Democrats Take the House, Could Also Grab the Senate

The Democratic Party gained control of the House of Representatives yesterday, and with the Senate majority still in limbo voters across the country ousted at least 27 Republican representatives.

As of 2:00 a.m. today Senate races in Virginia and Montana remain too close to call. Republicans control 49 seats, Democrats control 47 seats and two independents support the Democratic leadership.

Democrats already control the House by about 10 seats with about 15 races still undecided, according to projections by major news organizations.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco will become the first female speaker of the House. She is poised to take the reins as her party gains the power to dictate the body’s legislative agenda for the first time since losing the House in 1994.

Voters most often cited Iraq as the issue that encouraged their decision, leading many political analysts to conclude the power reversal is the result of a backlash against President George W. Bush.

“It’s fair to say this was a reflection on the Bush administration,” said John Ellwood, a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy. “This was not a pro-Democratic vote, it was a repudiation of the Republicans in power.”

Democrats’ excitement is tempered by the small margins of their majorities, which analysts say will prevent a dramatic policy shift.

Many of the Democrats who made the difference in the takeover take relatively conservative positions on issues like abortion and gun control, said Ethan Rarick, head of UC Berkeley’s Center on Politics.

Still, he said, the new Democratic majorities will spark more oversight of the White House and create productive disagreements in Congressional debates.

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