US mid-term elections: And the winners are..

Mid-term elections refer to general elections in the United States that are held two years after the Presidential elections. The 2010 US mid-term elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 37 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate were contested in this election besides numerous other state and local races.

This year's campaign was one that was full of surprises and was also the most expensive mid-term election campaign in the nation's history.

A Republican resurgence delivered defeats to Democrats from the Northeast to the South and across the Midwest in the US.

Nikki Haley of Republican party, who was contesting from South Carolina, won the seat and became the second person of Indian-origin to be a Governor of an American state.

Some of the issues highlighted by the candidates and voters in 2010 focused on national economic conditions and the economic policies of the Obama Administration, especially regarding bailouts, health care, taxes, and deficits, as well as corruption in government and terrorism.

Here's a look at some of the winners.

Indian-American Nikki Haley of Republican party scripted history in US politics by winning the governorship of South Carolina, becoming only the second person of Indian-origin to be a Governor of an American state. (AP Photo)

John A. Boehner, the House Republican leader, in an emotional moment at the victory gathering for the National Republican Congressional Committee in Washington. He declared that his party had taken control of the House of Representatives. (NYT Photo)

In Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Chris Gibson, a Republican, celebrated his victory over Representative Scott Murphy, the Democratic incumbent in New York's 20th Congressional District. (NYT Photo)

Republican-oriented independent groups helped level the playing field, including in Florida's 24th Congressional District, in which Sandy Adams, left, defeated Representative Suzanne Kosmas. (NYT Photo)

John Carney, a Democrat, won a seat in the House in Delaware's at-large district. That seat had been held by Representative Mike Castle, a longtime Republican who lost in the Senate primary to Christine O'Donnell. (NYT Photo)

The Republican party handed President Obama a high-profile defeat when Robert Hurt, a state senator in Virginia, defeated the only Democratic House candidate for whom Mr. Obama campaigned directly, Tom Perriello. (NYT Photo)

Todd Young, a Republican, defeated Baron P. Hill in Indiana for a seat in the House of Representatives for the Ninth District. Young waited to vote in Bloomington, Indiana, on Tuesday. (NYT Photo)

In Missouri, voters did not respond to the seniority argument made by Ike Skelton, chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He lost the race to Vicky Hartzler. (NYT Photo)

Jeff Miller, the Republican candidate in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, lost to the incumbent, Heath Shuler, a Democrat. (NYT Photo)

In Georgia, Representative Jim Marshall, left, a Democrat, lost to Austin Scott. (NYT Photo)

In South Carolina, Representative John M. Spratt Jr., center, a Democrat and the chairman of the Budget Committee, lost to state Senator Michael “Mick” Mulvaney. (NYT Photo)

In Florida, Representative Allen Boyd, right, a “Blue Dog” Democrat, lost to Steve Southerland. (NYT Photo)

Representative Steve Driehaus of Ohio, one of the most embattled Democratic incumbents, lost his race to Steve Chabot. (NYT Photo)

Sean Duffy, center, a former star of MTV's “Real World,” was elected to Congress on the Republican ticket in Wisconsin. (NYT Photo)

Rand Paul, a Tea Party-backed Republican candidate in Kentucky, was elected to the United States Senate on Tuesday, the first big victory of the night for the Tea Party in what was a precursor of big gains in Congress for the Republican Party. Mr. Paul with his wife, Kelley, at an election night party in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (NYT Photo)

The Tea Party added a second Senate victory when Marco Rubio rode a wave of voter concern over the economy to win a three-way race for the Senate in Florida. (NYT Photo)

Supporters cheered for Rubio after his victory speech in Miami. (NYT Photo)

Marco Rubio beat Gov. Charlie Crist, a former Republican who ran as an independent. (NYT Photo)

Kendrick B. Meek, the Democratic Senate candidate in Florida, spoke to supporters after conceding to Rubio in Miami. Surveys of voters leaving polling places showed that Crist and Meek hurt each other's chances. (NYT Photo)

The support of the Tea Party was not enough to propel Christine O'Donnell to victory in the Delaware Senate race, which had become a national sensation. Her opponent, Chris Coons, kept the seat in Democratic hands. (NYT Photo)

Rob Portman, a Republican, won a Senate seat in Ohio being vacated by the retirement of Senator George V. Voinovich, also a Republican. (NYT Photo)

Senator Michael Bennett, his wife, Susan Daggett, and their children reacted to seeing early results showing him in the lead in the Colorado Senate race against Ken Buck. (NYT Photo)

Ron Johnson, the Republican Senate candidate in Wisconsin and a political newcomer, defeated Senator Russ Feingold. He spoke to supporters in Oshkosh. (NYT Photo)

Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who was seeking a fourth term, lost to Mr. Johnson. (NYT Photo)

Pat Toomey, the Republican candidate, won the Pennsylvania Senate race over Representative Joe Sestak. (NYT Photo)

Sestak, second from right, had battled the White House during the Democratic primary, eventually ousting the incumbent Democratic senator, Arlen Specter, against the wishes of President Obama. He lost the general election. (NYT Photo)

Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, won his race against Sharron Angle, a Tea Party-backed Republican. He celebrated with his wife, Landra, at his election night party in Las Vegas. (NYT Photo)

In a stinging defeat for Democrats on Mr. Obama's home turf, Mark Steven Kirk, a Republican and longtime member of Congress representing Chicago's affluent northern suburbs, won a narrow victory over his Democratic rival, Alexi Giannoulias, the state treasurer, whom the president had endorsed. (NYT Photo)

Senator Lisa Murkowski, center, the incumbent who lost the Republican primary in Alaska, was running as a write-in candidate. Ms. Murkowski and her family reacted to early election returns in Anchorage. (NYT Photo)

Joe Miller, the Republican Senate candidate in Alaska, with his family after his campaign. He received hefty contributions from the Tea Party Express. (NYT Photo)