Palin: My Comments About The Country Of Africa Were "Taken Out Of Context"
Sarah Palin is defending herself from the allegation that she thought Africa was a single country, and not a continent: "If there are allegations based on questions or comments I made in debate prep about NAFTA -- about the continent versus the country when we talk about Africa there -- then those were taken out of context." Note: There is no such country that is simply called "Africa."

McCain To Do Post-Election Appearance With Leno
John McCain will do his first post-defeat TV appearance on Jay Leno, going a similar route as Bob Dole's 1996 appearances on comedy shows in order to give the public a positive and light-hearted image. McCain will stop by the show on Tuesday, in honor of Veteran's Day.

Bill Ayers Speaks: McCain And Palin Lost Points From Attacking Me
In a new essay for In These Times, Bill Ayers comments on how his past associations with Barack Obama became a spectacle in this election. "The good news was that every time McCain or Palin mentioned my name, they lost a point or two in the polls," Ayers writes. "The cartoon invented to hurt Obama was now poking holes in the rapidly sinking McCain-Palin ship."

GOP Rep. Reichert Narrowly Wins Re-Election
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) has been projected the winner in his rematch against 2006 Democratic opponent Darcy Burner, who has now conceded the race. With 81% of votes counted, Reichert leads by a 52%-48% margin, and the remaining votes are not likely to change the situation significantly.

Goode's Opponent Declares Victory, But Recount Looms
Tom Perriello, the Democratic challenger against right-wing Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), has declared victory with current results showing him ahead by 745 votes out of over 316,000 total votes cast. Goode has not conceded, and a recount is likely to occur, which would delay an official verdict on the race for several weeks.

Democrats Pick Up GOPer Gilchrest's Seat In Maryland
Democrats have picked up a deep-red House seat in Maryland, with Democrat Frank Kratovil defeating Republican Andy Harris by a narrow margin. Harris won the Republican nomination in a primary challenge against the incumbent moderate GOP Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, who then turned around after his defeat and campaigned for Kratovil.

McCain Headed To Georgia For Chambliss
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) will be getting some major help in his upcoming runoff against Dem challenger Jim Martin: John McCain, who carried Georgia 52%-47%, and will be coming to the state to campaign for Chambliss' re-election. The runoff could potentially have lower turnout than the November election, so it will become all about which party can better energize and bring out its base.

Chambliss Uses 9/11 Imagery In New Ad
Check out this ad from Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), as he heads into his December runoff against Democrat Jim Martin:

"When our country was under attack, we trusted Saxby Chambliss," the announcer says to images of 9/11. What's next -- will Chambliss redo his old ads from 2002 tying Dem incumbent Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden, and just Photoshop in Jim Martin?

Here's today's rundown on the Congressional races: The momentum so far today seems to be with the Dems, with some decent poll numbers and strong ad campaigns.

Stevens Tries To Get Ads Against Him Pulled
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) has called upon local TV and radio stations to stop running DSCC ads that attack him for getting an unreasonably good deal on a car thanks to a wealthy donor, and for steering private consultant jobs to his son Ben. Only a few stations honored his complaints that the ads are deceptive, but even they are once more continuing to run them.

Poll: Dems Winning Both Congressional Races In Deep-Red Alaska
A new Research 2000 poll has the Dems winning both the Senate and House races in Alaska, despite the presence of Gov. Sarah Palin on the national ticket. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich is beating Sen. Ted Stevens by a 50%-44% margin, and former state Rep. Ethan Berkowitz is beating scandal-plagued GOP Rep. Don Young by a 53%-39% margin, with a ±4% margin of error.

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Here's something you practically never see: A retiring member of Congress endorse and campaign for the nominee of the opposite party. But that is exactly what's happening in the open deep-red House district of GOP Rep. Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland -- and it could help put this big pick-up opportunity within the reach of the Dems.

Gilchrest, a moderate Republican who turned against the Iraq War, was defeated for renomination this past February by right-wing GOPer Andy Harris. So now he's turned around and cut this ad for Democratic nominee Frank Kratovil:

"I love this place we call home," Gilchrest says. "It's more important to me than partisanship."

One question: Is Gilchrest's hometown a place called Revenge?

Besides the high-profile presidential primaries tonight, Maryland was also home to two highly-contested Congressional primaries, pitting moderate incumbents against intra-party challengers.

On the Democratic side, Rep. Al Wynn was facing a rematch against attorney and social activist Donna Edwards, who only lost to Wynn by three points in an anti-war challenge in 2006. With 39% reporting, Edwards is way ahead of Wynn at 59%-36%.

On the Republican side, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, who has turned against the Iraq War and now votes with the Democrats, was up against two opponents: State Sen. Andy Harris, who has the backing of former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, and state Sen. E.J. Pipkin, the 2004 nominee for U.S. Senate. With 38% reporting, Gilchrest is also in trouble — Harris has 42%, Gilchrest 33%, and Pipkin 22%.

We'll keep you posted on these races as more results come in.

Late Update: With 51% reporting, the Associated Press has projected Donna Edwards the winner over Al Wynn — and apparently by a landslide. In Gilchrest's district, Harris leads 41%-35% with 74% of precincts in. No projection has yet been made, but it's not looking good for the incumbent here.

Late Late Update: Harris has been projected the winner over Gilchrest.

The primary field against Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), who has attracted conservative ire for voting with the Democrats on Iraq, just got bigger. Wealthy state Senator E.J. Pipkin, who took 34% as the party's U.S. Senate nominee in 2004, has joined the field along with Gilchrest himself and state Senator Andy Harris.

Pipkin's candidacy might actually split the anti-Gilchrest vote, helping the incumbent. On the other hand, Pipkin has maintained a more moderate image like Gilchrest's, but to his right on the war — thus he might attract some of Gilchrest's own voters. Meanwhile, Gilchrest has his work cut out for him: Harris has racked up the support of all the other state senators in the district, except for Pipkin, and even has the support of former one-term Governor Robert Ehrlich.