DAVID CRARY
AP National Writer

Massachusetts became the first state to elect an openly gay attorney general, while the gay candidate in Maine’s gubernatorial race narrowly lost his chance to make history. Nationally, gay-rights activists worried that conservative gains in Congress would hamper their bid for federal anti-bias legislation.

In all, it was a sobering election for the gay-rights movement, contrasting with its recent court victories that have nearly doubled the number of states allowing same-sex marriage. In U.S. Senate races, several Democrats who supported gay marriage — including Mark Udall of Colorado and Kay Hagan of North Carolina — lost to Republicans who oppose it.

Among the highlights for gay-rights activists was Democrat Maura Healey’s election as Massachusetts attorney general. Healey, a former prosecutor, played pro basketball in Austria before launching her law career.

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