(John Dillon) Democrats held their election party in a packed hotel ballroom in downtown Burlington. The mood was festive - a reflection of Barack Obama's overwhelming win in the state.

Even House Speaker Gaye Symington's disappointing showing failed to dampen the enthusiasm. Symington used her concession speech to encourage others to enter politics.

(Symington) "Please do not wait until you can give your voice to that process perfectly. Take the risk of being imperfect. As long as you speak with a voice that is from your heart."

(Dillon) But Symington also criticized the way incumbent Governor Jim Douglas ran his race.

(Symington) " It's been striking to me that a three-term incumbent governor would find it necessary to spend such a high proportion of his million dollar campaign on distorting the record and the words of his opponents rather than spend the campaign defending his own record."

(Dillon) Symington was first elected in 1996 as a state representative from Jericho. In 2004 she helped Democrats win back a majority in the Vermont House.

For VPR News, I'm John Dillon in Burlington.

AP Photo/Alden Pellett