Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: House likely to gain more than 120 new faces Date: Wed, 4 Nov 92 16:16:30 EST Message-ID: \SE A;ELECTIONS '92;HOUSE \HD House likely to gain more than 120 new faces \BY J. Jennings Moss \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Voters yesterday elected the greatest number of new House members since World War II, with the anti-incumbency fervor that had gripped the nation adding to the defeat of at least 30 lawmakers. Democratic incumbents had lost or were trailing in 24 districts while Republicans were headed for defeats in six districts. But the GOP seemed likely to narrow its minority status slightly by picking up at least 23 seats. The 103rd Congress should have at least 122 new representatives - the largest new group since World War II, surpassing the previous high of 112 members of the class of 1948. The number of defeated incumbents yesterday rivals that of 1981, the last time the White House changed parties, when 31 incumbents lost. Among those behind in early returns: Democrats Thomas Downey of New York, Albert Bustamante of Texas, Peter H. Kostmayer of Pennsylvania and Republicans Don Ritter of Pennsylvania and Bill Green of New York. The House bank scandal appeared to end several careers. Of the 46 members with more than 100 overdrafts - a classification that became a curse during their campaigns - at least five were losing to challengers yesterday: Democrats Mary Rose Oakar of Ohio, Gerry Sikorski of Minnesota and Joseph D. Early of Massachusetts, and Republican Rep. Bob McEwen of Ohio. Going into Election Day, the House was guaranteed at least 91 new members with the largest number of retirees - 53 - and the greatest number of incumbents defeated in primaries - 19 - since at least World War II. The remainder included 13 House members seeking higher office, five incumbent-vs.-incumbent races and the still unfilled seat of the late Rep. Ted Weiss, New York Democrat. Even with a 25 percent turnover, the 103rd Congress will continue to be dominated by Democrats, despite early predictions by the GOP that they would steal significant seats away from the majority party. Instead of a nearly 100-seat advantage over Republicans, Democrats will have closer to a 75-seat majority. The Democratic lock on both houses of Congress is made more significant by the election of Bill Clinton, who took steps during his campaign not to alienate the Democratic leadership and who is expected to push his legislative agenda aggressively. Women, blacks, Hispanics and people who campaigned on a platform that both bashed Congress and called for a plethora of institutional reforms increased their numbers yesterday although all groups suffered some setbacks. The dynamics of the next Congress were guaranteed to change because of redistricting, which transferred 19 seats from 13 mostly Northeast and Midwest states to eight largely Western and Southern states. Because of redistricting, there were five matchups where incumbents faced other incumbents. Those headed for defeat were Democrats Tom McMillen of Maryland, Jerry Huckaby of Louisiana and David Nagle of Iowa, as well as Republicans Ron Marlenee of Montana and Clyde Holloway of Louisiana. Also due to the shifting of districts, 11 new black and six new Hispanic representatives were expected to be elected. Included in this group are Alcee L. Hastings of Florida, the former U.S. district judge who was impeached and convicted on bribery charges in 1989 but whose conviction was overturned, and Bobby L. Rush of Chicago, a city alderman and former Black Panther. "Today's election marks the largest single increase of African-American members of Congress since reconstruction. This is clear evidence of the enhanced power and political influence of African-Americans," said Rep. Edolphus Towns, New York Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The caucus currently has 26 members. The only Republican to win a minority seat was Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Florida state senator and native of Cuba from Hialeah, who was not challenged. The other group to make significant gains was women, who started the last Congress with 28 lawmakers and could double their numbers after all the results are counted. "We've never added more than three or four to the House in net in any election cycle so we will be up 50 percent probably on the number of women," said Harriett Woods, president of the National Women's Political Caucus. "The good news for voters generally is they'll get better decisions with more diversity and maybe some reform in the bargain." But some incumbent women also fell. Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Patterson of South Carolina and Joan Kelly Horn of Missouri were behind in polls with about 50 percent of the polls counted in each race. Set in the sights of some of the reformers were members of the House leadership from both parties, but none of the top leaders or committee chairmen appeared to be in trouble. House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich of Georgia, who narrowly won re-election in 1990 and beat back a strong GOP primary challenge this year, defeated political newcomer Tom Center in a district changed by redistricting. In California, Rep. Vic Fazio - chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - faced former Rep. H.L. "Bill" Richardson. Mr. Fazio was trying not to see a repeat of the fate of his GOP counterpart, Rep. Guy Vander Jagt of Michigan, who lost during the primaries. The group that started the drive for reform, the Republican freshman House members known as the "Gang of Seven," fared well in early results. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM