Republicans expected to triumph in mid-term elections
Angry American voters were poised to deliver a heavy blow today to President Barack Obama’s Democrats in elections likely to cost the party control of at least one chamber of Congress.
Just two years after Mr Obama swept into office on a promise of hope and change, voters discouraged by the dismal US economy were expected to hand Republicans control of the House of Representatives.
Republicans were also expected to make gains in the Senate, with an outside shot at capturing the upper chamber.
In the campaign’s final hours, Democrats and Republicans pressed their supporters to vote, especially in states with toss-up Senate contests, such as Pennsylvania, Nevada, Illinois, Colorado and Washington state.
“We’re hoping now for a fresh start with the American people,” said Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele.
A big Republican win would derail Mr Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his term, potentially leaving Washington in political gridlock unless the president can find common ground with some of his fiercest critics.
Domestic issues such as Mr Obama’s tax and spending plans would be most affected, but the repercussions would be felt internationally too, on issues such as climate change, trade and arms control.
Mr Obama was home from the campaign trail at the White House after a weekend rush through four states.
The president travelled to 14 states in the final month of the campaign, some of them twice, in a bid to rekindle the enthusiasm of young voters, liberals, blacks and independents whose ballots propelled him to the White House.
The vote will shape American politics as Mr Obama looks toward running for re-election in 2012 and Republicans begin the process of selecting a candidate to oppose him.
Changes at the top of Congress are likely. If Republicans gain the 40 seats needed to win the 435-member House, Representative John Boehner of Ohio would replace Nancy Pelosi as speaker, making him second in line to the presidency.
Even if Republicans fail to pick up the 10 seats they need to win the 100-seat Senate, Democrats may need a new majority leader.
Senator Harry Reid faces a tough challenge from Sharron Angle in Nevada. Ms Angle is a favourite of the ultraconservative tea party movement that has jolted American politics with its call for a drastically smaller government and lower taxes.
Polls have shown Republicans to be more enthusiastic than Democrats about casting ballots.
In Nevada, final tallies for two weeks of in-person voting and a preliminary count of mail-in ballots for the state’s two most populous counties, Clark and Washoe, showed Republicans outperforming Democrats in getting a higher percentage of their voters to the polls, even though Democrats had a 9,000-voter edge in ballots cast.
Beyond the congressional votes, Republicans are expected to score big gains in 37 gubernatorial elections and in votes for state legislatures.
Those races are important as states redraw congressional districts following the 10-year census.
America’s political environment has changed drastically since 2008, when Democrats expanded their majorities in both chambers, riding on voters’ economic anxiety, their weariness with George W. Bush’s presidency and Mr Obama’s popularity.
