WASHINGTON — In a significant victory for President Bush, Republicans early today wrested control of the Senate from the Democrats and retained their majority in the House.
The president had put his prestige on the line to campaign for Republican candidates around the country, trying to translate his own popularity into political gains for the GOP.
Republicans may have expanded their six-seat majority in the House, once returns from all the races are in. That would defy historic trends, because the president's party usually loses House seats in midterm elections.
"President Bush and the Republican Party tonight have made history," said White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.
Democrats, having once again fallen short of regaining the House majority status they lost in 1994, looked to the future. "Tomorrow begins the election of 2004," said House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).
The Senate power shift came when Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.) conceded defeat to GOP Rep. Jim Talent, making him the 50th Republican senator in the new Congress. Even if Republicans pick up no other seats -- two races in South Dakota and Minnesota remained too close to call early today -- Republicans would control a Senate split 50-50 between the parties because Vice President Dick Cheney has the power to cast tie-breaking votes in the chamber.
The Republican takeover of the Senate, which many analysts had not considered likely heading into election day, restores the power the GOP enjoyed for the first half of 2001 when it passed Bush's sweeping tax cut.
Republicans lost control of the Senate in midyear when Sen. James M. Jeffords of Vermont quit the GOP to become an independent, giving Democrats a one-seat majority.
Since then, the Democratic-controlled Senate has proved a formidable obstacle to Bush's legislative agenda, most recently slowing action on his proposed Department of Homeland Security.
That's a big reason Bush has spent so much time campaigning and raising money for GOP candidates, traveling to 17 cities in 15 states in the last five days of the campaign alone.
Now, with Republicans controlling the Senate floor schedule and chairing its committees, Bush will have far more leverage in pushing his agenda of more tax cuts, higher defense spending and conservative judges as he prepares for his own reelection bid in 2004.
