AP - Sen. Ted Stevens' election defeat marks the end of an era in which he held a commanding place in Alaska politics while wielding power on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

AP - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton drew about 18 million votes as a presidential candidate. But that doesn't necessarily count for much in the Senate, where seniority rules, and so far not in her favor.

AFP - Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the US Senate, looked set Wednesday to be ousted by voters after a graft scandal, boosting Democrat hopes of winning a filibuster-proof majority.

AP - Mark Begich had every candidate's fantasy — a seemingly unbeatable opponent who became embroiled in scandal at the height of the campaign.

AFP - Democrats edged closer to total dominance in the US Senate after their challenger ended the longest Republican career in the chamber's history by unseating corruption-tainted veteran Ted Stevens.

AP - City and county workers across Minnesota began a laborious recount Wednesday of more than 2.9 million ballots in the tight U.S. Senate contest between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

Reuters - Barack Obama has chosen former U.S. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle as his top official to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, two Democratic sources said on Wednesday.

AP - Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden says he plans to fulfill his National Guard duties and won't accept an appointment to his father's U.S. Senate seat.

AP - A Minnesota judge has granted a request by Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken for the release of information on voters whose absentee ballots were rejected.

AFP - President-elect Barack Obama has picked former Democratic Senate majority leader Tom Daschle as his future health and human services secretary, a Democratic official said Wednesday.

AP - Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Democratic officials said Wednesday.