RELATED: VIDEOS: Scott Brown shows Republicans how to win in “liberal” states

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POLITICO: Coakley concedes

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Senator Jim Webb puts out a statement that puts the notion of a quick Senate vote out of reach and pretty much makes a certification fight moot:

In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.

And good luck getting Lieberman to vote for cloture this week anyway.

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THE BOSTON TEA PARTY... (99% of precincts counted)
52% SCOTT BROWN (R) 1,153,808
47% MARTHA COAKLEY (D)D: 1,052,391

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Updated at 5:15PM HST / 10:15PM EST

52% SCOTT BROWN (R) 1,106,823
47% MARTHA COAKLEY (D)D: 0,997,244

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Updated at 4:35PM HST / 9:35PM EST

52% SCOTT BROWN (R): 0,962,149
47% MARTHA COAKLEY (D): 0,858,376

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Updated at 4:26PM HST / 9:26PM EST

SCOTT BROWN (R): 0,843,516 53%

MARTHA COAKLEY (D): 0,736,627 46%

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Updated at 3:52 pm HST / 8:52PM EST 36% reporting

Scott Brown (R): 52% (407,727)

Martha Coakley (D): 47% (365,672)

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AP: GOP's Brown holds steady lead in Mass. Senate race

The election transformed reliably Democratic Massachusetts into a battleground state. One day shy of the first anniversary of Obama's swearing-in, the election played out amid a backdrop of animosity and resentment from voters over persistently high unemployment, industry bailouts, exploding federal budget deficits and partisan wrangling over health care.

For weeks considered a long-shot, Brown rode that wave of bitterness to draw even with Coakley in the final stretch of the campaign. Surveys showed his candidacy energized Republicans, including backers of the grass-roots "tea party" movement, while attracting disappointed Democrats and independents uneasy with where they felt the nation was heading.

Though he wasn't on the ballot, the president was on many voters' minds.

"I voted for Obama because I wanted change. ... I thought he'd bring it to us, but I just don't like the direction that he's heading," said John Triolo, 38, a registered independent who voted in Fitchburg….

Fears about spending drove Karla Bunch, 49, to vote for Brown. "It's time for the country, for the taxpayers, to take back their money," she said….

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