PHOTO GALLERY: Election Day brings defeat or victory to candidates

Drue Duncan, left, Caleb Jones and Alex Eaton share a laugh while talking about election results Tuesday evening at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Republican Kurt Schaefer hosted the election watch party at the hotel.   |  Stuart Palley

John Wright, left, Stephen Webber and Sharon Jones check election results at an election watch party Tuesday at Shakespeare's South. Democrats Wright and Webber were elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in Districts 47 and 46, respectively.   |  Marysa Greenawalt

Caleb Rowden talks on the phone to radio host David Lile of KFRU/1400 AM on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Rowden was on the radio talking about his successful race for state representative in Missouri's 44th District.   |  Emma Kessinger

Caleb Rowden thanks his wife during a speech on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center after winning the state representative seat in Missouri's 44th House District. Rowden attended Kurt Schaefer's watch party with other Republican candidates, including Fred Berry and Mitch Richards.   |  Emma Kessinger

John Wright, right, and his father, John Riddick, embrace after Wright was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives at an election watch party at Shakespeare's Pizza in southern Columbia. Wright, a Democrat, was elected to represent Missouri House District 47.   |  Marysa Greenawalt

Mitch Richards, center, state representative candidate in the 47th District, works with Ethan Robinett, left, and Matthew Akins, right, to look up election projections Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Richards lost the office to Democratic challenger John Wright.   |  Rachel English

Stephen Webber announces his and John Wright's victories at an election watch party at Shakespeare's Pizza in southern Columbia. Webber was elected for his third term as state representative, and Wright was elected to his first term as state representative.   |  Marysa Greenawalt

Matthew Akins, left, and Brian Richards wait patiently as Republican candidate Mitch Richards calls to check on results from various counties Tuesday at the Republican watch party at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Mitch Richards went on to lose to Democratic challenger John Wright by seven points in a race that often turned heated.   |  Benjamin Hoste

Fred Berry and wife, Sherry, watch the election results on his phone Tuesday night at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Berry lost the race for state representative for the 46th District to Stephen Webber.   |  Alli Inglebright

Senator Kurt Schaefer invites his family to join him on stage for his victory speech Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia. Schaefer beat out Democratic challenger Rep. Mary Still by 13 points to become the first Republican senator to win re-election in the 19th District.   |  Benjamin Hoste

Mary Still sits while talking on the phone with KBIA as reporter Kellie Stanfield looks on Tuesday outside Broadway Brewery. At the time, 1 percent of the precincts had been reported, and Still had 48 percent of the votes while opponent Kurt Schaefer had 52 percent. Schaefer went on to win the race.   |  Kayla Kauffman

Sen. Kurt Schaefer talks with supporters shortly after giving his victory speech Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Schaefer beat out Democratic challenger Rep. Mary Still by 13 points to become the first Republican senator to win re-election in the 19th District.   |  Benjamin Hoste

Judy Larose, left, and Janet Thompson, the newly elected Northern Boone County Commissioner, watch as results from the 2012 general election are broadcast on MSNBC on Tuesday at The Blue Note. Thompson said her win was a surprise but she felt "amazing" because of it. "I show horses, and you learn that even if you think you had a great ride, nothing is certain until the judging is completely over," said Thompson, a Democrat.   |  Bobby Watson

Karen Miller, bottom center, cheers with her partner, David Brown, front, and the crowd when President Obama's re-election is announced Tuesday night at The Blue Note. Miller won re-election in the Boone County Southern Commissioner election. It will be her seventh term.   |  Yi-Chin Lee

47th District candidate Mitch Richards holds a clipboard with election results from the counties comprising his district on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Richards lost the office to Democratic candidate John Wright.   |  Rachel English