U.S. Republicans Lose House Majority

In the American midterm congressional elections held on November 7, the opposition Democratic Party won to become the dominant party in the House of Representatives.

According to the vote count as of the morning of November 8, the Democratic Party became the majority party for the first time in 12 years, seizing 229 out of 435 seats (including two democratically inclined independents), while the Republican Party took 191 seats.

In the Senate, Democrats got 22 out of the 33 seats over which there was fierce competition. Including two democratically inclined independents, this makes the same 49 people balance with the Republicans. The ballot count is still in progress in two places.

In the gubernatorial elections held in 36 of the 50 states, the Democrats seized a victory in 28 states such as New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Colorado, showing an increase of six candidates from the previous election. The Democrats also got a victory in the traditionally strong Republican states such as Indiana and Kentucky.

The midterm congressional elections are seen as a midterm evaluation of President George W. Bush. Together with the Iraqi war, rumors of corruption and sexual harassment scandals, the loss in this election comes at a time when Bush has 2 years left of his term; it will leave Bush an early lame duck, and the Democratic Party’s pressure on Iraqi and North Korea policies will become stronger.

Bush will hold a press conference on November 8 to reveal the Administration’s opinions on the results of this election.

sechepa@donga.com srkim@donga.com