2000 Congressional Elections

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2000 Congressional Elections
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House of Representatives

• All 435 seats in the House are at stake
• Current line-up
• Republicans 222
• Democrats 211
• Independents 2
• (one usually votes with the Democrats
• one usually votes with the Republicans)
• Not running for re-election
• Republicans 24
• Democrats 8

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• While the Republicans hold an 11 seat majority,
• the critical number is 218
• the number of votes needed to pass legislation.
• To regain the majority and control of the house
  the Democrats need a net
• gain of 6 seats.

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Senate

• 33 Senate seats are at stake
• Republicans 19
• Democrats 14
• Current line-up
• Republicans 55
• Democrats 45
• Open seats
• Republican s 1
• Democrats 4

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Resources

• These four committees are the congressional
  campaign arms for the political parties.
• They assist in
• recruiting candidates
• issue research
• media and polling
• but
• their primary roll is fund-raising

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• National Republican Congressional Committee
• http//www.nrcc.org
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
• http//www.dccc.org
• National Republican Senatorial Committee
• http//www.nrsc.org
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
• http//www.dscc.org

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Information on Incumbents

• U.S. House of Representatives
• http//www.house.gov/
• United States Senate
• http//www.senate.gov/

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Campaign election analysis and handcapping

• The Cook Political Report
• 1501 M Street, N.W. - Suite 300
• Washington, D.C. 20005
• 202/739-8525
• The Rothenberg Political Report
• 50 F Street, N.W. - 7th Floor
• Washington, D.C. 20001
• 202/546-2822

9
Campaign Contributions

• The Federal Election Commission
• http//www.fec.gov
• Center for Responsive Politics
• http//www.opensecrets.org

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Miscellaneous

• Center for American Women and Politics
• http//www.rci.rutgers.edu/cawp/index.html
• The Associated Press
• Campaign Bios - available through Nexis
• Vital Statistics on Congress - 1999-2000
• The AEI Press
• 1150 17th Street, N.W.
• Washington, D.C. 20036
• 1-800-269-6267

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• Congressional Quarterlys Guide to U.S. Elections
• Congressional Quarterlys Poilitics in America
• Congressional Quarterly
• 1414 22nd Street, N.W.
• Washington, D.C. 20037
• 1-800-638-1710

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State Races

• Governorships and state legislatures will be
  important battlegrounds in this years elections.
• They will determine the makeup of congressional
  and legislative districts following the 2000
  Census.

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State Houses

• Republicans have majorities in 23.
• Democrats have majorities in 25.
• (Washington is evenly split.
• Alabama, Louisiana, New Jersey
• and Virginia will not hold legislative
  elections this year.)

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State Senates

• Republicans have majorities in 24.
• Democrats have majorities in 24.
• (Nebraskas unicameral Legislature is
  nonpartisan.
• New Hampshire is evenly divided)

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Governors

• Current line-up
• Republicans 30
• Democrats 18
• Independents 1(Maine)
• Reform Party 1(Minnesota)
• Governorships at stake(11)
• Republicans 4
• Democrats 7
• Not running for re-election
• Republicans 2
• Democrats 3

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Resources

• National Conference of State Legislatures
• http//www.ncsl.org
• National Governors Association
• http//www.nga.org
• Republican Governors Association
• http//www.rga.org
• Democratic Governors Association
• http//www.democratsgovernors.org

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• National Institute on Money in State Politics
• http//www.followthemoney.org
• Republican National Committee
• http//www.rnc.org
• Democratic National Committee
• http//www.democrats.org