WEST VIRGINIA: Teabagger John Raese Tied With Gov. Joe Manchin

In the special election to replace the late Sen. Robert Byrd, Tea Party-endorsed West Virginia GOP head John Raese is tied with Gov. Joe Manchin. Raese's wife is the founder and president of Conservative Women of West Virginia. Raese poses on his campaign site with a rifle slung over his shoulder, vowing to fight gun control, overturn Roe Vs. Wade, stop stem-cell research, and "repeal Obamacare."

RELATED: Three Senate seats are up for grabs in special elections this term: Illinois, West Virginia, and Delaware. State law requires that the winners be seated in the Senate immediately, meaning that should the GOP take any or all of those seats, Harry Reid's lame duck session could easily be completely blocked from considering items such as another run at the repeal of DADT.