National News Republicans retake control of Senate, expand major in House

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Republicans recaptured control of the Senate and expanded their majority in the House on Nov. 5 as GOP candidates rode on the back of President George W. Bush's popularity and turned a competitive midterm campaign into an election that defied the odds of history.

The last piece fell into place Nov. 6 when Missouri fell to the Republicans after Missouri Democrat Sen. Jean Carnahan conceded defeat to former Rep. Jim Talent, a Missouri Republican. Talent's victory secured a new GOP majority in the Senate, an outcome that had appeared almost out of reach to party leaders a day earlier and that left Democrats dispirited and looking for scapegoats

Republicans also picked up a Senate seat in Georgia, maintained control of two crucial open seats in North Carolina and New Hampshire, and held on to Colorado and Texas. Democrats gained a seat in Arkansas but could not turn the other competitive races in their direction.

In the House, the GOP added at least two seats to their six-seat majority, blunting Democratic challenges in key competitive races.

In gubernatorial races, Democrats claimed victories in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan. But Republicans retained power in Florida, where Gov. Jeb Bush easily defeated Democrat Bill McBride in a race that echoed with the bitter memories of the Florida recount battle two years ago. The GOP also scored the biggest upset of the day in ousting Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who was seen as coasting toward a second term not long ago.

Republicans were attempting to turn history on its head, given that the party that controls the White House almost always loses seats in the midterm election of a new presidency. But Bush, with his approval rating buoyed by his handling of the war against terrorism, threw himself into the electoral fray. He blitzed through competitive House and Senate races in the final weeks of the campaign and appeared to have been repaid by a surge of Republican votes.

米共和党、上下両院で過半数

5日に投票が行なわれた米国の中間選挙で、共和党が上下両院で過半数を獲得。中間選挙では与党が負けるというこれまでの通例を破った。

Shukan ST: Nov. 15, 2002

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