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Renee Montagne speaks with Republican strategist Ed Rogers and Democratic political analyst Dee Dee Myers about Tuesday's wins and losses, and about challenges facing the Republican Party.

The U.S. Senate is also expected to break a record: At least 19 female senators will serve this term — the most in history.

Analysts and reporters focused on the dip in optimism from the election four years ago. But at virtually no point did they appear to entertain the idea that President Obama may have won voters' trust on a personal level, identified policies that voters found appealing, or notched any worthwhile accomplishments.

After voting for Barack Obama in 2008, the state went for Mitt Romney Tuesday night. It also elected Republican Mike Pence as governor. There was an exception to the red tide that swept across the Hoosier state. Democrats picked up a Senate seat once held by outgoing Republican Richard Lugar.

Wisconsin voters chose the Obama ticket over their own native son Paul Ryan. And the state is sending the first openly gay senator to Washington: Tammy Baldwin defeated former Governor Tommy Thompson for the seat of retiring Senator Herb Kohl.

Voters in Washington state and Colorado approved ballot measures legalizing recreational marijuana use. In Colorado, the drug will be regulated like alcohol. Residents over 21 years old will be allowed up to an ounce of marijuana.

Ohio was supposed to be the pivotal battleground state for both presidential candidates until it wasn't. The vote in Ohio was squeaky close. But still many would argue it didn't decide the election.

The nation's economy has been rebuilding since the recession ended in 2009, and in this election, the economy was a central issue from the beginning. Unemployment stands at 7.9 percent — slightly higher than when President Obama took office. In the end, the president handily rolled to re-election vowing to complete the country's recovery.

One-third of Senate seats were up for election. Republicans lost seats in Massachusetts and Indiana. And Democrats withstood hard-fought challenges to seats they have controlled since 2007 in Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin and Connecticut.

November 7 has arrived — the election is over but political debates continue. Steve Inskeep talks to conservative columnist David Frum and pollster Mark Mellman about election night results. Frum is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Mellman is CEO of the Mellman Group.