Republicans See Red, Democrats Celebrate the Blues
Making Congress work was clearly on voters' minds. Exit polls yesterday showed that Americans cited corruption as their top concern more than any other issue, including the war in Iraq. A handful of Democratic gains came in districts where Republicans had resigned amid scandal, including those seats formerly held by Tom DeLay in Texas, Mark Foley in Florida, and Bob Ney in Ohio. But members of the Republican House leadership whom Democrats had tried to tie to the Foley page scandal, including National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds, survived challenges. House Republican Caucus Chairwoman Deborah Pryce was also leading in her Ohio re-election contest, but the outcome remained too close to call.
Republicans have sought to frame the election outcome as more of a Republican failure than a Democratic victory. "We must recommit ourselves to the principles that brought us to the majority," said current House Majority Leader John Boehner last night, "and renew our drive for smaller, more efficient, more accountable government." The Republican losses are expected to set off challenges to the current party leadership in the House, with staunch conservatives like Mike Pence possibly vying for top positions. "Our opponents will say that the American people rejected our Republican vision," Pence said this morning. "I say the American people didn't quit on the Contract With America; we did." Perhaps. But Tuesday's results surely scrambled the political equation for everyone. Republicans are in for some soul-searching. Democrats must get reaccustomed to the idea of doing some governing. A chastened White House must figure out how to deal with it all. And a host of candidates are off and running for president. It should be quite a ride.
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