Alexander and Cochran among Republican winners; Booker and Markey win for Democrats

WASHINGTON – Republicans are retaining Senate seats in Tennessee, Mississippi, Maine and Oklahoma.

Lamar Alexander won a third-term in Tennessee after branding Democrat Gordon Ball as “one more vote for Barack Obama’s agenda.” In Oklahoma, Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe was re-elected, while Rep. James Lankford won the election to replace Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, who is resigning.

In Mississippi, Thad Cochran, who endured a tough primary, won re-election. And Susan Collins won a fourth Senate term from Maine.

Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey and Democrat Cory Booker in New Jersey each won a first full term after winning special elections last year.

Earlier, Republicans picked up an additional Senate seat in West Virginia.

Tennessee voters re-elected Gov. Bill Haslam, while Republican Robert Bentley won a second term as governor of Alabama.