Linda McCulloch, Montana's Democratic candidate for secretary of state Secretary of State Project leaders are probably still celebrating. The liberal 527 group that supports progressive candidates for secretary of state positions in swing states saw three of the four candidates it supported this cycle win their elections. As of this morning, the fourth, Linda McCulloch, is ahead in Montana by about 4,400 votes.

The group, which PaperTrail reported on back in September, took in more than $280,000 to support the four candidates. In these types of races, relatively small sums can make a big impact. And the candidates are probably pretty grateful for the help. Besides McCulloch in Montana, the SoS Project supported Natalie Tennant in West Virginia, who won with 66 percent of the vote, and Robin Carnahan in Missouri, who was reelected with 62 percent. Oregon was closer: Kate Brown won with 50 percent.

Twelve of the top swing states in this election have secretaries of state positions of the sort that the SoS Project targets – that is, secretaries of state who are elected, not appointed, and who control elections in their state. If McCulloch is declared the winner in Montana, Democrats will control those offices in all but three of those 12 toss-up states — Colorado, Indiana, and Michigan. You can probably guess where the SoS Project will go to work next.

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