Democrats take back US house

2006-11-08 09:01

Washington - Jubilant Democrats seized power in the house of representatives for the first time since 1994, tapping voter outrage over Iraq to punish President George W Bush and his scandal-tainted Republicans.

Democrats scooped up three of the six seats needed to wrest control of the senate in Tuesday's midterm elections, but were locked in excruciatingly close battles for the other three and the outcome may not be known for several days.

Democratic leaders immediately demanded a new direction in the blood-soaked US occupation in Iraq as they dealt a hammer blow to Bush's hopes of polishing his legacy in his final two years in office.

Nancy Pelosi, set to become the first ever female speaker of the house, said the election proved Americans were sick of Bush's refusal to change course in Iraq, where more than 2 800 US troops have been killed.

"We cannot continue down this catastrophic path. And so, we say to the president, Mr President, we need a new direction in Iraq," Pelosi told supporters.

Her house colleague Rahm Emmanuel, who masterminded the win, added: "What we're doing in Iraq isn't working and we desperately need to change course."

Democrats picked up 21 seats in the house, according to an AFP count, three more than they needed to gain control, and were still fighting for more than a dozen other Republican seats in the 435-member chamber.

Bush watched from the White House as his Republican party's majority on power was shattered.

"We believe Democrats will have control of the house, and look forward to working with Democratic leaders on the issues that remain foremost on the agenda, including winning the war in Iraq and the broader war on terror and keeping the economy on a growth path," said White House spokesperson Tony Snow.

The president scheduled a news conference on Wednesday and was expected to reach out to Democratic House leaders keen to handcuff his power.

Republican defeats

Republican incumbents crashed to defeat in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York and Rhode Island, according to television network projections.

On a banner night for Democrats, the party also won six governors' seats to take the majority of state houses for the first time in 12 years, according to television projections.

Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, bucked the trend and was re-elected governor of California, crushing Democrat rival Phil Angelides.

Democrat Keith Ellison from Minnesota became the first Muslim elected to congress, and Hillary Clinton as expected easily beat her Republican rival to claim a second term in the senate further spurring expectations of a 2008 presidential run.

"We believe in our country and we're going to take it back, starting tonight!" the former first lady told supporters in New York.

"New Yorkers and Americans ... want a new beginning for our beloved country."

Democrats in midwestern Indiana led the charge, ousting Republicans in three seats. A Republican incumbent was also toppled in Kentucky.

In Pennsylvania, senior house member Curt Weldon and another Republican also fell.

Republicans were also toppled in New York and North Carolina.

In the Virginia senate race, a recount loomed with a razor-thin margin of a few thousand votes.

Closely-contested races

But Republicans clung onto a hotly-contested senate seat in Tennessee and with only two closely contested races outstanding - Missouri and Montana - Democrats faced a stiff task to wrest control of the upper chamber.

In the senate, conservative senator Rick Santorum lost in Pennsylvania, and fellow Republicans Mike DeWine and Lincoln Chafee lost in Ohio and Rhode Island respectively.

Democrats retained hotly disputed seats in New Jersey and Maryland.

The Virginia race saw Democrat Jim Webb leading incumbent senator George Allen by a few thousand votes with a recount and prolonged wrangling between lawyers likely.

There were sporadic problems with electronic voting machines, and both sides hurled accusations of voter fraud.

Widespread disapproval of Bush

Early exit poll data by the ABC television network showed that six in 10 voters disapproved of the way Bush was doing his job.

CBS exit polls found 57% of voters disapproved of the war in Iraq, which has claimed the lives of more than 2 800 soldiers.

Bush had accused his rivals of having no plan to win the war, and said only the Republicans could give full protection against terrorists.

As well as Iraq and Republican corruption scandals, the election also hinged on concerns such as skyrocketing health-care costs, "values" issues like stem-cell research, gay marriage and abortion, the economy and illegal immigration.

- AFP