Republicans have scored their first victories of the midterm election, with Tea Party-backed Rand Paul in Kentucky and former Sen. Dan Coats in Indiana declared winners in their respective Senate races shortly after polls closed.

Paul beat Kentucky state Attorney General Jack Conway after a bitter contest that delved into Paul's religion and made for some tense debates. Paul won despite a last-minute visit by former President Bill Clinton.

In Indiana, Coats beat Democratic Rep. Brad Ellsworth for the open seat left by retiring Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh.

The Indiana victory marked the first Senate pickup of the night for the Republican Party. The Kentucky Senate is currently held by a Republican, retiring Sen. Jim Bunning.

Elsewhere, Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy easily won his reelection race, as did South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, who faced off against Democrat Alvin Greene, an unemployed unknown who won his party's primary without campaigning. The race for governor in South Carolina is too close to call, with Republican Nikki Haley competing against Democrat Vincent Sheheen.

Republicans have a couple magic numbers in mind Tuesday night. They need 39 seats to seize a majority in the House; 10 to seize a majority in the Senate.

With the strength of the Tea Party movement at their backs, GOP candidates are hoping the enthusiasm of their supporters will help propel them to historic pickups in Congress and give them the leverage to put a check on the Obama administration's policies.

Though Democrats barnstormed into Congress in huge numbers over the past two cycles -- helped in no small part by President Obama's historic presidential run in 2008 -- frustration over the economy and far-reaching legislation passed under the current administration have fueled a crop of candidates vowing to bring a renewed model of small-government conservatism to Washington.

The most visible and vocal drivers of that political breed have been the Tea Party, which aggravated several GOP primary contests by backing non-establishment candidates who, in many cases, won. Election night stands as a test of that movement's strength.

But while the Obama administration rejects the description of Election Day as a referendum on the president's policies, Republican candidates say Tuesday night's returns will have everything to do with Obama.

Many of their candidates ran as much against Obama and the Democratic leaders in Congress as they did against their own opponents. Across the country, Republican nominees cast their Democratic foes as tools of the Obama administration, while Democrats returned fire by casting Republicans -- particularly those backed by the Tea Party -- as extreme.

Republican leaders have warned that victories on Tuesday do not necessarily translate to a mandate, and that they'll have to follow through on their promises to cut spending and rein in government to gain the voters' trust.

Thirty-seven governor's seats are also on the line Tuesday.

www.foxnews.com

That's bad news for Democrat's. Already one pickup!

Also 16 house races that were called only two went to the Democrats!

Republican's have 14 so far! So it's 14-2.

Jim DeMint was a gimme. I knew I didn't want to vote for Greene. I still don't understand how he won to be a candidate for this election. I threatened that if Greene won, I was moving from South Carolina. I guess I get to stay...in the meantime.

So far this pleases me!

The massive amount of money spent in the last week is doing the Democrats a little good. Looks like the republicans will only get four to six senate seats. The house looks like a blowout.

Rob Portman is (wonder if he is the reason we have that glorious vision known as Natalie to look at) projected to win Ohio.

Looks like we got Rubio too!

Even if the Dems hold the Senate they will have lost enough that moderate Dems will play a factor in that they will be more likely to cross the aisle. And its now 41-31 dems, reps are closing the gap.

I know the Republican's were really worried about the Senate Seat that Rand Paul was running for. That was one they thought would go to the Democrat's because Paul was polling really badly last week.

Well, we can court Liebermann and other Dems who are on the fence for 2012 and get them to switch sides maybe.

The only race I'm really interested in is one that's just out of my district and that's the one between McClung and greehalva. They're in a dead heat and we as a nation really need more people like McClung, she was laughed at by the GOP and was told she didn't stand a chance against a popular incumbent and over the last two polls that were taken she is dead even with him so the GOP offered her money for her campaign. She turned it down and said " I appreciate your offer to help, but I'm afraid your money comes with strings attached!"

Most likely.

I apologize for my state of Ky. We had to choose between a total a-hole or an aqua buddah. I am ashamed of my insane Ky brothers who has put an insane man in congress.

I am no fan of the Paul family at all, they are a family of Loons, but I am glad he won. He is the lesser of two evils.

We got Florida for sure!

Ron Paul is the only guy I would vote FOR and not just blacken the bubble next to his name to vote against someone.

In about 20 minutes or so we should ahve quite a few projections coming in, 16 states just closed.

Republican John Boozeman just retired Democrat Blanche Lincoln in the Senate!

I am so PO'd! Looks like Perry (Rep) is gonna be governor again!!

The Democraps are getting stomped right now!Obama must be in tears.

He's too busy being smug smelling his own farts right now to pay attention.