Democrat Governors Do Well

With 34 percent of the vote counted, Minner, the state's lieutenant governor, had 59 percent of the vote to 40 percent for Republican John Burris.

In New Hampshire, where the state's education funding crisis dominated the campaign, Shaheen had 49 percent of the vote to former U.S. Sen. Gordon Humphrey's 44 percent, with 32 percent of the vote in.

In Indiana, Democrat Frank O'Bannon beat challenger David MacIntosh. With 65 percent of the vote in, O'Bannon had 57 percent and MacIntosh 42 percent.

In Vermont, Democrat Gov. Howard Dean, 52, appears to be well on his way to his fifth two-year term, defeating Republican Ruth Dwyer, 42, a farmer and former state legislator from Thetford.

Dean had been sharply criticized for signing a homosexual "civil union" law. With 20 percent of the vote in, Dean was leading 52 percent to 37 percent.

In West Virginia, Republican Gov. Cecil Underwood was trailing nine-term Democrat congressman Robert Wise 42 percent to 54 percent, with 16 percent of the vote counted.

Republican John Hoeven was declared the winner over Democrat Heidi Heitkamp in the race for governor of North Dakota. The Voter News Service gives Hoeven a 60 percent to 40 percent lead with 2 percent of the vote counted.

In North Carolina, Attorney General Michael Easley, a Democrat, was declared the winner by VNS over Republican Richard Vinroot. With 49 percent of the vote, Easley had 54 percent to Vinroot's 45 percent.

In Missouri, with 11 percent of the vote in, the race was too close to call. State Treasurer Bob Holden held 48 percent of the vote, and GOP Rep. Jim Talent 50 percent in the race to replace the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, who was killed Oct. 16 while campaigning for the U.S. Senate.

In Utah, with just 1 percent counted, incumbent Republican Mike Leavitt appeared to be heading for his third term, with 60 percent of the votes to 35 percent for Rep. Bill Orton, a Democrat.

There are still no vote totals from Washington and Montana.

There are 11 governorships up for grabs, seven held by Democrats and four by Republicans. There are 30 Republican governors, 18 Democrats and two independents.

Copyright 2000 by United Press International. All rights reserved.