Blanche Lincoln Wins Arkansas Nail-Biter

Embattled Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln won a razor-tight race in Arkansas tonight, surviving a union-backed challenger as well as a strong anti-establishment tide in her runoff. Lincoln had been considered among the country's most vulnerable senators, as groups to her right and left criticized votes on proposed changes to the national health care system. With about 80% of returns counted, Lincoln had 51.8%, to 48.2% for Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.

Lincoln, a two-term moderate, was thrown into a runoff three weeks ago when she fell short of a majority in the primary. "There are very few who come out on the battleground and dare to say, 'Where is the common ground? Where do we solve these problems?' One of the reasons I've been beat up is I've gotten out of that foxhole. I'm out here in the middle," she said after voting in Little Rock. She will face Republican Rep. John Boozman in the fall in a race that the GOP has made one of its top targets. (More Blanche Lincoln stories.)