Women picked up one more Senate seat in this year’s elections, as the Democrats gained five seats in that chamber, and also made historic gains in the house.

The result of four key Senate races are still out, so it’s unclear whether Democrats would reach their goal of capturing 60 seats there.

As for female victories, in New Hampshire, former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen defeated Republican incumbent John Sununu in a rematch of their 2002 contest, to bring the total number of women in the Senate to 17.

In North Carolina, incumbent Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole was upset by state Sen. Kay Hagan, a former Presbyterian Sunday School teacher who, in the waning days of the election, was attacked by Dole for taking “godless money” and was linked to an atheist group. Hagan sued.

"What we were able to accomplish in a little more than a year is a testament to how hungry people are for change," Hagan told a victory rally in Greensboro.

Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, the only serious GOP target, won her re-election over Republican state treasurer John Kennedy. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine easily won re-election as well.

Democrats will lose Obama and Sen. Joe Biden, D-DE. Democratic governors in Illinois and Delaware are sure to appoint Democrats to replace them.

House Races

In the House, Democrats took over 13 seats – including the last remaining Republican seat in New England, held by Rep. Chris Shays, R-CT, for 22 years.

"The American people have called for a new direction. They have called for change in America," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA.

Democrats unseated 12 Republican incumbents and captured nine open GOP seats, capitalizing on the 29 Republican departures. Republicans beat four Democratic incumbents.

With fewer than a dozen races undecided, AP reports, Democrats won 251 and were leading for another five. Republicans had won 171 and were leading in six. If those trends held, Democrats could have a net gain of 20 seats. And Republicans were on track for their smallest numbers since 1994.

In terms of women in the House:

-Kathy Dahlkemper, a 50-year-old mother of five, toppled GOP Rep. Phil English in a swing district of rural communities and old industrial steel towns in Pennsylvania’s northwest corner.

-Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-MN, was able to fend off a challenge by El Tinklenberg in the race for the 6th District. Bachmann appeared unbeatable until her fateful appearance on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” during which she said Obama and his associates may have “anti-American views.” Money flooded her opponent’s coffers after that. As she declared victory, there was a sign onstage that read: "Nice try Chris Matthews.”

-In a heavily military district around Hampton Roads, VA, Rep. Thelma Drake, R-VA, lost to Democrat Glenn Nye, who had been a foreign service officer in Aghanistan and Iraq.

-In Florida, GOP Rep. Tom Feeney was beaten by former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas.

-Democratic businesswoman Betsy Markey in Colorado unseated conservative GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

-In the Las Vegas suburbs, veteran state legislator Dina Titus beat Republican incumbent Rep. Jon Porter.

-In Illinois, the state Senate majority leader, Democrat Debbie Halvorson, won a seat formerly held by retiring GOP Rep. Jerry Weller.

-In Kansas Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda lost her Topeka-based seat to Lynn Jenkins, the GOP state treasurer.

-New Hampshire’s Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter won easy re-election.

-Former five-term Republican Rep. Anne Northup couldn’t mount a comeback in Louisville, KY, against incumbent Rep. John Yarmuth, a Democrat.