The 2010 mid-term election promises to be one of the most closely watched contests in recent history, and restaurateurs have much reason to pay attention. The outcomes could shape issues of key interest to the industry for years to come.

Nation’s Restaurant News is helping operators follow and understand the results through live coverage of races and initiatives.

The thread can be read chronologically from the bottom up, as guest blogger Peter Romeo calls the action from the time of poll closures to late-night victory speeches. All times are EST.

1:20 a.m. -- Ohio

With Republicans almost certain to wrest more than 50 U.S. House seats from Democrats, the restaurant industry will have seen an alumnus rise to one of the highest offices in the land. John Boehner, the heir apparent to the Speaker of the House job, grew up working in his parents’ pub in Ohio, mopping floors and waiting on customers. As he grew, so did his responsibilities for making the business a success.

In his victory speech tonight, Boehner recalled his days as an entrepreneur and pledged to use his post to help small businesses create more jobs.

Once a restaurateur, always a restaurateur.

12:30 a.m. -- South Carolina

In a stunning upset, Salsarita's operator Mick Mulvaney has beaten Democratic incumbent John Spratt to take the U.S. House seat for the 5th District. He beat Spratt, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, by 10 percentage points. That's technically known as a route. 

12:07 a.m. -- Massachusetts

An initiative to cut the state sales tax to 3% from the current level of 6.25% has been defeated by voters, according to local media reports. Fifty-seven percent of ballots were reportedly cast against the proposal. Analysts on the scene say voters were worried that the drop in revenues would cut deeply into the state's education spending.

11:56 p.m. -- Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Restaurant Association will almost certainly get its wish in the race for governor. Scott Walker, whom the WRA endorsed, is 19 percentage points ahead of his Democratic opponent. 

Meanwhile, pundits are attributing the defeat of longtime Sen. Russ Feingold in part to his support of the Obama Administration on health care reform, yet another indication that the law may be revisited by the next Congress.

11:52 p.m. -- Oklahoma

Dan Boren, who owned two Roly Poly quick-service wrap restaurants when he was voted into the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, will be heading back to his desk in Congress. He outdrew his challenger by 14 percentage points.

Boren was one of only 20 Democrats to break with his party and vote against the omnibus health care reform bill. Indeed, he voted "nay" both times the measure was put to a vote in the House.

11:38 p.m. -- California

Former drugs czar William Bennett was asked on CNN for his opinion on Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana in California. Bennett's position: "California doesn't need to get any dopier."

11:30 p.m. -- Kentucky

John Yarmuth, whose family owns the Sonny's Bar-B-Q chain, has won a second term as the U.S. Representative from the 3rd District. 

His brother Bob is CEO of the regional chain, and his cousin Jeff is president and COO. It's unclear if John is still an investor in the Sonny's, though he was when he was first voted into the House, in 2008.

Yarmuth, a Democrat, whipped his Republican opponent, 55% to 44%.

11:08 p.m. -- Connecticut

If the strong showing by Republicans had stoked industry hopes of seeing a frequent antagonist swept out of office, here's a reality check. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, one of the most outspoken advocates of paid sick leave, is trouncing her challengers for the 3rd District seat.

DeLauro was also an early and loud advocate of menu labeling, and has generally fought the industry on employer and business mandates.

10:45 p.m. -- Colorado 

John Hickenlooper, the casual-restaurant operator who's running for governor, is far ahead of all five competitors for the post, though votes are still being tabulated. 

His victory would not only put an industry colleague in a high-profile position, but also raise hopes that that opposition to immigration reform may be waning. Hickenlooper was painted by his rivals as being pro-reform, as is the restaurant industry in general. 

Then again, nationwide results thus far show a clear shift to the right. Immigration adjustments favored by the industry would likely be more difficult to push through on a federal basis. 

Hickenlooper current day job is serving as mayor of Denver.

10:24 p.m. -- Restaurants get a friend in a high place

With the Republicans taking over the House, the restaurant industry could have a strong ally heading the mighty Budget Committee. The chairmanship would now shift to Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who has proven himself an advocate for the small business community.

Ryan has been particularly outspoken in his opposition to health care reform law, a monumental piece of legislation that has many restaurants fretting. Because of his opposition, Ryan was named the International Franchise Association's 2010 Legislator of the Year in the House.

10:21 p.m. -- A glimpse at the national picture

CNN has just projected that the Republicans will take over the U.S. House of Representatives, with the Democrats losing as many as 50 seats.

10:01 p.m. -- New York 

As the junior U.S. Senator from the Empire State, Kristen Gillibrand latched onto a reform of the federal food-safety network as one of her issues. Time will tell if she continues to push for those improvements, which also have the support of many in the restaurant industry. Gillibrand, who'd been appointed to her post by Gov. David Paterson to take Hillary Clinton's seat, has just been elected to the job. 

9:53 p.m. -- Elsewhere on the political scene ...

Meanwhile, Ohio’s secretary of state announced yesterday that she’s appointed an investor to look into the vote-Republican directive that a 12-unit McDonald’s franchisee included in employees’ pay envelopes. Siegfried Enterprises reportedly urged the staffers to cast their votes for gubernatorial candidate John Kasich, U.S. Senate aspirant Rob Portman, and Congressional candidate Jim Renacci, all of who are Republicans. The letter stated that the election of the three would “help our business move forward.”

McDonald’s Corp. was apparently doing some damage control yesterday on Twitter. "We respect our employees' right to vote," the franchisor posted. "Everyone should make his or her own choice." 

 9:31 p.m. -- Arkansas

Because of Blanche Lincoln's staunch support of extending the estate-tax adjustment that expires this year, the longtime Democratic senator was named the International Franchise Association's 2010 Legislator of the Year in the Senate. But it looks as if restaurants and other industries abounding in  family run businesses will loose that ally on the so-called death tax. Lincoln was defeated by Republican John Boozman. 

 9:03 p.m. -- South Carolina

One of the restaurateurs running for office this election is Mick Mulvaney, the operator of a Salsarita's Mexican restaurant. He's currently running behind Democratic incumbent John Spratt in the race for the 5th District House of Representatives seat, 46 percent to 54 percent. 

Because Spratt is chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee, the race is a closely watched one. Many of the analysts have cited it as a bellwether of how the Democratic Party is likely to fare tonight.

For the restaurant industry, having one of its own in Congress is of course a big plus. 

Other members of the fold running for office are Bobby Schilling, who's vying to represent Illinois in the House; John Yarmuth, an investor in the Sonny's Bar-B-Q chain, who's up for re-election in Kentucky; and, in one of the bigger races involving restaurateurs, John Hickenlooper, who's running for governor. Hickenlooper is currently the mayor of Denver.

8:56 p.m. -- Kentucky

The results are starting to pour in, though it's hard to hear the numbers because of all the commentary about Rand Paul's victory in Kentucky's senate race. Paul has been the poster boy for the Tea Party, which has prompted the commentators to hail this as the start of a rout by conservatives and Republicans.