Mo. splits tickets between GOP, Dems; presidential race too close to call

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As the nation tips toward Democrats, Missouri apparently still hangs in the balance.

Republican John McCain held a small lead Wednesday over Democratic president-elect Barack Obama in Missouri, bucking a national trend in which Obama turned red states blue while Democrats added to their majorities in Congress.

Yet Missourians gave a lopsided victory to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon and elected Democrats to the state's other two open executive offices, attorney general and treasurer.

McCain led Obama by 5,868 votes -- a difference of 0.2 percent -- out of more than 2.9 million cast, with all precincts reporting results. But the race was too close to call because more than 7,000 provisional ballots remained outstanding.

Obama made an effort to focus on Republican areas with phone calls, canvassers and personal campaign appearances, but carried just six of those counties.

That's in contrast to the gubernatorial race, where Democrat Nixon made huge strides in Republican areas. He carried 70 of the state's 116 voting jurisdictions, including dozens of rural counties.

Missouri Republicans did increase their majority in the Senate and held on to power in the House.

Going into the election, Republicans held 92 of the 163 seats in the House, where it takes 82 to control the chamber. Half of the 34-member state Senate also was up for election, where the GOP held a 20-14 advantage.

In unofficial results from Tuesday's elections, the GOP appears to have added three Senate seats, which would give them a veto-proof 23-11 majority, and dropped three House seats, giving them an 89-74 margin.