WASHINGTON – Republicans defeated four veteran Texas Democrats and snatched an open Democratic seat in Kentucky on Tuesday as they extended their decade-long control of the House.
Democrats answered back, knocking off the longest-serving Republican in the chamber, Rep. Phil Crane, an Illinois conservative from Chicago’s wealthy suburbs, and a Georgia freshman incumbent. But their long-shot chances of gaining 12 seats to end Republican command was extinguished with more than two-thirds of the 435 House races decided.
By early today, Republicans had won 218 seats, and were leading in 14 others, which could give them at least 232 seats, 14 more than the majority needed for House control.
Months after Texas’ dominant state Republicans redrew congressional district lines to the GOP’s advantage, the fiercely disputed plan bore fruit and fueled the party’s hopes of holding its House majority. Among its chief architects were House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who was easily re-elected.
Earlier in the evening, Nick Clooney, former Cincinnati television anchor and father of actor George Clooney, lost his attempt to hold an open northeastern Kentucky seat for Democrats. He was beaten by GOP businessman Geoff Davis.
“This defeat has nothing to do with the ideals of the Democratic Party,” Clooney, 69, told supporters. “They are intact. We just picked the wrong candidate this time.”
Democrats fared better in the well-to-do suburbs north of Chicago, where they defeated Rep. Phil Crane, whose 35-year House career was the longest among the chamber’s Republicans. The victor was Melissa Bean, who was born seven years before Crane entered the House and characterized him as out of touch with his district.
They also ousted freshman GOP Rep. Max Burns, a top target of theirs, from a Democratic-leaning east Georgia seat. Republican Nancy Naples was trailing in her attempt to hold an open seat for her party in a district around Buffalo, N.Y.
In Connecticut, maverick GOP Rep. Christopher Shays and former CIA agent Rep. Rob Simmons staved off Democratic rivals.
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