but russell pierce's challenger is a republican who denounced who pierce and jan brewer have done to the state's image with their anti-immigrant legislation and announced it as something akin to alabama 1964. polls only closed in arizona moments ago. we're awaiting on preliminary results in the russell pierce recall. that watched closely around the nation. in iowa, today, a special election could make the whole state go red there. republicans in iowa control the governor's office and the state house and they're only one seat away from tieing with the democrats in the senate. if there is a tie in the senate, the deciding vote is the republican governor. effectively putting all parts of iowa state governance in republican hands. now, the republican governor appointed one democratic senator from a republican leaning district to a state board earlier this year. a bit of political genius that forced tonight's election to replace that state senator in cedar rapids. if the democrats are able to hold on to that seat, they will keep their one-seat majority in the iowa senate. if republicans a

. >>> para gente conservadora, como russell pierce, pueden ser frenados. >>> así culmina una década,ás tardar el lunes. >>> esto es en arizona. >>> aunque parece extraño, republicanos y demócratas se han puesto de acuerdo para una medida de inmigración, reduce las visas laborales, lourdes meluzá con la información desde washington . >>> ciertamente el comité de la cámara de representantes aprobó una medida que equilibraría las visas, lo raro que la votación fue unánime el proyecto fue copatriocinado entre otros lamar smith de texas, así como el más vocal de los inmigrantes, luis gutiérrez de illinios, un apoyo limitado, espero que sea un primer paso a una mayor colaboración bi partidista, para por fin arreglar por entero el sistema migratorio. >>> cinco, seis años, ha habido problemas en inmigración, y el poder lograr un consenso en este punto es algo significativo. >>> el hecho que republicanos y demócratas puedan trabajar juntos es muy importante, esperamos que puedan cerrar el terreno para una reforma migratoria más adelante . >>> la legislación para inmigrantes altamente califica

>> arizona voters recalled the republican state senator russell pierce. he sponsored the state's strict immigration law requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone they stopped. >> ironically pierce was beaten so badly in this election that he cracked open and candy spilled out. [cheers and applause] all in all -- [cheers and applause] yeah, yeah. now you love me again. [ laughter ] all in all a tough night for the conservative revolution. there must be a simple explaination. to the narrative machine. >> did republicans overreach? >> reach too far by the g.o.p. >> it was about overreaching. >> jon: are you aware of their platform. >> we're going to take aim on law enforcement and put them on the bad guy. illegal is not a race. it's a crime. >> we believe that life begin as the conception and at the moment of conception every individual is entitled to the freedoms under the decoration of independence and the 14th amendment of the constitution. >> i don't favor the right to strike of any public employee. they've got good jobs, high pay, great

i look at mississippi last night, the vote, when i look at the vote in maine, when i look at russell pierce being recalled in arizona last night, are we beginning to see a real movement of progressives and the middle class and labor and civil rights coming together again and actually winning at the poll, beating people that are well financed, that has had a lot of right-wing media fueling their base, but are losing now at the polls? >> yeah, i think no question. you could see it encaps lated in ohio instead of bringing people together -- we've had a lot of job loss in my state for a decade, from bush economic policies, and instead of coming together, what do we do together to create jobs? the -- went after voting rights, and that really energized a whole group, a brought swath of people. that's how you get to 61% of the vote. that wasn't an accident. i thought -- i didn't think we would win by that much, but that's why we won by the margin we did. all the people that have seen the governor and the legislature try to take away their rights on all levels i think fought back and said you're no

. >>> russell pierce who wrote a controversial law widely viewed as tough measures against illegal immigrants>>> the european debt crisis, italy's prime minister, silvio berlusconi vowed to resign after italy's government passed a budget that demands austerity measures demanded by the european union. berlusconi has been under pressure to step aside. he says he's making the move to prove to international investors that italy can reform its finances. he tells an italian newspaper that he thinks there will be early elections in february and that he will not be a candidate. berlusconi's announcement comes just days after the greek prime minister, george papandreou, also engulfed in a debt crisis agreed to resign in favor of a unity government. papandreou and the main opposition leader are still locked in talks over just who will head the new government. an announcement could come as early as today. >>> air force investigators say there were serious misconduct in the handling of the remains of the nation's war debt at the dover air force base mortuary in delaware. the findings come after a year-lo

arizona state senator russell pierce is on the verge of defeat on a recall election, some calling it a referendum on his strict 2010 immigration legislation. pierce is the author of the arizona law requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone stopped and suspected of being an illegal immigrant. >>> in new jersey, democrat incumbents held on to two closely-contested senate seats, showing limits to governor chris christie's pop larlt in the garden state. in virginia, only 86 votes stand between republicans and a takeover of their state senate. governor bob mcdonald has declared victory over reeves. and while state senator ed houk waits for a number of unprovisional ballots to be counted. >>> a new poll suggests that sexual harassment allegations against republican presidential candidate herman cain may be starting to have an impact. a poll taken last week, cain is in a tie with mitt romney. an online poll taken monday and tuesday by "reuters" found after showing respondents a video of one of cain's accuser's remarks 40% made the footage gave them a less favorable opinion

russell pierce. >> thank you.a: voters head to the polls we'll tell you why today's ballots would have major impact on president obama and his run for the second term. larry sabato will read the tea leaves on this that one for us. bill: eric holder getting grilled by republicans on the fallout from "fast and furious". we'll have a live report what happened so far. listen to what happened when he answered questions in the month of may. >> you have to understand the way in which the department operates. although there are operations this one has become, has gotten a great deal of publicity. >> yeah, there are dead americans as a result of this failed and reckless program. so i would say that it hasn't gotten enough attention, has it, mr. attorney general? martha: it is being called the slingshot into the 2012 elections, a key referendum vote in the a battleground state that serves as a test many think for president obama's re-election chances. ohio voters will weigh in on two critical issues the first one is on heal

senate president russell pierce. the message last night seemed to be that voters are not that interested in audio logical showdowns at a time when their number one concern is coming together to create jobs. >>> and if you were sitting by a television or radio today, you may have seen or heard it or you may have not. it was supposed to be the nation's first big broadcast test of an emergency warning system, to rally all of us in times of trouble. but instead, it was a crazy quilt of what can go wrong. abc's ron claiborne explains. >> reporter: all across america, the countdown was on. >> the first ever nationwide test of the emergency alert system. >> reporter: the government planned to send out a test alert to every radio and television station and cable system in the country. >> under a minute. millions of americans will witness history. >> reporter: then, the big moment. at 2:00 eastern time -- instead of a coordinated national warning, this. on hbo, the movie, "knight and day," went uninterrupted. >> there a probl

and facing recall, republican state senator, russell pierce in arizona, president of the arizona state senate, the man who sponsored arizona's papers please, anti-immigrant law. russell pearce is currently losing to his challenge. 100% of precincts reporting, jerry lewis to challenger russell pearce seen as having an eight point lead. jerry lewis, you should know is also a republican but he is a republican who has denounced what russell pearce and governor jan brewer did to arizona's image with the papers please legislation and denounced it something to akin to alabama 1964. at this point, this race is not being called by the associated press but it 100% situation with jerry lewis defeating the state senate president. in kentucky, steven beshear was challenged by david williams and they rejected the challenge and re-elected with 99% reporting governor beshear won it handily, 56-35%. and jack conway faced his own republican challenger, todd p'pool, and he got support from celebrities. rudy guiliani giving endorsements but with 99% reporting, jack conway beat todd 55% to 45%. in indianap

. >> just ten months ago, russell pierce, president of the arizona senate, was the most powerful manate. tuesday night, his political world came crashing down in his first defeat ever in 16 years. for as bitter as it was for the pierce camp, it was sweet for challenger, jerry lewis, a political newcomer. >> we can be civil in our politics and we can work together to attack issues. >> what made this special recall election interesting to watch is ta it was an election of firsts. the first time two republicans both fiscal conservatives and both mormon, faced off in the most conservative district in the state. the major difference between the two, their approach to immigration. >> i think they saw in me a hope, someone that would definite hi work towards real issues in the immigration issue, but would do so in a way that bespeaks our humanity. >> making sure we have a secure border and making sure we don't separate families. >> but it was a small move that paved the way for the election. it was led by randy botts, a community organizer and it happened in just ten months. >> this is crea

let start in arizona where this guy russell pierce the author of senate bill 1070 the anti- immigration law. he gets recalled yesterday. what's going on? >> well, recall is a serious thing as we all know. that's a lot of interpretation as to what it means. it's interesting that his opponent the unfortunately named jerry lewis actually a person more in tune with education issues than immigration issues -- >> what is the immigration issue that got him thrown out? >> they didn't argue about immigration during the campaign but way the news narrative of it went and the way voters interpreted it is a repudiation of the immigration bill and he was the author of that as president of the senate. >> another interesting one last night watched all over the country was this personhood measure in mississippi. >> yes. >> where fertilized egg would be considered human. a person! it goes down in really, you know, pretty big anti-abortion state. >> well, the thing also that this bill -- you have to look at it as well for all the voters it said life begins at conception so it was laying the groundwork it

russell pierce is seen as a referendum on the tough policy. we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ ♪ walk, little walk ♪ small talk, big thoughts ♪ gonna tell them all just what i want ♪ ♪ i said don't stop, don't stop ♪ ♪ don't stop talking to me [ male announcer ] the most legroom per dollar of any car in america. the all-new nissan versa sedan. from $10,990. innovation upsized. innovation for all. ♪ innovation upsized. innovation for all. ♪ sen♪ co-signed her credit card - "buy books, not beer!" ♪ ♪ut the second at she shut the door ♪ ♪ girl started blowing up their credit score ♪ ♪ she bought a pizza party for the whole dorm floor ♪ ♪ hundred pounds of makeup at the makeup store ♪ ♪ and a ticket down to spring break in mexico ♪ ♪ but her folks didn't know 'cause her folks didn't go ♪ ♪ to free-credit-score-dot-com hard times for daddy and mom. ♪ v.o.: offer applies with enrollment in freecreditscore.com [ female announcer ] we never forget the nearly 12 million cancer survivors in america today... and the countless lives lost. we owe it to them to prote

a frequent guest here on the record, russell pierce got ousted in the first ever arizona recall. why do you think the voters are throwing him out? he'll tell you himself. ♪ eggland's best eggs. -the best in nutrition... -just got better. even better nutrition -- high in vitamins d, e and b12. a good source of vitamin b2. plus omega threes. and 25% less saturated fat than ordinary eggs. but there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed. -better taste. -better taste. -better taste. -mmmm... [ female announcer ] eggland's best. better taste and now even better nutrition make the better egg. gives you a 50% annual bonus! so you earn 50% more cash. according to research, everybody likes more cash. well, almost everybody... ♪ would you like 50% more cash? no! but it's more money. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? woah! [ giggles ] ♪ that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm [ male announcer ] for half the calories -- plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8. you know what else is early? medi

russell pierce became the first sitting state senate president in the country in the first arizona legislator ever to lose a recall election. >>> one big set back in virginia for democrats. votes are still being counted, dems appear to have lost two seats in the senate giving control of that body to republicans, and wins in the house of delegates give republicans a two-thirds majority there. >>> a new poll finds that more than 60% of americans see the gap between the rich and poor getting bigger. not only are corporate executives getting richer, so are members of congress. their net worth rose by 25% in the past two years, but there's a gender gap here as well. the gap for female members down by 20% in the same period. paul, we should note off the top, you say for the most part there's one woman to blame here, congresswoman from california, correct? >> yeah, that's right. when you talk about small numbers of people like this, female members of congress, 93 people, jane harman left congress and took with her a net worth of at least $100 million. that suddenly reduces the net worth of female me

you saw the recall of russell pierce who was the architect of anti-immigration legislation.st but what organize rs understood was immigration was not going to be enough to tors the recall. they needed to build a coalition. take into consideration issues of fraud, mismanagement. >> this is going to need to be bigger than union rights. >> and 2012 will see issues on the national stage. >> next, how are politicians making money? we'll follow the money next on "now." ♪ ♪ mama said there'd be days like this ♪ ♪ "there'll be days like this," mama said ♪ [ male announcer ] the toughest job on the planet just got a little easier. with one touch technology and even an air scrubber. the nissan quest. innovation for family. innovation for all. get up to $3,050 total savings on the 2011 nissan quest. ♪ [ sponge ] you've suffered some real damage. cheesy crusting. 3rd degree noodle trauma. the prognosis is bleak. you may need to soak overnight. nurse...! dawn power clean? it'll never work. [ female announcer ] dawn power clean with micro-scrubbing enzymes can give you the power of an ove

russell pierce in arizona, state senate president, sponsor of sb-sb sb-70 having a rough night tonight. obviously the vote tonight in maine to reinstate voting rights that republicans had done away with and in ohio, all eyes on ohio right now. as this definitive vote tonight, just a huge, huge margin by which it was defeated, i did not believe it would be this big a margin, even if issue 2 did lose. it could not be a more definitive statement tonight, ed. >> rachel, i think we have seen the template now clearly developed to fight back on citizens united. the supreme court ruling. we have seen here in ohio an unbelievable effort on the ground. is this the model? what do you think? >> i think that the thing we talked about earlier, ed, about the difference between the democratic base and what the democrats have thought they could rely on to win elections moving forward, is a distinction i think can no longer be lost on national democrats. you actually have to give people something to go vote for. you have to give people something to stand up for. you have to give people something to figh

russell pierce become it is first sitting state president in the nation and the first arizona legislator ever to lose a recall election. and republicans may flip control of the senate yet. the tight race in the 17th district is too close to call. provisional ballots will be counted today but could be a 20-20 tie, too. and democrat steve bashir trounced david williams in kentucky, winning a second term in mississippi. republican government phil bryant defeated dupree, the state's first african-american nominee for governor. but the new crop of republican governors, particularly john kasich, scott walker and rick scott could be baggage for the eventual republican nominee in in the swing states. tonight eight republicans running for president meet in the ninth ke debate of the cycle right here in rochester, michigan. the backdrop, that's impossible to ignore the sexual harassment charges against herman cain with two women now publically accusing him of sexual harassment. a defiant herman cain doubled down on his strategy at a news conference in arizona. >> the charges and the accusations ar

this personhood measure, even drilling to a state senate race in arizona where voters recalled russell pierceho was the senate president and sponsor of the controversial immigration proposal. so all across the country, voters reigning in and taking hold of their politicians and their issues. >> this is obviously a big win for the labor movement. is it also a warning signal for governors like scott walker and rick scott around the country and of course for kasich in ohio? >> i think so. if you looked at governor kasich's comments last night, he acknowledged this was a signal. he said he was going to go back to the drawing board, have to think about this. so he was very conciliatory in rhetoric last night, but the labor movement is already saying actions speak louder than words. will kasich try to broker a deal. what will it mean for scott walker. they are trying to fund raise off the victory in ohio saying donate to us to recall scott walker, so the movement is still trying to capitalize on this going forward. >> i know in virginia they're still counting provisional ballots, is it likely repub

a frequent guest here on the record, russell pierce got ousted in the first ever arizona recall. why do you think the voters are throwing him out? he'll tell you himself. he will go on "on the record." ♪ eggland's best eggs. -the best in nutrition... -just got better. even better nutrition -- high in vitamins d, e and b12. a good source of vitamin b2. plus omega threes. and 25% less saturated fat than ordinary eggs. but there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed. -better taste. -better taste. -better taste. -mmmm... [ female announcer ] eggland's best. better taste and now even better nutrition make the better egg. ♪ imagine me and you, i do ♪ i think about you day and night ♪ ♪ it's only right ♪ to think about the girl you love ♪ ♪ and hold her tight ♪ so happy together [ male announcer ] when life changes, so can your insurances needs. use travelers free guide to better coverage to stay prepared. is your auto and home insurance keeping up with you? contact your local travelers agent, or call 800-my-coverage. it's true. u never forget your first subaru. gives you a 50%

and russell pierce was defeated by fellow republican jerry lewis. the recall election was seen on arizona's controversial measures targeting illegal immigration. a race for governor decided in two states. mississippi lekts phil bryant. also kentucky a democrat steve bashir wins a second term. >>> real concern about the financial is a biflt italy which is europe's third largest economy. this morning the price italy has to pay to borrow money is up to 7%. that's the rate at which other countries have had to seek international bailouts and italy's staggering debt crisis has cost berlusconi his job. he announced he'll resign after italy's next budget is passed. what's the situation in italy right now? >> reporter: well there's very little clarity and that's the reason why traders are selling off these bonds and we're seeing these yields go higher. berlusconi didn't get a majority in parliament yesterday. he acknowledged that. even thoe won this vote and this is the vote on public finances that has to get pushed through, these are the austerity measures

steve beshear won a second seat and huge loss for russell pierce who lost to a fellow republican. pierce is the author of that very hardline anti-immigration law that, of course, has made national and international headlines. kyra. >> mark preston, thanks so much. we'll have your next political update in just about an hour. for all the latest political news, you can always go to our website cnnpolitics.com. >>> hundreds of penn state students show up outside coach joe paterno's home as he returns from practice last night. as you can see, coach accused of doing the bear minimum in reporting child rape charges was visibly moved. >> we want joe! >> and i want you. and i want you guys. it's hard for me to tell you how much this means to me. the kids that are victims, whatever they want to say, i think we ought to say a prayer for them. tough life. when people do certain things to you. but, anyway, you've been great. >> jason carroll is covering the story for us from state college, pennsylvania. so, what's the latest on paterno's fate, jason? >> that is the big question, kyra. a lot of