WASHINGTON - Democrats are expected to pick up two more Republican Senate seats: North Carolina and New Hampshire, according to projections by television networks.

After a campaign that turned particularly nasty in the final weeks in North Carolina, Fox News projected Democratic state lawmaker Kay Hagan would defeat incumbent Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

Meanwhile in New Hampshire, NBC News projected that Republican Sen. John Sununu would lose to Democratic rival Jeanne Shaheen.

Together with the earlier projection that Democrat Mark Warner would capture Virginia’s Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. John Warner, Democrats would pick up three seats so far based on the projections, expanding their lead to 54-46.

Republicans were able to hold on to another seat that was considered potentially vulnerable early in the campaign season, Maine Sen. Susan Collins.

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WASHINGTON - Democrats scored their first pickup in the U.S. Senate, taking the Virginia seat being vacated by retiring John Warner — but that doesn’t necessarily mean Democrats will win the state in the presidential race.

The popular former governor Democrat Mark Warner is projected to beat another former governor, Republican Jim Gilmore, according to the television networks. Gilmore was trailing by double-digits throughout much of the campaign.

Political experts have said that Warner’s victory could help Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama beat rival Republican John McCain in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat since 1964.

So far, as of 7:25 p.m., McCain was ahead 61 percent to 37.6 percent but less than one percent of the precincts have reported.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Molly Riley (Warner with his wife at a polling station in Alexandria, Va.)