GOP Strengthens Hold On House

Riding President Bush's popularity, Republicans strengthened their eight-year hold on the House.

By Wednesday, Republicans were projected to have won 227 seats, 4 more than they have in the current Congress, and Democrats were projected to have won 204 seats.

Votes for the remaining 4 seats are still being tallied in tight races for some states, among them Louisiana, Colorado and New Mexico. Colorado's race for its evenly split 7th District is a particularly close one between two rookies Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Mike Feeley. The two are head to head with 47 percent each.

It was only the fourth time since Abraham Lincoln that the president's party picked up House seats in a midterm election. There had only been three other times when the party in the White House did not lose House seats in a midterm election — 1902, 1934 and 1998.

Virginia Congressman Tom Davis says that would bring Republicans back to where they were after the 1994 elections, when they seized control of the House.

Davis also says Democrats failed to capitalize on the weak economy because they had "no plan" to improve it.

The GOP held on to their expected seats as well as taking several that were considered toss-ups.

In Tuesday's balloting, redistricting appeared to be the catalyst that helped Republicans win some of their seats.

Three Democrats lost after redistricting pitted them against Republican congressmen. Rep. James Maloney, D-Conn., was unable to overcome Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-Conn., while Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., edged out Rep. David Phelps, D-Ill. In a closely watched race in Mississippi, Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., trounced Rep. Ronnie Shows, D-Miss.

One Democratic incumbent did score a victory over an incumbent. Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., beat Republican Rep. George Gekas, a veteran lawmaker who had served in the House for two decades.

Florida Rep. Karen Thurman lost to Republican Ginny Brown-Waite after the Republican-controlled legislature redrew her district to add more Republican voters.

And four-term Rep. Bill Luther, running in a newly redrawn district, was ousted from his Minnesota seat by Republican John Kline. Luther was also hurt, however, by accusations that his camp encouraged a supporter to run in the race and draw votes from Republicans.

In Indiana, GOP businessman Chris Chocola won an open seat that had been Democratic.

The GOP went into the elections with a slender six-seat advantage in the House, but while all 435 seats were up for grabs, the outcome in most races was not in doubt. Republicans were expected to claim 207 seats and 190 were tagged as strong or likely seats for the Democrats.

The president's party typically loses seats in midterm elections. This year, Republicans seemed to be riding Mr. Bush's high approval ratings since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Mr. Bush devoted considerable energy to campaigning for Republicans, including a last-minute campaign blitz stumping for GOP candidates in Iowa and Illinois, among other places.

"We've been working on this thing for a long time," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said in an interview. "We had to prove to people we were capable of governing and running the House, and I think we have done that."

However, Republicans did lose moderate GOP Rep. Connie Morella, ousted from her Maryland district by former state Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Morella was hurt when redistricting dumped more Democrats into her suburban Washington district. And in New York, Rep. Felix Grucci was defeated by Democrat Tim Bishop.

A runoff will be held Dec. 7 to decide an open seat in Louisiana's fifth district. Democrat Rodney Alexander and Republican Lee Fletcher are vying for the seat after neither got the 50 percent required by law to avoid a runoff.

Among the more notable victories of the night, Republican Katherine Harris, the former Florida secretary of state who gained notoriety in the 2000 elections, easily won a seat in the Sarasota area.

And in California, voters were sending sisters Loretta and Linda Sanchez to the House. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a three-term congresswoman, easily won re-election to her seat. Sister Linda, who is nine years older, won in the newly drawn 39th District.

It was a similar scene in Florida where Republican Mario Diaz-Balart won a seat in the 25th District. He'll now join his brother, GOP Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, in the House.

Former Ohio Rep. James Traficant, who was expelled from the House in July after being convicted of bribery and racketeering, was rejected in his behind-bars bid to regain his seat as an independent. He finished a distant third.

Late Rep. Patsy Mink, D-Hawaii, who died last month of viral pneumonia, defeated three other candidates vying for her seat. Mink's seat will now be declared vacant and a special election will be held Jan. 4.

In Florida's 17th District, former state Sen. Kendrick Meek, a Democrat, won a bid to replace his mother, retiring Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Fla.