The associated press has called the U.S. Senate race for Pat Toomey. Read tomorrow's Daily Times for a story from the crestfallen Sestak camp.

As of 11: 55 p.m. Tuesday, here are more recent numbers from the 7th:

Early ballot results for Delaware County showed that Meehan had 94,111 votes; Lentz had 77,829 votes; Schneller had 1,734 votes.

Early ballot results for Chester County showed that Meehan had 20,466 votes; Lentz had 12,502 votes; Schneller had 381 votes.

Early ballot results for Montgomery County showed that Meehan had 18,569 votes; Lentz had 15,883 votes; and Schneller had 520 votes.

All election results are unofficial until certified by the Boards of Election in each county.

         

Republican Pat Meehan, a former U.S. attorney and Delaware County district attorney, took the lead in the hotly-contested 7^th Congressional District race late Tuesday night, according to the unofficial election results.

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” said Meehan while looking out into a crowd at the Springfield Country Club. “What a wonderful evening, what a wonderful victory.”

“This win belongs to you,” said Meehan to his supporters.

Meehan, a Drexel Hill resident, said he received a “gracious” call from his Democratic opponent, state Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161, of Swarthmore. Meehan said he respected Lentz, a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and Iraq War veteran, for his service to this country.

“I’m very grateful for (Lentz’s) very dignified call this evening,” Meehan said, adding that they shared the same hopes for improving this country.

Meehan, Lentz  and third-party conservative candidate Jim Schneller fought for the seat left open by U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont, who ran for U.S. Senate against former U.S. Congressman Pat Toomey, a Republican from Zionsville. The 7^th Congressional District race consists mainly of Delaware County and parts of Chester and Montgomery counties.

Early ballot results for Delaware County showed that Meehan had 92,635 votes; Lentz had 76, 625 votes; Schneller had 1,711 votes.

Early ballot results for Chester County showed that Meehan had 11,832 votes; Lentz had 6,638 votes; Schneller had 200 votes.

Early ballot results for Montgomery County showed that Meehan had 14,381 votes; Lentz had 12,356 votes; and Schneller had 395 votes.

All election results are unofficial until certified by the Boards of Election in each county.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey continues to strecth his lead over Democrat Joseph Sestak in unofficial returns.
With almost 91 percent of precincts reporting, Toomey had a 32,000 vote lead, picking up a full percentage point, 50.5 to 49.5 over Sestak.

UPDATE, 11:12:
With 93.3 percent reporting, Toomey now has 36,000 votes over Sestak.

UPDATE, 11:14:
95.5 percent of the vote is in and Toomey has a nearly 50,000 vote lead. He is pulling ahead 50.7 percent to Sestak's 49.3 percent.

With only about 8 percent of the vote in, U.S. Rep. Joseph Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont, has taken an early 83k to 44k lead over Republican Pat Toomey for the Pa. Senate seat of Arlen Specter

UPDATE, 9:10:
Toomey is closing the gap as more machines report in. Now 295k to 195k with 21 percent of the votes in,

UPDATE, 9:38:
41 percent in and Sestak continues to lead 54-46

UPDATE, 9:42
Toomey starting the narrow the gap, Sestak still up 53-47

UPDATE 10:10
Almost 70 percent of the vote in and the numbers are still holding in Sestak's favor, 51.7 to 48.4. People at the Radnor Hotel, where Sestak is watching the returns in a room upstairs, are starting to pull their hair out and yell, "What have we done?!"

UPDATE, 10:17
The gap has narrowed with almost 75 percent in. Sestak is now only leading by 64k votes.

UPDATE, 10:30
Toomey has narrowed it to within half a percentage point with 82 percent of machine reporting statewide. Sestak leads 50.2 to 49.8 percent.

UPDATE, 10:34:
Toomey takes the lead for the first time, 51.1 percent to 49.9 percent. The mood here has suddenly soured perceptibly.

UPDATE, 10:40
Toomey stretches his lead to 14,000 with 85 percent of machines reporting.

UPDATE, 10:52:

 Toomey continues to lead 50.3 to 49.7 percent with nearly 90 percent of machines reporting. He's now up 19,000 votes.

By DANIELLE LYNCH

dlynch@delcotimes.com

RIDLEY – With less than an hour left before the polls close, Bryan Lentz, the Democratic candidate in the 7^th Congressional District race, continues to greet voters and encourage them to vote.

            “I feel good about my campaign,” said Lentz, a two-term state representative. “I think I ran on important issues.”

            Lentz said he has hosted over 100 public events and his team has knocked on thousands of doors.

            If Lentz loses, he said he plans to spend a lot of time with his family and practice law. Similar to his Republican opponent, Pat Meehan, Lentz said it’s too early to say whether he’d run again in 2012.

            “Everyone should vote,” said Lentz, while standing outside a poll at Woodlyn Elementary School just before 7 p.m. “It shouldn’t be about individual candidates winning or losing.

            “Everyone should participate and make their voices heard about the direction of the country.”

By DANIELLE LYNCH

dlynch@delcotimes.com

CONCORD – With less than three hours before the polls close, Pat Meehan, the Republican candidate in the 7^th Congressional District race, recently stopped at a phone-banking event at the Concordville Inn.

            “Three more hours and we’re pushing to the end,” said Meehan at about 5 p.m. “So many of you have been working on this for months. I just want to express to each and every one of you my deep gratitude.”

            In an interview after his talk to the phone- banking group, Meehan said he was pleased with the work his campaign has done the past year. He said the campaign has been an “extension of people’s frustration with what is going on in Washington D.C.”

            If he loses, Meehan, a former U.S. attorney and Delaware County district attorney, said he will continue to work as a partner at a “top boutique law firm” in Philadelphia.

            “But that’s not an issue I intend to deal with,” he said. “I expect to come home virtuous.”

            Today, Meehan spent time at polls throughout the 7^th Congressional District, which consists mainly of Delaware County and portions of Chester and Montgomery counties.

            Meehan said he has a genuine appreciation for the people who have given their time to work on his campaign and make phone calls.

            “I hope they see a part of themselves in me,” he said. “Their efforts are a part of my fortunes.”

            With less than three hours to go, Meehan encouraged people to hit the polls. “It’s your final opportunity to have your voice heard,” he said.

            “I will bring a fresh, independent voice to Washington,” he said. “I will fight for jobs and fight for a strong, predictable economy. We have to get Americans back to work so we can regain our unquestioned position as the greatest country in the world.”

            Meehan is running against Democratic candidate state Rep. Bryan Lentz and third-party conservative candidate Jim Schneller.

            Lynch will be meeting up with Lentz soon, so check back for updates.