When John Dougherty walked into Hotel Congress tonight it was like Paris Hilton walked into your brother's eighth grade gym class - he was the Dem celebrity.

After pushing through the crowd to get to the podium, he said, "We're going to be around for more races in the future."

He said he'd consider running for U.S. Congress, as well as another turn for U.S. Senate.

"For too long folks we've been ignored ... money has been stolen from the middle class."

Then the Hotel Congress sea parted, and Dougherty tried to make his way to the lobby. Elvis, er, Paris, has left the gym.

The Arizona Republic just called the race.

That's what Democratic candidate Rodney Glassman just told the crowd over here at Hotel Congress. Yes, what is now looking like John McCain's challenger, left the Maverick, where his campaign party is taking place, to join his fellow Dems.

"This is going to be a tough race, because we are going to go up against a U.S. Senator that just spent $20 million to win this primary - $20 million that did not come from working Arizonans," Glassman said.

"We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again," he said about his challenger. "But this race is not going to be about Republican and Democrats as much as John McCain. ... When I believe in the woman's right to choose, while John McCain doesn't believe that even in cases of rape or incest ..."

"We have Arizonans excited about something new, about something different," Glassman said.

Now this was the interesting part - think it's a new kind of volunteer Glassman has here - a Stepford volunteer. He ended his speech saying he and his volunteers want to make this the "greatest state to live, work and raise a family."

The volunteers repeated live, work and raise a family. John Dougherty is up - stay tuned.

With about 20 people standing behind her holding Giffords placards, U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords told the Dems at Hotel Congress tonight that the race against her opponent, which is looking tonight like it's going to be Republican Jesse Kelly, is going to be about values.

"They don't reflect the values of Arizona," Giffords remarked about all the CD 8 Republican candidates.

"My values are right here in the room with me," she said, looking at her mother and father. "I was so fortunate to be raised by two down to earth people."

Giffords said she's concerned about Republican attacks on health care, public education and senior citizens.

"I think we need to be working to help middle class families, not working against them by cutting taxes for the most wealthy 2 percent," Giffords said.

"Are we going to continue to bicker and say no, or reach across ... We may not agree but we have to do what's right for the people of Arizona."

• Photo by: Aleksa Brown

• Photo by: Aleksa Brown

Vic Williams is holding a steady lead in the Legislative District 26 House Republican primary, and far-right Republican Terri Proud has a 1,000 vote lead over more moderate Wade McLean. Both are in high spirits tonight at Mr. An's restaurant.

"We started this campaign on the ground running and we've just been running ever since," Proud says. "Obviously the results are showing that."

She says she's ready to take out Democratic state Representative Nancy Young Wright.

Williams cautiously says he's ready to go back to the Capitol.

"We'll see what happens," he says. "It's a little early to call at this point in time, but I'm feeling good."

• Photo by: Aleksa Brown

Ruth McClung is way ahead of perennial candidate Joe Sweeney in the CD7 Republican primary, capturing more than 50 percent of the vote so far.

"It's over already as far as I'm concerned," Sweeney says.

Always persistent, Sweeney has already committed to the 2012 race.

Ruth McClung says the days of Sweeney are over.

"Joe Sweeney didn't represented me as a Republican, ever," she says. "And I'm glad he is no longer representing this party in this district."

She believes she'll get crossover support in her uphill battle against Grijalva.

"I'm stealing from his base because I have many Democratic supporters as well," she says.

We caught up with Republican Randy Graf, who lost to Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in 2006, at Jesse Kelly's victory party this evening.

Graf says that Kelly "has a lot to look forward to," but doesn't expect the same type of party fractures that resulted when he won a contested primary in 2006.

"This is a whole different environment," Graf says. "The dynamics are night and day. The resistance we met won't be here this go-round. Nothing from 2006 applies to 2010. This is virgin territory."

We just spoke to state Sen. Frank Antenori, who is cruising to an easy win over former state lawmaker Marian McClure.

"It's a mandate," Antenori says. "It's a resounding message from voters in LD30."

Antenori says voters made a clear choice between him and a big-spending McClure.

"I think the era of big-government Republicans is over—and if I have anything to say about it, it is," he says.

• Photo by: Aleksa Brown

Former state lawmaker Jonathan Paton, who is trailing Jesse Kelly by more than 10 percentage points, isn't pouting.

"You can't always win everything and the people are always right—regardless of what they decide," he says.

Although there are still a lot of votes left to count before the Republican nomination is a sure thing in CD8, Paton thanked his supporters and voters and said if he loses he will back Jesse Kelly.

"Whoever wins this primary, we're going to be supporting that person in defeating Gabrielle Giffords," he says.

• Photo by: Aleksa Brown

Governor Jan Brewer made a trip to the Old Pueblo tonight to celebrate her victory. After signing SB1070 and dropping all the other candidates like flies, Brewer has an easy night ahead of her capturing the GOP nomination.

We caught her on her way out and asked if we could expect any debates between her and Terry Goddard before the general election.

"Well we certainly are going to do the clean Election Debate," she says. "And, you know, we'll get through tonight and determine and do our strategy and see who is and isn't available. The bottom line is: Everybody knows who Jan Brewer is. I think everyone knows who Terry Goddard is."

The election night fiesta hosted by the Pima County Democratic Party at Hotel Congress is a crowded mess, with the most applause so far this evening going to Republican Jesse Kelly's lead over Jonathan Paton. The crowd is getting ready to greet U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who is expected to address her fellow Dems any minute. The night is a little behind schedule, but most of the results on the state website are early ballots, anyway.

Phil Lopes, who spoke on behalf of state Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, said Arizona has suffered the loss of 400,000 jobs, and while Gov. Jan Brewer boasts that she has created 25,000 jobs, it isn't enough.

"We can do the math, we need a change," Lopes said.

Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias told the crowd that "we can talk about all the hatred they've spread, but it's up to Democrats to heal Arizona. That's what we are going to have to do—heal Arizona."

Pima County Democratic Party Chair Jeff Rogers noted that U.S. Congressman Raul Grijalva could have Ruth McClung as his Republican challenger since she is in the lead, but that "our perennial favorite, Joe Sweeney is behind."