Democrat gains boost command of House

Press, 8 November 1984, Page 10

Democrat gains boost command of House

NZPA-Reuter Washington The Republicans retained control of the United States Senate but the Democrats easily kept command of the House of Representives, which they have held for most of the last 50 years. Unofficial returns and television network projections showed the Democrats maintaining control of the House, with the Republicans having their present majority in the Senate of 99 reduced by 10 or more seats. At stake in the Congressional elections on Wednesday were all 435 House seats and 33 of 100 Senate SB3 tS. With all but two of the Senate contests decided, the Republicans had a net loss of only one seat. They went into the elections with a commanding 55 to 45 margin in the Senate. The Republicans lost a seat vacated by the Senate Republican Leader, Mr Howard Baker, in Tennes-

see, and a seat in lowa to Mr Tom Harkin. But they picked up the Kentucky seat oT Mr Walter Huddleston. The seat Mr Harkin won for the Democrats was significant because it had been held by Senator Roger Jepsen, who was chairman of the Joint House-Senate Economic Committee. In Kentucky, a Republican judge, Mr Mitch McConnell, aged 42, defeated Senator Huddleston, who was seeking a third term. Mr Albert Gore defeated a former state Senator, Mr Victor Ashe, to win the Tennessee seat vacated by Mr Baker, who has said he plans to seek the 1988 Republican presidential nomination. In another important race, Senator Jesse Helms, an arch-conservative Republican, defeated moderate Democratic Governor, Mr James Hunt, in a close race in North Carolina,. where spending by both sides totalled a record SUS2I

million ($4.2 million). The Helms victory was important because, if coupled with a possible loss by Illinois Republican Senator, Mr Charles Percy, Helms would be in line to be chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Percy contest with Democrat, Mr Paul Simon, was too close

to call early yesterday. Democrats also held on to their seats in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Montana, and Nebraska. In a closely contested race in Michigan, which has not fully recovered from the recession. Democrat Mr Carl Levin defeated former astronaut Mr Jack Lousma. Governor Jay Rockefeller won a seat for the Democrats, which had been vacated in West Virginia In Massachusetts,, former anti-Vietnam War activist, Mr John Kerry, defeated a spirited bid by conservative Republican businessman Raymond Shamie for the Senate seat of Democrat Mr Paul Tsongas, who retired. Republicans held on to Senate seats in Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Virginia, South Dakota, Minnesota, New Mexico, Wyoming, Oregon and Colorado. .