The Democrats swept both the House and the Senate. Americans awaited the results of the Virginia and Montana elections. Despite the close race of Jim Webb and George Allen in Virginia, by the end of the evening it was determined that the Democrats had officially won the Senate.
With a Republican president and a Democratic Congress, President Bush can expect much difficulty in passing his legislation.
Recently he has stated that he is not nervous; he knows what he believes, and he will stick to it.
Bush will have to work with the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Many have questions for how this relationship will work. Pelosi has been noted for her lambasting of Bush.
Two Independents now have seats in the Senate, Bernie Sanders (VT) and Joe Lieberman (CT). It will be interesting to see whether they lean Republican or Democratic. Lieberman, a former Democrat who changed his party after losing the primary in May, has already announced his appointments to meet with the Democratic caucus.
November 8 was not only a day of election results. President Bush also announced the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State. Bush made a safe, bipartisan choice by replacing him with Robert Gates, former CIA chief.
Exit polls showed that Americans’ main concern was the war in Iraq. Many were concerned with the immorality of the Republican Party.
Yet it was only recently, during the Democratic Congress of the Clinton administration, that Democrats were accused of the same problem.
Democrats have much to prove this term. Americans can expect investigations on the war in Iraq. They can also expect the Democratic Congress to reform immigration and healthcare. The performance of Democrats will influence the presidential election of 2008.
Pfizenmayer is a junior political science major and an SGA senator.
Will Cunningham 
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter