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Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Senate Floor Leaders) are two United States Senators... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in... Congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives are determined after each census. ... The United States federal courts are the system of courts organized under the Constitution and laws of the federal government of the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries  Atlas  Politics Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the acronym... The United States courts of appeals (or circuit courts) are the mid-level appellate courts of the United States federal court system. ... Map of the boundaries of the United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. ...
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The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. All United States House of Representatives seats and one third of the United States Senate seats were contested in this election, as well as 36 state governorships, many state legislatures, four territorial legislatures and many state and local races. The election resulted in a sweeping victory for the Democratic Party which captured the House of Representatives, the Senate, and a majority of governorships and state legislatures from the Republican Party. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countriesAtlas  Politics Portal      The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at federal (national), state and... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      United States presidential elections determine who serves as president and vice president of the United... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Midterm elections are elections in the United States in which members of Congress, state legislatures, and... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      This list of political parties in the United States contains past and present political parties in the... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... A state government is the government of a subnational entity in nation-states with federal forms of government, which shares political power with the federal government or national government. ... Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ... Current party control of Governors offices (2006). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      All United States states are required to possess a legislative branch. ... In the U.S., a state court has jurisdiction over disputes which occur in a state. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Local government in the United States (sometimes referred to as municipal government) is generally structured... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ...

Background

In March 2003, President George W. Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq, a state, the American government claimed, whose government, lead by dictator Saddam Hussein, was linked to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and, more importantly, was producing weapons of mass destruction. That May, just two months after the initial invasion, Bush announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq. In the following months, insurgents began resisting the American occupation. Additionally, sectarian tensions between majority Shiite and minority Sunni Muslims, tensions which had been suppressed under the grip of the Hussein regime, began to result in violence. By the end of 2003, despite the war being initially popular, the post-war occupation was losing support from the American public. A November 2003 Gallup poll showed that Bush’s job approval rating had fallen to 50% from a high of 71% at the outset of the war. ^[1] March 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → // Events March 1, 2003 Iraq disarmament crisis: The Turkish speaker of Parliament voids the vote accepting U.S. troops involved in the planned invasion of Iraq into Turkey on constitutional grounds. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... For the Xzibit album, see Weapons of Mass Destruction (album). ... President George W. Bush addresses sailors during the Mission Accomplished speech, May 1, 2003. ... Shi‘as (the adjective in Arabic is شيعى shi‘i; English has traditionally used Shiite) which mean follower in Arabic make up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%-35% of all Muslim. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Occupation zones in Iraq as of September 2003 The post-invasion period in Iraq followed the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition led by the United States, which overthrew the Baath Party government of Saddam Hussein. ...

The next year, Bush won a narrow reelection over Democratic nominee John Kerry with less than 51% of the popular vote and 286 electoral votes (only 16 votes ahead of the 270 votes needed.), the smallest winning margin ever for an incumbent president since Woodrow Wilson in the 1916 Presidential Election. It was, however, the first time since 1988 that a winner garnered a popular majority. Terrorism and the war in Iraq dominated the election, with domestic issues taking a secondary role. Bush began his second term with a continuation of the occupation and a push to overhaul Social Security with his privatization plan. Both policies proved unpopular, and violence in Iraq continued to increase. Compounding the unpopularity of the war was the fact that no weapons of mass destruction were ever found and claims that Saddam Hussein was linked to 9/11 were mostly debunked. August 2005 was the last time any major public opinion poll recorded majority approval of Bush’s job. [1] Negative perceptions of Bush following the slow governmental response to Hurricane Katrina plus the rather weak economy further weighed on his popularity. Presidential electoral votes by state. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856–February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ... The United States presidential election of 1916 took place while Europe was embroiled in World War I. Public sentiment in the still neutral United States leaned towards the British and French (allied) forces, due to the harsh treatment of civilians by the German Army, which had invaded and occupied large... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ...

Simultaneously, the Republican-controlled 109th congress’s popularity was declining as well. Both Bush’s and the congress’s involvement in the Terri Schiavo controversy in March 2005 were highly unpopular. A series of congressional scandals also rocked Washington D.C., most notably the ongoing Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, as well as the Mark Foley scandal and the Cunningham scandal, both in October 2006. Additionally, the congress had a smaller than average list of major accomplishments and was not in session for a larger than average amount of days, allowing Democrats and others to characterize it as a “Do-Nothing” congress and blame the Republican leadership for the lack of progress. United States Capitol (2002) // The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. ... Theresa Marie Terri Schiavo (December 3, 1963 – March 31, 2005), from St. ... The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a United States political scandal relating to the work performed by political lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr. ... Mark Foley The Mark Foley scandal, which broke in late September 2006, centers on sexually explicit and solicitative e-mails and instant messages sent by Mark Foley, a Republican Congressman from Florida, to congressional pages and former pages. ... The Cunningham Scandal is a US political scandal in which defense contractors paid bribes to members of Congress, and officials in the US Defense Department, in return for political favors in the form of federal contracts. ...

Another complaint associated with the 109th Congress was that it had very little resistance enacting legislation which was not authorized by the US Constitution, such as renewal of the Patriot Act. Constitutionally, Congress is the highest power in the federal government. In actuality, it was a widespread observation that it was little more than a passive, rubber stamp organization for George W. Bush. Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America and is... This article needs cleanup. ... Rubber stamp, is a political metaphor referring to an institution that has little power and rarely disagrees with more powerful organs, though usually it formally has much greater power. ...

Throughout 2006, sectarian violence was ongoing in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq; many claimed that the conflict was evolving into a civil war. Perceptions of congress and Republicans in general remained highly negative. President Bush’s job approval rarely rose above 40%. In the months and weeks before the election, most political analysts claimed that the political environment was the worst for Republicans since the early 1930's (When another unpopular president's (Herbert Hoover) party lost control of Congress.) A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight against each other for the control of political power. ... Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964), the thirty-first President of the United States (1929–1933), was a world-famous mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. ...

Summary of results

The Democratic Party won a majority of the state governorships^[2] and the U.S. House and Senate seats each for the first time since 1994, an election-year commonly known as the "Republican Revolution". For the first time in the history of the United States, no Republican captured any House, Senate, or Gubernatorial seat previously held by a Democrat.^[3] Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The U.S. House election, 1994 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1994 that occurred in the middle of President Bill Clintons first term. ... The Republican Revolution refers to the success of Republican Party in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate. ...

Democrats took a 233-202 advantage in the House of Representatives, and a 51-49 advantage in the United States Senate. The Senate figure includes two candidates who ran as independent candidates: one who pledged to align with Democrats and another who lost the Democratic primary but won the general election as an independent promising to caucus with the Democrats.^[4] The final Senate result was decided when Democrat James Webb was declared the winner in Virginia against incumbent George Allen by the Associated Press.^[5] On November 9, 2006, Allen and fellow Republican incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns (Mont.) both conceded defeat, ceding control of the Senate to the Democrats.^[6][7] The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... James Henry Jim Webb, Jr. ... The Virginia Senate election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... George Felix Allen (born March 8, 1952) is a former Republican United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Conrad Ray Burns (born January 25, 1935) is a former United States Senator from Montana. ...

The election made Nancy Pelosi (D-California) the first-ever female, first-ever Italian, and first-ever Californian Speaker of the House^[8] and Harry Reid (D-Nevada) the first Mormon Senate Majority Leader.^[9] Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota) became the first Muslim ever elected to the U.S. Congress^[10] and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Hank Johnson (D-Georgia) became the first Buddhists in a United States governing body.^[11]. Seven states banned recognition of same-sex marriage, while Arizona became the first state to reject such a ballot initiative.^[12] South Dakota rejected a ban on abortion under almost any circumstances, which was intended to overturn federal constitutional abortion-rights nationwide by setting up a strong test case that proponents hoped would lead to the overruling of Roe vs. Wade.^[13] Nancy Patricia DAlesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. ... This article is about the history and use of the word Mormon. For information about the religious beliefs and culture of Mormons, see Mormonism. ... A Senate Majority Leader is a politician within a Senate who leads the majority party, or majority coalition, of sitting senators. ... Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesotas 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Mazie Keiko Hirono (Japanese: 広野 慶子) , born November 3, 1947 in Fukushima, Japan, is an American politician who was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. ... Henry “Hank” Johnson Jr. ... A silhouette of a Buddha statue at Ayutthaya, Thailand. ... International recognition Civil unions and Domestic partnerships Recognized in some regions Unregistered co-habitation Recognition debated See also Same-sex marriage Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box:      Same-sex marriage, also called gay marriage, is a marriage between two persons... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Holding Texas laws criminalizing abortion violated womens Fourteenth Amendment right to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. ...

Some of the Republican House and Senate seats lost by the Republicans belonged to members of the Republican Revolution of 1994. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania), Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Congressmen Charlie Bass (R-New Hampshire), John Hostettler (R-Indiana), Gil Gutknecht (R-Minnesota), and J.D. Hayworth (R-Arizona) all were elected in Democratic held seats in the 1994 elections and defeated in 2006. The Democrats also won back the Kansas 2nd and Ohio 18th, both lost to them in 1994. Rep. Sue Kelly (R-New York), also a member of the Republican "Class of 1994," was defeated. The Republican Revolution refers to the success of Republican Party in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate. ... “Santorum” redirects here. ... Richard Michael Mike DeWine (born January 5, 1947) is an American politician from Ohio. ... Charles Foster Bass (born January 8, 1952) is a member of the United States House of Representatives for the second district of New Hampshire. ... John Nathan Hostettler (born June 19, 1961), American politician, is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. ... Gilbert William Gil Gutknecht, Jr. ... John D. J.D. Hayworth Jr. ... Sue W. Kelly (b. ...

The Democratic Party also claimed a majority of state governorships in the 2006 elections, gaining control of Republican-held governorships in New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Arkansas, Maryland and Ohio, to give the party a 28-22 advantage in governorships.

The campaign preceding the election was one of the dirtiest in recent memory, as candidates on both sides engaged in very negative campaigning. Scandals, including the Mark Foley Congressional Page Scandal, the Jack Abramoff scandal, and various allegations of marital infidelity and abuse doomed certain candidates, especially incumbents in PA-10 and NY-20, which hosted one of the most negative campaigns in the country. Virginia senator George Allen, a potential Republican 2008 Presidential candidate, saw his chances for reelection disappear when he was caught on video using a racial slur to describe a young Indian-American who worked for his opponent's campaign. Mark Foley The Mark Foley scandal, which broke in late September 2006, centers on sexually explicit and solicitative e-mails and instant messages sent by Mark Foley, a Republican Congressman from Florida, to congressional pages and former pages. ... Jack Abramoff (born February 28, 1958) is an American political lobbyist, a Republican political activist and businessman who is a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. ... Republican incumbent, Don Sherwood Democratic challenger, Chris Carney The 2006 Pennsylvania 10th congressional district election was held on November 7 to elect a representative from the Pennsylvanias 10th congressional district. ... The New York 20th congressional district election for the 110th Congress was held on November 7, 2006. ... George Allen can refer to several people: George Venebale Allen, (1903-1970), U.S. diplomat. ... Look up republican in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For American Indians, see Native Americans in the United States or Indigenous peoples of the Americas. ...

Federal results

The Democrats gained six Senate seats by defeating Republican senators in the states of Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. The Democrats secured a 51-49 majority in the Senate (Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont are Independents who will vote with Democrats on caucus issues). The Democrats gained thirty House seats. For the first time since the midterm elections of 1994, the Democratic Party gained control of both houses of the United States Congress. Claire McCaskill (born July 24, 1953) is an American Democratic politician, currently the junior United States Senator from the state of Missouri and former State Auditor of Missouri. ... Jonathan Jon Tester (born August 21, 1956) is the Democratic Senator-elect from Montana. ... Sherrod Campbell Brown (born November 9, 1952) is the Democratic Junior United States Senator from the state of Ohio. ... Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. ... Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. ... James Henry Jim Webb, Jr. ... Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Bernard Bernie Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current big willy floppah junior United States Senator from big blob of brown poo Vermont. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ... The U.S. House election, 1994 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1994 which occurred in the middle of President Bill Clintons first term. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...

United States House of Representatives

All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election. The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ...

Main article: United States House elections, 2006

Special case: FL-13 (FL certified the Republican the winner, but this election is being disputed in court and Congress.) President Bush meets with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer (then House Minority Leader and Minority Whip, respectively) at the Oval Office in the White House. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... President Bush meets with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer (then House Minority Leader and Minority Whip, respectively) at the Oval Office in the White House. ... Summary of party change of U.S. house seats in the 2004 House election. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Floridas 13th congressional district encompasses all of Sarasota, DeSoto, and Hardee County, and most of Manatee County, except for a small northern coastal portion in District 11. ...

United States Senate

The 33 seats in the United States Senate Class 1 were up for election. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... The three classes of US Senators, each currently including 33 or 34 Senators (since Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959, and until another state is admitted), are a means used by the United States Senate for describing the schedules of Senate seats elections, and of the expiration of the...

Main article: United States Senate elections, 2006

The Democratic Party is considered to hold a majority with 51 seats because the two independents, Bernie Sanders (Vermont) and Independent Democrat Joe Lieberman (Connecticut), caucus with the Democrats.  Republican hold  Democratic hold  Democratic pickup  Independent hold  Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the...  Republican hold  Democratic hold  Democratic pickup  Independent hold  Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ...  Republican holds  Republican pickups  Democratic holds  Democratic pickups The United States Senate election, 2004 was an election for one-third of the seats in the United States Senate which coincided with the re-election of George W. Bush as president and the United States House election, as well as many...  Republican hold  Democratic hold  Democratic pickup  Independent hold  Independent pickup Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... The Libertarian Party is an American political party founded on Dec. ... This article is about the American political party, Green Party. ... The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... Bernard Bernie Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the current big willy floppah junior United States Senator from big blob of brown poo Vermont. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is an American politician from Connecticut. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ...

State results

Governors

Main article: United States gubernatorial elections, 2006

Of the 50 United States governors, 36 were up for election. Twenty two of those contested seats were held by Republicans, and the remaining 14 were held by Democrats. Of the 36 governorships up for election, ten were open due to retirement, term limits, or primary loss. Although most governors serve four-year terms, the two exceptions, Vermont and New Hampshire, elect governors to two-year terms. As a result of the 2006 gubernatorial elections, there are now 28 Democratic governors and 22 Republican governors, a reversal of the numbers held by the respective parties prior to the elections. Republican holds in dark red, Democratic holds in dark blue, Democratic pickups in light blue The U.S. gubernatorial elections of 2006 were held on November 7, 2006 in 36 states with 22 of the seats held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,350 sq mi (24,217 km²)  - Width 68 miles (110 km)  - Length 190 miles (305 km)  - % water 4. ... Republican holds in dark red, Democratic holds in dark blue, Democratic pickups in light blue The U.S. gubernatorial elections of 2006 were held on November 7, 2006 in 36 states with 22 of the seats held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats. ...

State legislatures

Nearly all state legislatures were up for election. Prior to the general elections, with the exception of the nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature, 21 legislatures were controlled by Republicans, 19 by Democrats, and nine were split legislatures (where both houses are controlled by different parties). As a result of the 2006 elections, 23 legislatures were carried by Democrats, 17 by Republicans, and 9 legislatures were split. In all, Republicans lost, and Democrats gained, more than 300 state legislative seats. Democrats gained control of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, the Minnesota Legislature, the Iowa General Assembly and the New Hampshire General Court. In New Hampshire's case, both houses of the legislature flipped from the Republicans to the Democrats. The Republicans, meanwhile, did not gain control of any state legislature. Instead, state Republicans lost their majorities in the Wisconsin Senate, the Michigan Legislature, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and the Indiana General Assembly, turning those legislatures into split bodies. Conversely, Republicans gained control of 2 state houses - the Montana House of Representatives changed from a 50-50 split to a 50-49-1 split, with the lone Constitution Party representative voting for Republican control of that body. Also, the election produced a 26-26 split in the Mississippi Senate, previously under a democratic majority, with the tie-breaking vote coming from Republican lieutenant governor Amy Tuck. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... In U.S. politics, nonpartisan denotes an election in which the candidates do not declare or do not formally have a political party affiliation. ... The Nebraska Legislature is the U.S. state of Nebraskas legislative branch. ... The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. ... The Minnesota State Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ... 2002 Senate District Map 2002 House District Map The Iowa General Assembly (IGA) is the legislative branch for the state of Iowa. ... The New Hampshire General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ... The Wisconsin Senate, whose powers are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly. ... The Michigan Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Capitol Building The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the U.S. state of Pennsylvanias legislative branch, seated at the states capital, Harrisburg. ... The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state government of Indiana. ... The Montana House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. ... The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... The Mississippi Senate, in American politics, is the upper house of the state legislature of Mississippi. ... Amy Tuck is currently the Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, a Republican. ...

Democrats gained or retained control of the state legislatures and governorships of 15 states, thus creating one-party Government in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia. Republicans now control ten state governments, these being ,Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah. ^[14] Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N  - Longitude 75° 03′ W to 79° 29... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,350 sq mi (24,217 km²)  - Width 68 miles (110 km)  - Length 190 miles (305 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami metropolitan area Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Official language(s) English [1] Capital Boise Largest city Boise Largest metro area Boise metropolitan area Area  Ranked 14th  - Total 83,642 sq mi (216,632 km²)  - Width 305 miles (491 km)  - Length 479 miles (771 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Area  Ranked 19th  - Total 70,762 sq mi (183,272 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 340 miles (545 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32° 2′ N to 35° 13′ N  - Longitude... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

Democrats won a veto-proof supermajority in both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly, with Democrats holding a commanding 131-56 majority. The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. ...

The most dramatic change in party control occurred with the New Hampshire General Court, where Republicans held a 92 seat majority in the lower House and an eight seat majority in the upper Senate prior to the election. By the end of the evening, Republicans had lost 81 seats in the House and five in the Senate, giving control of the General Court to the Democrats. This coincided with the landslide reelection of Democratic Governor John Lynch, the takeover of both of New Hampshire's U.S. House seats by Democrats, and New Hampshire's unique Executive Council gaining a Democratic majority. The New Hampshire General Court is the state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ... John H. Lynch (b. ... Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire (commonly Governors Council) is the Executive body of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. ...

Third parties

Third parties received largely mixed results in the 2006 elections. In the Maine House of Representatives, Green State Representative John Eder was narrowly defeated by Democratic rival Jon Hinck in a bitterly contested campaign over Portland's 118th District. Eder's loss deprived the U.S. Green movement's highest elected position in any state office. ^[15] The debating chamber of the Maine House of Representatives inside the State House The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. ... The Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. ... John Eder (born January 18, 1969) is a Green Party Leader, social activist, and American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. ... Nickname: Motto: Resurgam (Latin for I will rise again) Country United States State Maine County Cumberland Settled 1632 Incorporated 1786 Government  - Mayor Nicholas M. Mavodones, Jr Area  - City  52. ...

In the Vermont House of Representatives, the Vermont Progressive Party successfully maintained its six seats within the chamber. The Vermont Progressive Party has in recent years become one of the most consistently successful third parties in the U.S. to be elected to higher office. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Vermont General Assembly. ... The Vermont Progressive Party is perhaps the United States most consistently successful current third party, although it is active in only one state. ...

In Illinois, out of seemingly dissatisfaction of both the candidacies of Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich and Republican candidate Judy Barr Topinka resulted in 10% of the electorate voting for the Green Party candidate Rich Whitney, an accomplishment by all means considering Whitney did not campaign on television or radio. Milorad Blagojevich, commonly known as Rod R. Blagojevich (pronounced IPA:  , born December 10, 1956) is an American politician from the state of Illinois. ... A Green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of Green politics. ... Rich Whitney in 2006 Wikisource has original text related to this article: The_Times_Demand_Change Rich Whitney is an Illinois politician and the Illinois Green Partys candidate for Governor of Illinois in 2006. ...

In Montana, Rick Jore made history becoming the first candidate of the right-wing Constitution Party to be elected to a state legislature, elected to the 12th District in the Montana House of Representatives. Jore initially won in 2004 by three votes, only to see the courts throw out enough ballots to give the Democrat the victory. In the 2006 elections, Jore won convincingly, garnering 56.2% of the vote. ^[16] Rick Jore, a Montana politician and businessman, was born and raised in Ronan, Montana, and received his associates degree from North Idaho College in 1978 and is currently the owner of Westslope Trout Company and vice-chair of the Constitution Party of Montana. ... The Constitution Party is a conservative United States political party. ... The Montana House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. ...

Neither the Libertarian or Reform Parties gained any state legislative seats. The Libertarian Party is an American political party founded on Dec. ... The Reform Party of the United States of America (abbreviated Reform Party USA or RPUSA) is a political party in the United States, founded by Ross Perot in 1995 who said Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics--as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues--and...

Ballot initiatives

Voters weighed in on various ballot initiatives. These included:

• In a hotly-contested referendum that inspired a widely-publicized feud between conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and actor Michael J. Fox, Missouri voters narrowly passed an initiative to allow funding for embryonic stem cell research. The presence of the referendum on the ballot may also have aided Democrat Claire McCaskill in her victory over incumbent senator Jim Talent, who had opposed the measure.
• Raising the minimum wage, which passed in all six states with such referendums (AZ, CO, MO, MT, NV, OH)
• Banning the recognition of same-sex marriage, passing in seven out of eight states (Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota (in South Dakota the proposition passed by a margin of only 51 to 48) , Tennessee,