campaign like this, and a referendum, have you to listen when you're a public servant. there isn't any question about that. >> we spoke to afl-cio president this evening before the final results are in. he's been following follows -- polls, and he said that this would be a game changer. >> this isn't going to be the end of the fight. frankly after today, it will be the beginning of the fight. we'll still have to fight against other attacks on workers and we'll interest to push back and join what

politicians that want to create jobs. i don't care what side of the aisle they come frchl if they want to create jobs to put ohio back to work. >> and republicans are not walking away from tonight's vote empty-handed by a large margin. they voted in favor of issue three, allowing voters to opt out of the individual mandate of the affordable care act, a victory for republicans in that sense. bret? >> bret: more on that tonight. thank you. people of mississippi voted on a measure that could cost a fight over abortion by declaring life begins at fert saigs among several other initiatives tonight. job vobts in jackson. good evening, john. >> good evening, it was a fight to the supreme court. under certain circumstances it appears it's going nowhere. nish 26 soundly defeated here in mississippi. i talked to the secretary of state today. he said he detected a friend that support was waning for

this initiative. in the end that is how it turned out. 59-41 against it. mississippi governor hailey barber says tens of thousands of pro life people voted against it because of quote unforeseen consequence autos colorado people put this on the ballot in mississippi. we would have done much better to take it through the legislature. our legislature let us smooth out wrinkles and with the passed overwhelmingly. >> governor barber says it's a shame people from outside brought an initiative to mississippi that couldn't pass in colorado and ended up liking this look less pro life than it is. he is taking the stage now ahead of phil bryant, the new governor of mississippi come the first of the year, where does this initiative go from here? trying to get it on the ballot 2012. >> bret: thank you very much.

the election being decided tonight could foreshadow presidential election year. a year from now with issues and swing states involved. carl cameron is live in des moines, iowa. good evening. >> they're just now eight weeks from tonight on a cold, rainy night on the campaign trail. republicans are eager to get underway with their attempts to oust president obama they're distracted by allegations of sexual harassment against herman cain. one day after went public, mr. cain today held a news conference to denounce any and all sexual harassment charges. >> i tried to remember if i recognized her. and i didn't. the charges and the accusations i absolutely reject.

>> bret: this afternoon, one of the woman who filed a formal complaint came forward and said she'd like to hold a joint news conference with other accusers to tell their side of the story and let the public hear their version of things. cain is tied with mitt romney at the top of the polls. tomorrow, all candidates goring to have a debate in michigan supposed to be focused on jobs and economy. organizers have not ruled out questions controversies. and the general election is two years from now. republicans would like nothing more than talking about their plans to shrink the size of government, put the economy back on track, create jobs and make barack obama a one-term president, tonight they're dealing with and wish they didn't have to, deal with the controversies about herman cain and these allegations. >> the dean yait -- debate in five weeks in iowa. thank you.

and ed hen very live at administration's reaction to results and changes in the administration. good evening. ed. >> good evening, bret tonight we learned bill daily will be giving up some responsibility and what is significant is that they're saying it's going to be daily the big picture ceo and rousch as chief operating officer. you'll remember in january after mid terms bailey brought in and the president unveiled him as the guy that is going to sort of right the ship and steer the ship to the middle. but so far, the daily play book has been putting the president on the road week after week, selling jobs bill and gaining little ground on capitol hill as the president is back in the battle ground today, pennsylvania once again, repeating the same man tra. >> congress still needs to act. if congress continues to stand only for dysfunction and delay i'm going to move ahead without them.

>> and tonight news out of ohio we're hearing that labor unions were able to push back on the selective bargaining rights it had been reject -- restricted showing maybe there is muscle out there. there is a ground game, maybe there is intensity on left they'd not seen before. that could be in a battle ground like ohio heading into next year. >> bret: issue three does not bode well for the administration. >> not at all. showing that this administration if they're able to get a win in the supreme court next sprik,-spring may have battles and i would point out a senior democrat told meet president was not outfront to this issue because labor unions had it wrong weeks ago, they said and thought the president got involved it would just get the right sided.

>> bret: ed, thank you very much. our coverage continue was heads of the republican and democratic governors associations. after a quick time out. the best approach to food is tkeep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the otr guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. the world needs more energy. where's it going to come from? ♪ that's why right here, in australia, chevron is building one of the biggest natural gas projectsn the world. enough power for a city the size of singapore for 50 years. what's it going to do to thplanet?

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nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps meeathing with copd is no small thing. ask your doctor about spiriva. >> bret: welcome back. joining me now to talk about tonight's results, virginia governor bob mcdonald, thank you for being here. >> thank you, bret. >> bret: have you a couple tight races for state senate that could swing the control of the state senate. what is the latest there. >> it's been a big night for republicans in virginia. we picked up one seat so far making it 21-19. there are two other races we're too close to call at this point. we picked up six or seven seats so we're now at the

highest republican water mark in virginia history. 65 or 66 seats so it's been a great night for republicans in virginia. mississippi had a great night as well, one of the governorship taking up seats, looks like, in wisconsin. we feel good about our ability to govern and things we ran out here in virginia. >> bret: your arufal rating is at 69% depending on the poll. yet virginia is called a swing state and will continue to be call that had in the presidential election. what is your take on the state? where it's headed? >> i think it's been swinging well towards the conservative cause last three cycles. i won by 18 points, we picked up three congressional seats last year. wins in both house and senate tonight. the president is underwater and i think what we're trying to do in virginia is focus on things people care about. creating jobs controlling spending and focusing on bred and butter issues, come down

the road trying to get results and i think that is why people are more satisfied with virginia than they are with right now. i think republican candidates for president does well next year. >> governor, your colleague from ohio is mourning the loss of issue two there seen as a big win for unions. what is your take on that loss? what it means, perhaps, outside of ohio? >> i admire the governor to be an honest with the people of ohio saying we've got terrible budget and spending problems to be able to make the state more business friendly and get it under control we need to not have collective bargaining in public sector, something we have in virginia we've been ranked a couple years in a row. i admire the governor for doing that. the unions spent tens of

millions to win. owe on the other ballot tonight there was a sound repudation of obama care by people of ohio. i think that bodes well for republican chances next year in ohio, as well. >> bret: when you ran you're a social conservative but ran on jobs and economy. we saw the initiative down in mississippi. the ballot initiative on personhood sale. how big do you think social issues will play next year? >> i think there is no question that it's going to be the kitchen table issue that's will dominate when you've got a 9.1% unemployment rate and we're broke and climbing and really no good leadership out of the president on energy and job creation. there is no question these economic kitchen table issues will dom nai. i think a lot of us believe these traditional values have been the bed rock of american society for a couple hundred years are still important. life, team, marriage and protection of individual

liberties so yeah, they'll be important and the guy with the best vision on creating jobs and controlling spending and creating a sound energy policy is going to win this election. >> bret: thank you for your time on this election night. >> bret, thank you. now, we turn to chairman of the democratic governors association. maryland governor, thank you for being here. you heard governor mcdonnell across the state line. your reaction? >> i'm very, very encouraged by the results tonight. we had a tremendous race in kentucky. that was the state the president did not win. but our candidate there won that race with overwhelming numbers by focusing on the issues that matter to people now. that is what can we do together to expand opportunities? and he was disciplined throughout the race. the other race was in west virginia. again, a state where the

president had not prevailed in the last presidential but our candidate there notwithstanding a tremendous amount of money dumped on his head managed to stick with the jobs message and prevail in that race. then, i think tonight in ohio what you saw was voter who's voted for a change in the governors office thought they're voting for job creation and faster recovery what. they got was overreaching ideology. doing away with unions by doing away with collective bargaining and voters rejected that as not being helpful to the cause that should be all of our concern, which is job creation. >> on that issue, issue two, governor said listen, i respect voters sentiments tonight but at some point budgets have to be dealt with because we don't have any money. that is a concern. >> it's a concern. that is a concern for democratic governors as well. but we believe that leadership

involves not only making right cuts but also protecting right priorities. knowing where we need to invest in things like education, innovation, infrastructure, rebuilding our country. so all of us have had to deal with pension sustainibility and keeping pension system solvent. difference is that we've done it and we have enough problems without turning on one another and undermining the basic dignity of work. >> what is your take on the other issue? issue three? which rules out mandate on the president's health care law? seems like a swing vote. >> i didn't pay attention until tonight seeing it on your program. then, i went online and read about it. and saw that what it said in there and that is what we plan

to allow people to do from that universal health care and look to be one of the earliest because we think that that will be an advantage for us for small business creation and bringing down costs of health care. >> do you think health care will play as a big issue in 2012? >> i think it's by and large a bit of a distraction from the main issue. which is job creation. and just about a month ago in west virginia that was a closing argument against the governor of west virginia. obama care this, obama care that. our candidate was able to prevail. i believe because it's the issue that is most important, jobs. how do we bring jobs to west virginia? kentucky? and i think steve bashir ran a perfect campaign, really in many respects.

he stayed on the message of job creation, stayed on message of opportunity z made it very, very local and... look there. is no progress without a job that. is what we should be concerned about right now. >> governor omalley thank you for your time. >> thank you. >> when we return, carl rove and joe trippy weigh in on results and what they possibly mean for 2012. keep it here. i take my multi-vitamin but wanted to do something more for my nutrition. there's so much information out there. what's good for you today, is bad for you tomorrow. i had no idea what to choose. until i found pronutrients -- a new line of supplements from centrum, who i totally trust. omega-3 supports not only my heart, but my brain and my eyes too. probiotics helps with my digestive balance and my immune function. and fruit & veggie has antioxidant properties. new pronutrients from centrum helps make nutrition possible.

>> bret: more now let's bring in our guest, carl rove, former senior advisor to george bush and good evening, gentleman. carl let's start with you. interesting news out of virginia. we just had the virginia governor on.

and you're hearing a couple maybe breaking away. >> the governor said they picked up one seat giving it a 21-19 split. i understand senate district 17, the republican is gone ahead. final tally gives him an 86-vote margin over the incumbent. this ties the senate at 20-20 z republican lieutenant governor, republicans control the senate. >> bret: how big a deal is that as virginia described it? a swing state for 2012? >> well, republicans picked up i think six or seven seats in general assembly giving them a record number of seats there. and they take over the senate. and this is not a good time for the democrats in this critical battle ground state. not a good sign for republicans. now approaching two thirds of the state general assembly. and now, tonight have gained control of the state senate. >> bret: what is your take?

>> if numbers hold up in ra virginia that is the worst news for democrats i think it would be the first time republicans have control of everything in the state. i don't know how lock, but a long time. >> governor gillmore, i guess. >> yes. a long time. but you know, i actually think tonight is a caution nairy tail. where voters saw either side overreach or what they perceived to be overreaching whether collective bargaining in ohio, voters rejected it. and this is two extremes or overreach on the right. voters rejected it. you've got to take a look at it as an overreach on health care, on the mandate. and voters in ohio rejected it. i think that that is a caution nairy tale going into next year's elections for republican who's still have not chosen their nominee yet. is it someone who may be

overreaching and perry, you know to oppose the mississippi personhood vote. he, you know, he is not going to get nominations. how is this going to play out in ohio on health care? this is being against mandates doesn't help romney, either. i think it avoids overreaching. both parties have gotten into trouble. >> what about ohio? it's interesting. the union did get people out to polls in this collective bargaining went their way on that vote. and yet those people voted to turn down the president's health care method. >> that is because one out of five, roughly republicans voted against the reform package. if you look at recent polls

you'll find they supported a thrust on pensions and health care and concept that state workers ought to pay 15% of the premiums and 10% of the wages towards pensions they disagreed on you know sort of the collective bargaining over health benefits and including police and fire in this arrangement. you'll remember in wisconsin governor scott walker excluded police, fire and law enforcement public safety from his collective bargaining labor law reform that. probably a smart move. ohio proved it's a battle ground state. and there is no denying it gives a democrat on the other hand this, individual mandate was a short set to express an opinion about the president's signature demostic achievement

affordable care act. the people of ohio said no way, we're not going for that. >> last word. joe? >> a agree with carl. i think if it's romney and we're going to ohio is health care a mandate off the table? i know romney going to argue he's going let states decide it but i think it kind of muddies the issue. i do think ohio set itself up as a key swing state again. >> and have you tch. after the brake, james rosen breaks down remembers and our special election night panel. stay with us. at bayer, we're re-inventing aspirin for pain relief.

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reason for that is that unemployment rate in the state of ohio we'd like to see stands right now at about 9.1%. let's take a look at jobs right now. they've lost almost 108,000 since the onset of the great recession. i mentioned unemployment rate just ashade above national average and that unless they were motivated by organized labor it seems likely they drew a collection between bargaining rights and well being of the state economy, it's ability to support job goesing forward. one other thing we want to take a look at is what unions might have benefited in the state of ohio. we have to keep in mind the president in the year 2008, being glitchy and unhelpful now, i'll tell you the rest myself in, 2008, president obama won the state by five percentage points. there are 350,000 public sector union workers in ohio.

the margin tonight with about 90% of the precincts reporting was in excess of 700,000 votes. definitely a shof union muscle tonight. >> okay, james, thank you. and the glitchy big board is still cool in my book swrechl reaction tonight from the defeat of the ohio law rejecting -- and supporters say waits necessary and organized labor painted issue as a vote to help working people. >> we don't have too much voice. we have too little voice in government. they want to have a bigger say. i think it will save other governments you continue with this agenda and continue to try to take away the voice of working people, you do so at your own peril. >> as far as local governments do, we'll work with them to help them overcome challenge buzz let me be clear. there is no bailout because

there is no money. dwoitsing to continue to be very important for local communities to figure out ways to deal with their cost challenges. >> bret: let's bring in our special election night panel. just moments ago the vice president's office put out a statement saying people of ohio delivered a victory for middle class with their rejection of a republican attempt to strip away collective bargaining rights. fundamental fairness prevailed said the vice president. by standing with teachers and firefighters and cops ohio then allowed a clear message heard across the country. middle class will no longer be trampled on. people of ohio to be congratulated. reaction to that? >> this is vice president biden catching on time he spent campaigning in favor of this to support the law. and i'm kidding.

look. the white house didn't do much. i think the vice president understands it's a good time to capitalize because this is good news on this night for democrats. you'll notice did not mention the individual mandate at one point decidelily in the other direction. >> people of ohio to be congratulated on issue two, only. but on three, they're not to be congratulated but rebuked. >> and democrats are very, very excited about that, obviously. it's a big win for unions and i think democrats interpreting this as overreach by the governor. and i think overreach was firefighters in it. that is the difference you see. and i don't think people like that. in terms of the health care mandate, democrats should be concerned when you have what i think the latest is 66% of people that are opposing a

central part of the health care bill in a important state. >> charles, early rush returns and a lot of absentee ballot that's appeared unions got out to vote. they're from those democratic counties. and this is in ohio. it was 66, 33, roughly for the collective bargaining. issue two on union side but there is 66-33 roughly for removing mandate. same folks voting against president's health care law. >> this tells us a lot. i think it tells us that the great republican swing of 2010 is slow. and anyone assuming it will carry republicans to success in 2012 is wrong. ohio is the ultimate swing

state and determines just about everything here. and this is why the president spent a lot of time in the state on other issues. the fact that almost bit same majority you get a pro-union vote sh a real rebuke to republicans who were swept in in 2010 on government workers farming rights and if the same time and same electorate and huge rejection of obama individual mandate tells you it's stalled. big democratic swing in 2006 and 2008 leading to collapse, shellacking as obama put it in 2010. we're now at a point where kit go either way. i think that this is a warning to republicans them prevailed in virginia, capturing as you said a narrow margin. it looks as if they're country is ready to go either way.

it's a warning for 2012. >> virginia race will have to go to a recount. looks like 86 votes. but that could swing the state senate to republicans which would mean they hold the governors office, house and senate. it would be a big deal in a swing state. our special election night coverage is continues after a quick time out. we're going to talk about 2012, mississippi, initiatives and what it means for next year. to be more environmentally aware, we are now printing on the back sides of used paper and we switched to fedex cause a lot of their packaging contains recycled materials. tell them what else fedex does. well we're now using more electric trucks and lower emission planes. we even offer a reusable envelope. now, can't we at least print on the back sides of used paper? what's the executive compensation list...? [ male announcer ] sustainable solutions. fedex. solutions that matter.

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>> there are tens of thousands of pro-life mississippins who are firmly pro life as i, concerned we're doing something here we don't understand what we're doing. >> and the governor is leaving because of term limits saying he's supported a ballot initiative that declared life beginning at fertilization.

called personhood ballot initiative that failed tonight. overwhelmingly failed in mississippi. we're back with the panel. charles, what about that? you've heard doubt in the governor's voice. is that what propelled this vote? do you think? >> i think so. it's not a reflection of sentiment pro-life but a terrible idea written in an ambiguous way and would have had the most per verse result. because... of the lack waj. life begins at kons yepgs and end of story. you would have left these decisions of interpretation up to courts. and the conservative idea is you don't want courts deciding. these ought to be decided by the governor and the people expressing in elections. in the same way people supported womens' rights opposed era amendment because would it have put power in the hands of the courts.

so there is a bad idea. and sort of scientificly terrible idea so we've got these consequences about in veto -- vitro treatment and so forth. >> and governor barber said it should have been worked through in the state legislature more. and with this case. >> yes. yes. he said head of time that he was unfom com for theable witness. i do think it was just overreach for people. and it's not just things charles talked about but people who had ectopic pregnancies could be prevented from getting health care for that. it went too far. i don't think it was them not being pro life. >> does it say anything about the issue in 2012?

i asked where they stand in the rank of issues of importance in places like iowa and south carolina. >> i don't think so. i think news would have been if it passed. if it had passed would it have launched this into debate and would have been a main issue i think they'd have to weigh in on. >> and emmeant domain passed. yes. meaning restricting eminent domain. that was a big vote. >> implications and it's still unknown but it's a big vote and grew out of a fight that happened in mississippi over eminent domain and property close to a nissan plant. i think it's a good victory. i don't think it has national or political implications or says anything other than people to the extent they're paying attention nrgs private

property needs to be protected. and this is important to draw a circle around that. >> would you say one of the biggest things could be the state senate? >> well, it tells thaws it will be on the complete republican control and it's a swing state and points to the chance obama is not going to carry it. and i'm not sure a two-seat swing after large swings, it's actually picked off in previous years. but it does, i mean, an advantage running 2012 campaign. i'm not sure it's a message that the swing states are now slipping away from democratic control. >> and last thing, democrats

hoping that the collective bargaining issue goes beyond ohio. >> definitely. i think that the governor in kentucky is a democrat. i think if you look at that with west virginia with democratic winning gives a little bit of hope to democrat that's they can still win in some states if they have candidates that are for that terrain, you know, specific type of democrat, that can maintain popularity in a conservative area. >> panel looks ahead to 2012 elections z how tonight's results may impact them, also, field currently. please tune in this friday, 10:00 p.m. eastern for a fox news reporting special. fight for iowa. we follow three hawk eye state voters as they go through decision-making processes. here is a sneak peek. >> i made them for all old, old campaigns from way back

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>> bret: >> i tried to remember if i recognized her. and i didn't. but charges... and the accusations i absolutely reject. they simply didn't happen. >> republican candidate herman cain talking to reporters today insisting he's not done anything wrong and has never done anything wrong. inprerpt with any woman despite al gaigs coming out. and what about this? comes on for about 35 minutes and it has been, rightly or wrongly obsession of the g.o.p. field and media coverage. >> it's remarkable. the stories are different. you have this woman coming out and making claims about things

that allegedly happened between them. then, you have herman cain saying he doesn't know who this woman s these are so far from each other. it's hard to know what to do with them. right now, i don't know republican voters are abandoning him but as he said today, i expect more women to come out because he thinks this is a smear campaign. if that is true i think it's going to get more difficult for him. >> i think he's putting himself rather well today. the problem is that he isn't in control of the story. a lot of the original accusers have said to her lawyer she's willing to go public if others will join her on the stage. and if that happens, the story starts over again, he's going to have to do neither denial and the story won't die.

i think supporters will stay with him because they assume he's being truthful. people will say do we want to have a candidate who said it's impossible to adjudicate he's telling the truth. >> bret: it seemed this is it, we're going to address this head on. was this it? i mean are we going to have another press conference, to you think? >> yes. foreign reasons both have suggested. he's been trying to put this to bed and he says yesterday he said in interviews before yesterday this is the last statement i'm giving but what i think is admirable to meet these allegations head on and try to explain them, he's making all of the atestimonies but i think kirsten is right as well. the difference between story

suggests more questions and raises more questions if that is what we're likely to see. and it could potentially and more stories, more allegations we have. more questions we'll have to answer. and more goes on. >> even if those accusers don't have specifics? >> yes. i think if you look back at the story, the story of people who lodged a complaint back then, people argue they're more credible because they made these complaints at the time. stories to other people around. i think gives them an air of more credibility. >> who benefits if herman cain does drop in polls? >> newt gingrich. >> newt originally, romney in

the end. >> bret: final thoughts after a quick break. ♪

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is right for you. 6. >> bret: finally tonight it appears best words are still not what we've seen is mixed. we've seen victories for democrats and liberals with wins in ohio and mississippi and governorship in kentucky. republicans and conservatives also won ballot issues in ohio and mississippi. and the governorship in that southern state. so message is that we'll take from this night into 2012 are also mixed we'll have every element covered every step of the way. next republican debate is december 15th who knows what will happen from now until then. please join us wednesday you can see former house speaker newt gingrich's appearance on "center seat" on our home page. and governor rick perry,