The South

Republicans generally fared well in what has become their stronghold. The GOP captured key Senate seats in Alabama and Arkansas, where retiring Democrats provided an opening. A third Senate seat left vacant by retirement remained in Democratic hands in Georgia. GOP incumbents retained Senate seats in Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma. In House races, Republicans knocked off an incumbent Democrat in Kentucky. But voters in North Carolina ousted two GOP incumbents. In the region’s major surprise in the presidential race, Clinton captured the key state of Florida.

ALABAMA

* President --With 95% of votes counted:

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Clinton 619,028 43% Dole 725,507 50% Perot 85,924 6%

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* Senate--GOP Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions defeated Democrat Roger Bedford and two other candidates.

* House--Robert Cramer was one of two Democratic incumbents winning reelection, with GOP winning four other seats.

ARKANSAS

* President --With 68% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 313,897 55% Dole 206,634 36% Perot 44,095 8%

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* Senate--Republican Rep. Tim Hutchinson defeated Democratic state Atty. Gen. Winston Bryant to take the seat held by retiring Democrat David Pryor in President Clinton’s home state.

* House--Republican Asa Hutchinson won a bid to replace his brother in northwestern Arkansas.

* Other--Voters rejected bid to allow casino gambling at Hot Springs horse track, despite local approval.

FLORIDA

* President --With 91% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 2,285,713 48% Dole 2,015,877 42% Perot 420,776 9%

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* House--Republicans won at least 14 of 23 contests. Incumbent Democrats Carrie Meek, Alcee Hastings, Karen Thurman and Corrine Brown held their seats.

* Other--Voters rejected a penny-a-pound tax on sugar growers to pay for Everglades cleanup.

GEORGIA

* President --With 85% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 810,085 46% Dole 821,597 47% Perot 116,865 7%

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* Senate--Democrat Max Cleland won a cliffhanger battle for the seat vacated by retiring Democrat Sam Nunn, defeating Republican Guy Millner and Libertarian John Cashin.

* House--Eleven seats were up for grabs. Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich easily defeated millionaire cookie magnate Michael Coles, a Democrat.

* Other--Voters allowed school districts to use taxes to build schools or retire debt.

KENTUCKY

* President --With 100% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 635,454 46% Dole 621,941 45% Perot 118,731 9%

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* Senate--GOP incumbent Mitch McConnell defeated Democrat Steven Beshear, a former lieutenant governor, and three minor-party candidates to win a third term by the largest margin of his career.

* House--Six contests, including the race in which Republican Jim Bunning won reelection against Democrat Denny Bowman. Democrat Mike Ward lost a tough battle against the GOP’s Anne Northrup. GOP freshman Ed Whitfield held on to a district where two years ago he became the first Republican ever sent to the House.

* Other--Voters removed archaic language from state constitution that required separate schools for “white” and “colored” children.

LOUISIANA

* President --With 100% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 927,905 52% Dole 713,896 40% Perot 122,961 7%

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* Senate--Voters picked former state Treasurer Mary Landrieu, a Democrat and the daughter of a former New Orleans mayor, over Republican state legislator Louis “Woody” Jenkins.

* House--Republican John Cooksey and Democrat Chris John won open seats, with the GOP winning four of five uncontested seats.

* Other--Seven parishes approved video poker, while others with existing casinos allowed them to remain.

MISSISSIPPI

* President --With 94% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 357,579 45% Dole 386,666 49% Perot 46,400 6%

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* Senate--Republican Thad Cochran won a fourth term by defeating Democrat James Hunt and independent Ted Weill.

* House--Republican Charles Pickering joined GOP incumbents Roger Wicker and Mike Parker in giving the party three of the five seats contested. Pickering won seat vacated by retiring Democrat G.V. Montgomery.

NORTH CAROLINA

* President --With 89% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 974,161 45% Dole 1,058,763 48% Perot 143,075 7%

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* Senate--Veteran Republican Jesse Helms fought off a second straight challenge by the Democratic former mayor of Charlotte, Harvey Gantt, as well as two minor-party candidates. Gantt had hoped to be first black senator elected in South since Reconstruction.

* House--Two freshmen Republicans lost their bids for reelection: Frederick K. Heineman, who was in a rematch of a close contest he narrowly won the last time, and David Funderburk. Overall, the two major parties split the 12 seats up for grabs.

* Governor--Democrat James B. Hunt Jr. won a fourth term over Republican Robin Hayes and two other candidates.

* Other--Voters gave veto power to the last governor in the nation lacking it, and approved bond issues to raise money for schools and road improvements.

OKLAHOMA

* President --With 97% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 469,383 40% Dole 559,155 48% Perot 126,804 11%

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* Senate--Incumbent Republican James Inhofe won a full term over Jim Boren, the cousin of David Boren, the Democrat who resigned from the seat two years ago, and three other candidates.

* House--Six seats were at stake. GOP incumbent and former NFL star Steve Largent defeated Democrat Randolph Amen; Republican and former University of Oklahoma football star J.C. Watts also won reelection.

* Other--Crime victims were given greater participation in court proceedings.

SOUTH CAROLINA

* President --With 90% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 453,268 45% Dole 496,611 49% Perot 55,204 5%

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* Senate--GOP incumbent Strom Thurmond defeated Democrat Elliott Close, a 43-year-old heir to a textile fortune, and three minor-party candidates. Thurmond is the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate and will be 100 at the end of his eighth term. He has promised this would be the last election in his 60-year political career.

* House--Incumbents won all six races. Floyd Spence was among four Republicans earning reelection.

TENNESSEE

* President --With 99% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 901,974 48% Dole 857,910 46% Perot 105,162 6%

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* Senate--GOP incumbent and former actor Fred Thompson defeated Democrat Houston Gordon and five other candidates, keeping Vice President Al Gore’s old seat in Republican hands for the next six years.

* House--Republicans edged Democrats, 5 to 4, with incumbents retaining all nine seats. Democrat Bart Gordon was a repeat winner over Republican Steve Gill.

TEXAS

* President --With 87% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 2,149,075 43% Dole 2,448,232 49% Perot 332,390 7%

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* Senate--Incumbent Phil Gramm, an unsuccessful GOP presidential contender, defeated Democrat Victor Morales, a schoolteacher, and two other candidates.

* House--Fourteen Democrats and nine Republicans were projected winners in 30 contests. Majority Leader Dick Armey and Majority Whip Tom DeLay were among those retaining seats. Runoffs are set for Dec. 10 in races where no one gets a majority.

VIRGINIA

* President --With 99% of votes counted:

*--*

Clinton 1,056,154 45% Dole 1,110,004 47% Perot 157,107 7%

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* Senate--Winning a fourth term, Republican John W. Warner turned away Democratic telecommunications executive Mark Warner.

* House--All 10 incumbents on ballot won reelection, with Democrat Virgil Goode claiming the lone open seat. In all, six Democrats and five Republicans won.