James W. Pindell's blog

President-elect Barack Obama's decision to name Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff means that Emanuel's role as House Democratic Caucus Chair is now vacant.

It could mean that Van Hollen will make a play for the role, the number four job in the House. Before Emanuel became caucus chair he held Van Hollen's current job of Democratic Congressional Committee Chairman.

Will today really be the Democratic landslide some are predicting? Dixville Notch votes may have already answered that question.

For the first time since 1968 Dixville voted for a Democrat. And it wasn't even close.

Consider that Dixville voted twice for George W. Bush. In 2000 Bush's won 21-5 and in 2004 he won 19-7.

Which makes Obama's 15-6 win this morning an ominous sign for Republicans.  Then again it was only 21 people.

Before Barack Obama's grandmother died today she cast an absentee ballot to help Obama become president. 

Under Hawaii law, though, that ballot will not count. The state law says that if the local election clerk is notified before the polls open on Election Day the ballot is invalid.

The issue is whether or not someone conveniently forgets to tell the clerk.

If Democrats wind up with 59 U.S. Senate seats on Election Day, they can still reach the magic filibuster-proof number of 60 if the new President appoints Republican Olympia Snowe to his cabinet. The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, would presumably appoint a fellow Democrat to serve until a November 2010 special election to fill the balance of Snowe's term.

WASHINGTON -- Maryland's Michael Steed played a prominent role in a nationally televised drama that featured high stakes political maneuvering that could help decide the next President of the United States.

Steed, of New Market, is a member of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee. Today four cable networks followed a day-long proceeding that decided whether or not to seat delegates from Florida and Michigan after those two states held primaries in violation of party rules.

Incumbents Wayne Gilchrest and Al Wynn are losing to their primary challengers as early returns come in on election night.

Gilchrest, a Republican, was losing to challenger Andy Harris 42 percent to 31 percent with 7 percent reporting.

For Wynn, a Democrat, the numbers were worse. With 11 percent of precincts reporting he trailed challenger Donna Edwards 55 percent to 42 percent.